Pretty funny they misspelled drier.
Actually I made the mistake. I was wrong initially and need to correct myself and make it clear to the OP. I have been using it wrong for so many years, this helped me correct it.
Dryer is a noun for a machine or apparatus that makes things less wet. Drier is a comparative adjective that means more dry
In my defense, they are used interchangeably when you see it in HVAC talk.
So now YOU are deferring to an HVAC Tech. How ironic!
Hi Jonas, it’s good to hear from you, per usual 
Hope you’re doing fannnntastic!
IMO… as an Independent, third party inspector, I report on my findings, NOT what my client makes claim to. I really don’t give a rats ass what my client claims he/she is. If they can convince the Seller of their credentials, and they accept that in negotiations, that’s for them to decide!
Apparently I’ve been missing something by not calling these out. I probably see a filter drier about a third of the time, including new construction. No one has ever called me out on it because I didn’t report it missing, or not present.
Here’s an interesting quote from Inspetapedia.
While some technicians always install a filter/drier on the refrigerant system, even at original installation, more often when we see a refrigerant drier canister on a system (usually at the compressor/condenser unit) we assume that the system has undergone some service or repair as that’s most often when the device is added.
I’ve installed a number of refrigeration systems and always installed a filter on the liquid side. It was in the drawings and the manufacturers installation instructions. I haven’t seen a system in SC without a filter.
The right filter drier is essential for the cooling system to work properly.
The filter drier is one of the basic components of the cooling system being responsible to prevent impurities and/or moisture from contaminating the control element ( capillary tube or expansion valve) or the compressor itself. Therefore, it’s essential to use a good quality brand and one that’s appropriate for the equipment where it will be installed.
Presence of minimum trace amounts of moisture is common in refrigeration systems, even after a well performed vacuum process. Therefore, the filter drier is very important.
Apart from moisture , the filter also has the function of preventing the passage of solid particles such as steel or copper metallic burrs, solder residues and others that can cause clogging and other problems.
When moisture or impurities clog the capillary tube completely, a cooling system reoperation is required and it’s vital to change the filter, also never forget that cleaning other components is required.
Often, however, the obstruction is partial, leading to a refrigeration system performance drop. In this case, the problem might be incorrectly attributed to the compressor or the refrigerant charge. Therefore, it’s necessary to make a detailed analysis of the situation before starting the work.
I live in N. Florida and have 2 Goodman units- neither have a filter drier on them. Both were installed by a reputable company. Should I have one installed?
First, determine the model number? You can find installation instructions online to determine if the filter was required during the initial install. Then look harder. The filter may not be in a location you may expect (possibly at the evaporator).
Tom and Others.
Good post. One thought…. I always tell my Client in my report and otherwise what type of professional to go to. They may not be “qualified” to know what kind of “Qualified Contractor” to use.
I agree, you will not get in trouble using the generic “qualified person” but I think it is helpful to give them some direction.
FWIW, I heard from an HVAC tech (and it sort of made sense to me) that the drier is to filter out impurities from the factory but isn’t necessarily needed after running for a while. I always call them out when they’re corroded/rusted because I had a pinhole in mine that caused a slow Freon leak. The tech for my unit bypassed it and did not replace it, for the same reason above. Some units have the drier inside the condenser enclosure and some have it in-line at the condenser (most common) or at air handler indoors.
As a past factory rep for a HVAC mfgr, #1 - a filter is NOT required on all installations BUT is typically installed during a repair or change out of older linesets/coils. #2 - with some models of AC units it is NOT visible due to design of the case without removing the AC control case cover which we don’t typically do
yes You should, but to do it. its a big process. excavating all refrigerant, soldering in the drier, then a few hour vacuum to the system. then new Freon.
I had an issue with my unit last month, the ac guy had to replace the compressor. he wired it wrong and would not start up.
he did the whole process 3 times, and got a new compressor 2 times, before I realized he wired the relay switch wrong.
he had to cut out the dryer and use a new one each time.
any time the system is opened up to the air it need a new drier and be put under vacuum for hours.
I only paid for the labor on one of the compressor pump changes. the compressor itself was under warranty, but it does not cover labor after 5 years.
it was a 3 day nightmare, it got over 90 degrees in the house.
That sounds horrible. My family and I would probably kill each other, lol.
Yeah, after the first night, I went and bought a few window units for living room, and bedrooms.
It helped a lot got it down to around 78. Way better then the 90’s
Thanks for the advice. I will look into why one was not installed when they put the units in. I will let everyone know what they say.