Central Air Warranty

[dvrslim]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas
My AC is 11 months old. The capacitor went out. While the tech was fixing it the line between the outside and inside unit started leaking freon. The tech said it was from a bad solder on a joint. The line was installed with the unit. The AC company told me freon is not covered by their warranty. Their invoice says "1 year warranty on parts/equipment." They also said that it doesn't cover it since I have a home warranty policy. They are going to charge me $429 to put freon in the system since my home warranty only pays $10 a lb. for freon. I feel that I shouldn't have to pay anything.

 

[Heir7]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas
My AC is 11 months old. The capacitor went out. While the tech was fixing it the line between the outside and inside unit started leaking freon. The tech said it was from a bad solder on a joint. The line was installed with the unit. The AC company told me freon is not covered by their warranty. Their invoice says "1 year warranty on parts/equipment." They also said that it doesn't cover it since I have a home warranty policy. They are going to charge me $429 to put freon in the system since my home warranty only pays $10 a lb. for freon. I feel that I shouldn't have to pay anything.

Have they already done the work?

Or is this just an estimate? That they will charge you $429 if they do the work?

If they haven't done the work yet, go call out another company and have them give you an estimate.

That seems rather high for what they are doing, and you might be able to beat that price.

Also, an air conditioning company which offers only a one year warranty is obviously not very confident in their parts, nor their labor. I would seriously try to find a better company than this one.

And them trying to weasel out of the one year warranty because you have a home warranty speaks volumes about this company.

Now, if they have already done the work, then read the warranty closely, and see if it excludes freon in some way. See if it includes faulty workmanship.

If the warranty does not exclude them, then put your dispute with them in writing.

And keep a record of your dispute. This may come in handy later.

 

[Dave1952]

I'd disagree that Freon is not covered under "parts and equipment" since Freon is a part of your AC unit. I've no idea what the Home Warranty Policy is that you mentioned.
Give the manufacturer a call about this problem and your installer's failure to make good on the warranty, perhaps they'll help.

 

[LdiJ]

I'd disagree that Freon is not covered under "parts and equipment" since Freon is a part of your AC unit. I've no idea what the Home Warranty Policy is that you mentioned.
Give the manufacturer a call about this problem and your installer's failure to make good on the warranty, perhaps they'll help.

I agree. Obviously it wasn't the OP's fault that the joint wasn't soldered properly...causing the Freon to leek.

 

[dvrslim]

AC Warranty

Have they already done the work?

Or is this just an estimate? That they will charge you $429 if they do the work?

If they haven't done the work yet, go call out another company and have them give you an estimate.

That seems rather high for what they are doing, and you might be able to beat that price.

Also, an air conditioning company which offers only a one year warranty is obviously not very confident in their parts, nor their labor. I would seriously try to find a better company than this one.

And them trying to weasel out of the one year warranty because you have a home warranty speaks volumes about this company.

Now, if they have already done the work, then read the warranty closely, and see if it excludes freon in some way. See if it includes faulty workmanship.

If the warranty does not exclude them, then put your dispute with them in writing.

And keep a record of your dispute. This may come in handy later.

I live in a small town and this is the only AC company that the home warranty uses. They changed the one part but they have not fixed the line. They won't be out until next Weds. to do that. All the AC company invoice says about a warranty is 1 year parts/ equipment. The AC unit it self is covered for 5 years by the company that made it. The copper line was made and installed by the AC company. It carries freon from the outside unit into the inside unit. I wonder if I should go ahead and let them fix it and then take them to small claims court.

 

[BL]

I live in a small town and this is the only AC company that the home warranty uses. They changed the one part but they have not fixed the line. They won't be out until next Weds. to do that. All the AC company invoice says about a warranty is 1 year parts/ equipment. The AC unit it self is covered for 5 years by the company that made it. The copper line was made and installed by the AC company. It carries freon from the outside unit into the inside unit. I wonder if I should go ahead and let them fix it and then take them to small claims court.

1st see if tey a BBB membwer but don't make a complaint there ,make one with your local OAG-Cosumer afairs dep. Follow theier steps.

