When you’re making an investment with new HVAC equipment, you obviously want it to last as long as possible. That’s where a good warranty—or two—can help. Homeowners often have the option to get HVAC warranties for both parts and labor. Knowing a little more about each policy can help you determine the path that’s right for you.
The Two Sides of an HVAC Warranty
You have two different types of warranties to review with new HVAC equipment. The labor warranty covers service call charges and labor with your HVAC company. (More on that in the next section.) But there’s also the manufacturer’s part warranty. This is what covers the cost of broken parts in a given period of time.
A 5-year part warranty is the standard for most manufacturers. This covers equipment problems that might come up in the early years of your system. That way, you won’t have to pay for replacement parts. Some brands give you the option to extend the manufacturer’s part warranty to 10 years, but you typically have to register your new equipment first. Unfortunately, many homeowners forget to follow-through. Then they miss out on the longer part warranty.
Some HVAC companies, however, streamline the process by registering the equipment on behalf of their customers. Then those extra 5 years don’t get bypassed. That’s actually how we do things here at LCS Heating and Cooling. Our customers really appreciate that we handle these details for them. Plus, having that 10-year part warranty in place makes it easier on our crews if we ever need to make repairs.
What Your Labor Warranty Should Cover?
Now that you have a better understanding of a manufacturer’s part warranty, it’s time to review the HVAC labor warranty. These warranties will vary from company to company. In general, though, your labor warranty will cover the service call charges and labor costs for any repairs during a certain number of years. Since a manufacturer’s warranty only covers the parts, the labor warranty basically works to fill in the gaps.
Without a labor warranty in place, you would have to pay for the service and labor fees for your repairs. But you’d essentially be home free with any repairs if both your manufacturer’s part warranty and 10-year labor warranty are still good. Any problems with your equipment would then be fixed for free. And if you work with the right HAC company, there shouldn’t be any deductibles either, which can really help take the stress out of repairs.
Finding the Right Warranty Details
Knowledge is power, right? But it’s hard to understand your options when things aren’t explained clearly. Working with an HVAC company that can talk to you in simple terms will help ease your decision-making process. That’s why you’ll also need to know what your warranties won’t cover.
Issues related to dirty filters and other specialized maintenance won’t be covered by your warranties. For example, this could relate to things getting caught in the flue, such as snow or rodents. Air flow issues and leak searches that aren’t repaired will also probably be separate. But to be honest, these issues are rare. The part and labor warranties are meant to cover the costs when a part in your system fails and needs replaced. These supplemental maintenance issues are another matter.
Getting your equipment inspected on a regular basis should keep your warranties in check (and alert you to other problems that might be going on with your setup). Still, you’ll have to be careful to read your contractor’s warranty plans before you sign. Not every HVAC company will offer a 10-year labor warranty. And not every company will register your equipment for the extended manufacturer’s part warranty.
It’s always best to review your options. But if you can have a clear conversation, you should be able to get all of your questions answered upfront. Then, you’ll be better prepared if anything happens to go wrong down the road. And you might have some HVAC warranties to help you out!
