5 year Labor Warranty

[Squire]

The contractor who I was most pleased with quoted me both Amana AMV9/ASX14 and Lennox G61V/XC14 systems.

He includes a 5 year labor warranty which most don't offer. Is this somewhat of an equalizer in regard to all of the things that could go wrong that I can't check for in the installation, being a layman?

Also, Amana generally has 10 year warranties on parts, Lennox 5 years? Does this matter?

Thank you.

[sktn77a]

Re: the labor warranty, make sure this is not paid for through a 3rd party (like Equigard who have just gone belly-up).

[Starglow]

Along these same lines, does Trane offer a 10 year labor warranty?

One of the contractors that provided a price bid on my replacement project offered a 10 year labor warranty. I specifically asked if the warranty was through his company and he said no, that the labor warranty was offered directly through Trane.

Was he blowing smoke?

[beenthere]

Trane has a 10 year labor warranty.

[ampulman]

Re: the labor warranty, make sure this is not paid for through a 3rd party (like Equigard who have just gone belly-up).

Did they go from chapter 7 to chapter 11?

Amp

[wahoo]

Amana does offer an in-house 5 yr. labor warranty, and for just a little more money, you could go up to the 10yr. labor warranty. Always make sure you are getting a manufacturer's labor warranty and not Equiguard (they are in chapter 11). A lot of companies now offer 10 yr. parts warranties, however why Lennox is not, that's a good question? I don't sell Lennox.

[jerryd_2008]

I'm a HO that normally doesn't buy extended warranties but due to the past issues with a variety of brands I was looking seriously at a 10 year labor warranty in addition to the manufacturer parts warranty. However, after reading the labor contract which excluded diagnostic time, off-hour coverage and required 2 services a year, I decided it would be cheaper to skip it. The Moral: read the contract closely before signing. IMO also ignore statements that sound like "well normally they don't check" - a contract is a contract and it can (will) be enforced.

[wahoo]

After 30 years, I have never seen a company backed labor or parts warranty not honored even if the homeowner had no proof of regular servicework performed in the past. If a part fails repeatedly due to what is apparently a simple lack of service, they may request the owner take a pre-paid maintenance plan in order to further warranty part, but I have seldom ever seen this an issue. Some companies "push" their pre-paid maintenance plans by "scaring" homeowners with this "threat". Bad business, and on the verge of fraudulant! Oh yeah, none of the factory covered labor warranties cover after hours call costs (would you blame them?). We just ask our customers to pay only the additional costs, and bill the regular (straight time) costs to warranty.

[Starglow]

After 30 years, I have never seen a company backed labor or parts warranty not honored even if the homeowner had no proof of regular servicework performed in the past. If a part fails repeatedly due to what is apparently a simple lack of service, they may request the owner take a pre-paid maintenance plan in order to further warranty part, but I have seldom ever seen this an issue. Some companies "push" their pre-paid maintenance plans by "scaring" homeowners with this "threat". Bad business, and on the verge of fraudulant! Oh yeah, none of the factory covered labor warranties cover after hours call costs (would you blame them?). We just ask our customers to pay only the additional costs, and bill the regular (straight time) costs to warranty.

Thank you for sharing this. All it takes is one coil leak to almost equal the labor warranty cost even if the new coil is provided free by the manufacturer, which has happened to me once.

With the new R-410 units running at even higher pressure, I think a labor warranty is cheap insurance to cover any potential coil problems or other issues. It's insurance you hope you never need, but are glad to have when you do need it.

[Juleous]

Most issues don't show until after the 10 year mark.

[Starglow]

Most issues don't show until after the 10 year mark.

In my case, it was a new Ruud 3-ton unit less than two years old that developed a coil leak due to a manufacturing defect. The new coil was provided for free, but it still cost me several hundred bucks to install it.

R-410 technology is still fairly new, so it's longevity is yet to be determined.

[jerryd_2008]

In my case, it was a new Ruud 3-ton unit less than two years old that developed a coil leak due to a manufacturing defect. The new coil was provided for free, but it still cost me several hundred bucks to install it.

...

Compared to the 10 year labor contracts I saw I'll take that risk for your stated out-of-pocket.

After 30 years, I have never seen a company backed labor or parts warranty not honored even if the homeowner had no proof of regular servicework performed in the past. If a part fails repeatedly due to what is apparently a simple lack of service, they may request the owner take a pre-paid maintenance plan in order to further warranty part, but I have seldom ever seen this an issue. Some companies "push" their pre-paid maintenance plans by "scaring" homeowners with this "threat". Bad business, and on the verge of fraudulant! Oh yeah, none of the factory covered labor warranties cover after hours call costs (would you blame them?). We just ask our customers to pay only the additional costs, and bill the regular (straight time) costs to warranty.

Wahoo, you are commendable for giving the customer a break for after hours, but probably an exception. I guess I have been involved in too many contract situations and disputes to "trust" that a manufacturer wouldn't enforce his contract. Call me a skeptic.

[BobbyBJr]

A lot of companies now offer 10 yr. parts warranties, however why Lennox is not, that's a good question? I don't sell Lennox.

Lennox does have a 10 year parts warranty, if the equipment is registered.