Secrets of Warranties and Maintenance
Choose a quality product and have it installed by an experienced, professional company you can trust.
Almost all manufacturers give the same basic warranty on all of their equipment - 5-year parts only warranty. What about labor, you ask? Well, that goes back to the installation and your heating and cooling company.
Parts & Labor Warranties
The manufacturer can't control the way their equipment is installed. They have to rely on their dealers to do it right. That's why they give absolutely no labor warranty. You will, however, receive a 1-year labor warranty when you buy new HVAC equipment because the manufacturer makes every dealer sign an agreement stating that they (the dealer) will provide at least a 1-year labor warranty. The dealer is then reimbursed for the parts only and the labor costs come out of their pocket.
A lot of Minnesota HVAC companies (especially smaller companies) don't add any "cushion" into their price. They want to sell everything as cheap as they can. That sounds great to the customer, but when equipment starts failing under warranty, it's the customer who ends up paying the price.
Compressors & Heat Exchangers
Be careful when your salesperson starts talking about warranties. It's really easy for them to tell you you're getting a 5-year, 10-year, 20-year, or lifetime warranty and just gloss over the fact that their warranty is for that part only and doesn't include labor.
The four different warranties you should be aware of are:
- Parts
- Labor
- Compressor (on an air conditioner)
- Heat Exchanger (on a furnace)
Extra caution is required when a product is 'sold' with primarily 'inexpensive' and 'long warranty' as selling points. Long warranties are usually used by lower end manufacturer's to compete with superior products. If you keep experiencing breakdowns in extreme weather conditions and need to keep bringing the repair guy out - it's a small consolation that the failed 'widget' is covered.
Extended Warranties
Some Minneapolis HVAC companies offer a longer warranty as part of their regular service. They'll even increase the parts warranty at their own risk. You'll probably pay a little more, but it could be worth it. It is important to look for the longest warranty you can find, and make sure it's being given to you by a company that will be around the term of the warranty. If your equipment fails in the fourth year of a 5-year parts and labor warranty, but the company went out of business in the third, you're out of luck.
You can also purchase an extended warranty. These are sometimes offered by the manufacturer and almost always by the dealer. Extended warranties usually provide an additional 5 or 10 years of parts and labor coverage. But what good is a 5 or 10 year warranty if you need to have their service technician out to your house every other week to fix something? Isn't it better to choose a quality product and have it installed by an experienced, professional company you can trust?
Be aware of specifics when your salesperson starts talking about warranties - they're often very vague about their offer. Make them put everything in writing, including the times that warranty service is available and how long you'll have to wait for service if it breaks down during the busiest time of the year (our questionnaire will help you with this).
Preventive maintenance
Some heating and cooling companies in Minnesota also offer preventive maintenance plans. We strongly recommend that you make use of these.
Nothing could be better for your new system than having it cleaned and tuned-up before each heating and cooling season. Preventative maintenance is to your heating/cooling system what oil changes are to your car. Not only will it help your system run better and last longer, but you could also void your warranty if the system is not maintained properly. It's definitely worthwhile.
A lot of Minneapolis/St. Paul heating and cooling companies offer prepaid maintenance plans that cost less than what you would spend for individual tune-ups. Look for someone that has a good program. It's usually well worth the investment.