What To Know About Your HVAC Warranty

We often get questions about air conditioner or heater repairs that need to be made in relatively new homes or homes that are new to you or a home with relatively new HVAC system. The home owners want to know how to take advantage of a warranty on relatively new equipment. There are several things to know about equipment warranties that can save you some time, hassle and money.

Did you know your equipment comes with a limited Manufacturer’s Warranty?

Most manufacturers of HVAC equipment, like RUUD, require any new equipment to be registered in order to receive the full, limited warranty. Whether you have a brand new HVAC system or a new evaporator coil, they need to be registered with the manufacturer.  This ensures that any licensed HVAC contractor can perform warranty service on your system or equipment. For new homes, the limited warranty date starts at closing. Keep in mind that the manufacturers limited warranty only covers the equipment not labor, parts, refrigerant, and materials. These limited warranties can be filed and looked up online. If you have questions about how long the limited warranty lasts, ask your HVAC contractor.

How long does the limited warranty last?

If a limited warranty is filed for a new system within a certain time period, the limited warranty for the system can last up to 10 years depending on the manufacturer. If a limited warranty is filed late or not filed at all, the warranty reverts to 5 years form the Manufactured date of the equipment. It pays to make sure the limited warranty for your equipment is filed in a timely manner. AMS A/C & Heating always files the warranties as part of our regular service to ensure it is done correctly and on time.

Keep in mind that if the equipment is replaced at year 8 under a 10-year limited warranty, the new equipment installed under warranty will only get the remaining 2 years of the10-year limited warranty. It is likely the new equipment will last much longer than two years, but this fulfills the manufacturer warranty obligation.

Are there any special circumstances surrounding a warranty in a brand-new home?

Yes. If your HVAC equipment is under two years old and it goes out, it may be covered by BOTH the manufacturer’s limited warranty and your home builder’s HVAC contractors who by law offer a two-year warranty on labor on new construction. This means that the original contractors who installed the HVAC equipment in your home should be able to handle the parts and the labor associated with any repairs. This can mean little to no out-of-pocket cost to the homeowner. Whether the timing or expertise on that warranty repair is acceptable to you is another matter altogether. You also have the option to have another contractor, such as AMS A/C & Heating, file the warranty for the parts, and then only pay the labor if timing and craftmanship for the repair is important.

How Does Texas HB 2110 Affect AC Warranties?

Texas H.B. 2110, effective September 1, 2021, mandates that HVAC manufacturers honor air conditioning and heating systems warranties as a fixture of a home even when the home changes owners. The Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association (TACCA) summarizes the bill:

“When residential real property that includes an air conditioning system as a fixture to the property is conveyed to a new owner, a manufacturer’s warranty in effect on that system or a component of that system on the date of the conveyance is automatically transferred to the new owner and continues in effect as if the new owner was the original purchaser of the system or component.”

Some HVAC manufacturers would charge warranty transfer fees. Texas HB 2110 eliminates transfer fees. The new Texas law means that the HVAC manufacturer’s warranty is required to transfer to the new owner. It should not matter how many new owners there are, the equipment warranty should convey each time.  Texas HB 2110 does not extend the manufacturer’s warranty.

Did you know that every HVAC contractor warranties are not the same?

Most HVAC contractor provides a two-year labor warranty on the installation of your new equipment. What does that mean? It means that the contractor is only guarantees the quality of their workmanship for the first two years after the project is completed. During this period, if the installation is found to have defects or errors that are the result of the contractor’s work, the contractor is responsible for fixing or replacing the work at no cost to you. That also means that if a part goes out, you would be responsible for the labor and miscellaneous materials needed to make the repair.

Before you agree to have a HVAC contractor replace your HVAC system, make sure you get a copy of warranty/guarantee certificate. Most good HVAC contractors will provide a two-year guarantee that includes the installation, labor, parts, and materials. For example, your compressor goes out on your brand new AC system. Who is paying for the labor, materials, refrigerant, etc.? With just a two-year labor warranty on the installation you are. This could cost you from $1,500 to $3,000. With a two-year guarantee that includes the installation, labor, parts, and materials the repair will be completed at no cost to you. AMS A/C & Heating always provides a two-year guarantee that includes the installation, labor, parts, and materials with every complete HVAC replacement.

My equipment is under warranty, why isn’t the whole job free?

Even if parts or equipment can be replaced under warranty, the limited warranty covers the cost of the part, but it does not cover the cost of minor materials, refrigerant, and labor including the time it takes to obtain and return the parts or equipment. Here’s the typical steps a HVAC contractor go through for “simple” warranty service:

• Driving to your home or business to diagnose the problem.
• Looking up and verifying a faulty part may be under warranty.
• Driving to the parts warehouse to pay for and obtain a replacement part of the same brand.
• Returning to your home to pull out the bad part and install the new part.
• Verifying that the system is operating proper with the new part.
• Wrapping up the service call with the customer and reporting what was fixed.
• Making another trip to the parts warehouse to return warranty part and to complete the warranty paperwork, then the part is shipped to the manufacturer for verification.
• Waiting for the part to be credited to our account, which can take up to 45 days.

Why do you have to return the broken part?

Manufacturers often require the part to be returned so they can verify the part is indeed faulty. If they find the part has been replaced but is still good, the HVAC contractor will be liable for not only the cost of the part but also an additional financial penalty. Because of the hoops there are to jump through that are largely invisible to the customer, some HVAC contractors won’t handle warranty service and will refer that business elsewhere.

Need a warranty repair?

Call AMS A/C & Heating at 281-786-0770 today if you need help with warranty issues on your air conditioning or heating equipment. We service all makes and models of equipment, and can get your equipment back up and running quickly.

We don’t work on commission and we offer flat-rate pricing. This incentivizes us to use our time wisely to get your equipment up and running. See why we get so many five star reviews and what makes us different from other HVAC contractors in the West Houston, Memorial, Katy, Richmond, Fulshear, and surrounding area.

Call AMS A/C & Heating at 281-786-0770 today if you need help with warranty issues on your air conditioning or heating equipment. We service all makes and models of equipment, and can get your equipment back up and running quickly.

We don’t work on commission and we offer flat-rate pricing. This incentivizes us to use our time wisely to get your equipment up and running. See why we get so many five star reviews and what makes us different from other HVAC contractors in the West Houston, Memorial, Katy, Richmond, Fulshear, and surrounding area.