What To Know About Handling an HVAC Warranty Repair

This time of year, 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. 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 and hassle.

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 heat pump, central air system or a new motor installed, the part needs to be registered with the manufacturer.  This ensures that any licensed HVAC contractor can perform warranty service if that part goes out. For new homes, the limited warranty date starts at closing. 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, the warranty reverts to 5 years for parts. It pays to make sure the limited warranty for equipment is filed in a timely manner. Terry’s A/C and Heating always files warranties online on-site as part of our regular service to ensure it is done correctly and on time.

Keep in mind that if equipment is replaced at year 8 under a 10-year limited warranty, the new equipment installed under warranty will carry 2 more years under warranty. Manufacturers will cover the remainder of the warranty period or one year, whichever is longer. It is likely the new equipment will last much longer than a year, but this fulfills their 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. This means that the original contractors who installed the HVAC equipment in your home should be able to handle the part and the labor associated with it. 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 one who is a factory-authorized dealer, file the warranty for the part, 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 system 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. 

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

Even if 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 and of labor including the time it takes to make trips to obtain and return equipment. Here’s the typical steps we 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 new part remedies the cooling or heating issue,
• Wrapping up the service call with the customer and reporting what was fixed, and
• Making another trip to the parts warehouse to drop off the paperwork and faulty part to be shipped to the manufacturer for verification.
• Wait 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 Rob and Kenny at Terry’s A/C and Heating at 281-495-7830 today if you need help navigating warranty issues on your air conditioning or heating equipment. We service all makes and models of equipment, and can jump in to get your equipment back online 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 Southwest Houston, Memorial, Katy, Richmond, Sugar Land, Fulshear, and surrounding area. We’d like to be your indoor comfort concierge!

Photo credit: Terry’s A/C & Heating