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Beyond the temp differential there is, additionally, the humidity that also factors in here.
In our high-desert environs, the relative humidity on hot days (up to 115F) rarely gets above 20% and is usually around 10%. We hardly ever see icing in our A/Cs here. But in places like New Orleans in August, things are different.
If the RH where an overworked unit is operating is at 60% (or 90%!), that’s a lot more water vapor in the air that will condense out and ice up on the condenser unit. Just like freezing some water in a glass bottle will eventually break the glass, too much ice buildup on the condenser can physically damage components. And it tends to “run away” as the efficiency of the system drops as more ice accumulates, causing it to work harder and harder.
Another issue on any kind of insurance side is depreciation. If a unit is “years” old (a squishy number) and due for repair or replacement anyway then Airbnb is going to be unlikely to cover it. Something else to know is that AirCover is provided by an insurance company, Airbnb is not insuring itself. So, like other insurance companies, they aren’t going to pay out if it’s not something they think should be covered.
As for the HVAC tech did they tell you unprompted that the failure was caused by someone turning the thermostat too low? Or did they tell you what you want to hear? If I were an HVAC tech and you were paying me $4000 I’d tell you what you wanted to hear and put it in writing as well, especially if it’s for an insurance claim.
No idea on that. I told them what the issue was, how the AC was set to 65F and how it had been on constantly for over 12 hours…which prompted both of them to tell me it froze up because of that unreasonably low setting. Yes, I was paying them…so I guess their opinions were not impartial.
State Farm offers a Short Term Rental rider in my state specifically to cover those with STR’s like Airbnb in their homes. They also have Landlord insurance policies available for non-owner occupied. Talk to them about it!
This must be climate dependent. I live in a low humidity area. We have no problem setting the a/c to 68 degrees, I’ve done it. (I try not to because of environmental concerns.)
If any AC system is forced to work continuously with the condenser running non-stop for extended period of time (e.g. 12+ hours), then freezing up is a known risk.
I would like to recommend Proper Insurance for STR. You never know a company until you file a claim, which I have not done, but otherwise their service is excellent. All 50 states, underwritten by Lloyd’s of London (if you know you know).
From host accounts I have read over the years, it is much easier to get small claims paid than large ones. There’s a vast difference between the cost of replacing some bedding and claiming for a $4000 AC repair or replacement.
Also, do you understand that if the guest admits the damage was caused by them, Airbnb is likely to be taking that damage cost from the guest, rather than paying it out of their own coffers? If the guest pays, of course it is easy to get reimbursed. If the guest denies responsibility and/or refuses to pay, then you are in different territory.
Make a claim on your home insurance for short term lets
You can take Airbnb to arbitration to dispute their findings… This is hidden away in their T&C you pay I think $400 and if you win Airbnb pay out your claim and refund the $400. @CJM1976
If it was the evaporator, I’d agree that humidity (combined with low airflow) would be a factor, but since it’s the condenser, I assumed “freezing up” meant “seized” instead of covered with ice. The condenser’s job is to cool off the hot gas that is being squeezed the compressor. The condenser would be HOT while the unit is running and having it ice over is guaranteed to be system issue.
Only problem is, State Farm doesn’t know the host is doing short term rental. (Correct me if I’m wrong.)
The risk is that SF will cancel the insurance policy. Don’t think that it never happens because SF canceled us.
Our therapy dog was featured on a lovely front-page story in Newsday (NY USA) and State Farm cancelled our insurance within days, leaving us with no homeowners insurance at all.
StateFarm dropped us when we were starting to set up our in-home Airbnb. We were upfront with them and the underwriter denied coverage. That was 6 years ago so their policy may have changed. Worth a conversation but be prepared to look elsewhere for coverage. We did not open until we found and purchased STR insurance.
Yes, that is how it works. If the guest is asked to pay and does, it’s no skin off Airbnb’s nose and you get paid, no hassle. I have read posts from upset guests saying hosts have falsely accused them of causing damage and that Airbnb has told them they will be banned from the platform if they don’t pay.
The oddest thing about those posts is that they always seemed to be from guests who had a long history as guests with Airbnb, with pages of great reviews and 5 star ratings and as they described the situation, it seemed pretty clear that the host was scamming and being unfair (claiming for a brand new sofa, for instance, when the guest had simply gotten a small mark on it they readily admitted to, that could probably be removed with the right products).
It’s as if Airbnb felt they could bully good guests who would be concerned about losing their accounts and reviews, as opposed to newbies, bad guests and scammers who would simply close their account themselves and/or cancel their credit card so they couldn’t be charged.
Yes, Airbnb has done away with the so-called security deposit, but that is immaterial. The “security deposit” was totally bogus- Airbnb never charged guests the security deposit when they booked, so there was nothing to “take”. In essence, it was only a “You could be charged up to this amount if you cause damage”.
You’re right of course. I think I just typed condenser instead of evaporator because I was thinking about “condensation.” But the idea of the humidity levels making a difference is what I was getting at.