 

[LdiJ]

I live in a small town and this is the only AC company that the home warranty uses. They changed the one part but they have not fixed the line. They won't be out until next Weds. to do that. All the AC company invoice says about a warranty is 1 year parts/ equipment. The AC unit it self is covered for 5 years by the company that made it. The copper line was made and installed by the AC company. It carries freon from the outside unit into the inside unit. I wonder if I should go ahead and let them fix it and then take them to small claims court.

That is probably what you should do. Make sure that you do not sign any paperwork agreeing that its your responsibility.

 

[Heir7]

I live in a small town and this is the only AC company that the home warranty uses. They changed the one part but they have not fixed the line. They won't be out until next Weds. to do that. All the AC company invoice says about a warranty is 1 year parts/ equipment. The AC unit it self is covered for 5 years by the company that made it. The copper line was made and installed by the AC company. It carries freon from the outside unit into the inside unit. I wonder if I should go ahead and let them fix it and then take them to small claims court.

It may be the only AC company the home warranty uses, but are there any other AC companies in your area? If so, is there any way to get one of them to come out and give you an estimate before Wednesday?

The home warranty doesn't seem to be doing you much good, if the company they use is still going to charge you so much money.

You might find a different company in your area which charges less.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas
My AC is 11 months old. The capacitor went out. While the tech was fixing it the line between the outside and inside unit started leaking freon. The tech said it was from a bad solder on a joint. The line was installed with the unit. The AC company told me freon is not covered by their warranty. Their invoice says "1 year warranty on parts/equipment." They also said that it doesn't cover it since I have a home warranty policy. They are going to charge me $429 to put freon in the system since my home warranty only pays $10 a lb. for freon. I feel that I shouldn't have to pay anything.

First, the cost per pound for freon in Texas is really high this year, so the $429 does not seem all that unreasonable to me - although I understand your feeling that you shouldn't have to pay anything. Freon, however, is not covered under most air conditioner warranties.

What is not covered by air conditioner warranties is always a lot greater than what actually is. What is generally covered will be parts and the compressor, but only if installed by a licensed technician. What is generally not covered will be any labor or costs incurred for the diagnosing, repairing, removing, installing or servicing of defective parts or replacement parts. Also not covered will be parts damaged to faulty installation. Also not covered generally will be any cost to replace, refill or dispose of the refrigerants, or the cost of the refrigerant.

Air conditioner manufacturers will generally offer a 5 (up to 10) year warranty on the compressor, and a 1 year warranty on all other parts.

What legal remedies are available to you will often come AFTER you have shown that you have contacted the company in writing by certified or registered letter of the problem(s) you are having. It is generally recommended that the sending of any complaint should be done at least 30 days before you pursue any civil action (if a civil action is determined to be supported by the facts - and you can review this with an attorney in your area).

 

[single317dad]

One of the root problems is that when throwing up these new neighborhoods overnight, the builders use the cheapest contractors they can find, the contractors use the cheapest trade companies they can find, and the companies use the cheapest laborers they can find. This results in problems for the homeowner later, when you've saved 15% on the cost of your home but have 50% problems with it. I waded through this same scenario starting in 2002, and had to eat a new roof (thankfully the insurance company found "hail damage" for that one), new siding, new heat pump, new water heater, and new overhead garage door in the 11 years I lived there. That's not to mention the repairs I did myself, including the main breaker box that nearly caught on fire because no one tightened the wires down to the breakers, the dishwasher drain hose that constantly clogged because it was installed with a screen reversed, the vanity light bar that blew every bulb you put into it, and the bathroom vent fans (all three of them) that barely lasted a year. A few neighbors had it worse; one had a driveway and garage floor that raised up over 4 feet due to poor drainage on a cold day Many others had water pipes that froze and busted. All the original installers either didn't care to back up their work or didn't exist anymore. They'd argue every single thing you tried to have them fix. They didn't have any reputation to protect, and likely wouldn't be around long enough to get sued.

 

[quincy]

One of the root problems is that when throwing up these new neighborhoods overnight, the builders use the cheapest contractors they can find, the contractors use the cheapest trade companies they can find, and the companies use the cheapest laborers they can find. This results in problems for the homeowner later, when you've saved 15% on the cost of your home but have 50% problems with it. I waded through this same scenario starting in 2002, and had to eat a new roof (thankfully the insurance company found "hail damage" for that one), new siding, new heat pump, new water heater, and new overhead garage door in the 11 years I lived there. That's not to mention the repairs I did myself, including the main breaker box that nearly caught on fire because no one tightened the wires down to the breakers, the dishwasher drain hose that constantly clogged because it was installed with a screen reversed, the vanity light bar that blew every bulb you put into it, and the bathroom vent fans (all three of them) that barely lasted a year. A few neighbors had it worse; one had a driveway and garage floor that raised up over 4 feet due to poor drainage on a cold day Many others had water pipes that froze and busted. All the original installers either didn't care to back up their work or didn't exist anymore. They'd argue every single thing you tried to have them fix. They didn't have any reputation to protect, and likely wouldn't be around long enough to get sued.

I do not see where dvrslim said it was a new house in a new neighborhood - just that it was an 11 month old air conditioner. But I agree that the costs to a company can be a contributing factor in how well something is installed. I think a major problem, however, is with warranties that do not really cover anything that is likely to cause trouble for a consumer. I would hazard a guess and say that the majority of the problems come from faulty installers and not faulty equipment - but I could be wrong.

 

[justalayman]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas
My AC is 11 months old. The capacitor went out. While the tech was fixing it the line between the outside and inside unit started leaking freon. The tech said it was from a bad solder on a joint. The line was installed with the unit. The AC company told me freon is not covered by their warranty. Their invoice says "1 year warranty on parts/equipment." They also said that it doesn't cover it since I have a home warranty policy. They are going to charge me $429 to put freon in the system since my home warranty only pays $10 a lb. for freon. I feel that I shouldn't have to pay anything.

you have multiple possibilities in resolving this depending information not disclosed.



First, I would love to see how a claimed bad solder joint withstood 11 months of vibration but when the tech was working on the equipment, it suddenly failed/


second, I hope it is being repaired before refrigerant is installed. While that seems like a no brainer, given what you are going through now and you made no mention of it, I just wanted to be sure the repair is made first.

so then what you have to do is read the manufacturers warranty on the unit and any warranty the installer may have provided independently as well. There may very well be a limit on the inclusion of the refrigerant. That is something you need to research before getting all set to fight this either way.

on top of all of that, a bad solder joint on a line is the blamed culprit. Were the lines also supplied by the manufacturer of the unit? If not, the only possible source for warranty coverage would be the supplier of the line and it is very likely they have included a limit on what they cover.

I don't see your home warranty being any sort of issue unless the liable manufacturer's warranty includes such a limit. I wouldn't expect to see such a limitation.


so a bit more:

what was soldered on the line that failed? AC lines are quite simple with the line being a single piece of tubing and either a fitting on the end made to engage a fitting on the AC unit on one end and the evaporator coil on the other or it is nothing more than a piece of tubing the tech solders to the mechanics at each end. If the line was soldered in place (unlikely given today's plug and play world), the bad joint would be the installer's fault. As such, it is not even a part warranty matter but workmanship which allows you to make a claim for the cost of the refrigerant regardless of anything else. It would simply be defective workmanship or in other words; negligence.


if it was a manufactures soldered joint you are back to checking warranties of the supplier of the parts involved and the installers warranty/

 

[single317dad]

I do not see where dvrslim said it was a new house in a new neighborhood - just that it was an 11 month old air conditioner.

Not sure what I was reading. I had the "new neighborhood" at the forefront of my mind the whole time I was reading this thread.

 

[quincy]

Not sure what I was reading. I had the "new neighborhood" at the forefront of my mind the whole time I was reading this thread.

We had quite a few new home developments in Michigan come to an abrupt halt during the recession but there were some developers who decided to try to unload their properties quickly by constructing them hastily, with inferior quality materials, and substantially reducing the sale prices. The purchasers of the homes, needless to say, did not wind up with the "bargains" they originally thought they had.

 

[justalayman]

I suspect there is no Freon involved here at all though. Given the legal mandates surrounding the phasing out of R22 (which Freon (trade name owned by DuPont) is rather than it's most common replacement of r410a (DuPont manufacturers it under the name of Puron)), I suspect r410a is the refrigerant in play here. I cannot find any pricing that would justify well over $40 per pound (and depending on the size of the system involved, it could calculate to over double that) . It has limited manufacturing locations so I would not see a reason it is so much more in Texas than anywhere else in the US. If it is, anybody game for going in on buying a tanker full up north and delivering it to Texas?