Many homeowners believe that when they have an A/C installed, all circumstances are covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. This is largely due to a lack of communication on the limitations of the warranty when they purchase their home or equipment. In this article we will go through the Smart Comfort Limited Parts Warranty and discuss the important points.
In the past, the manufacturer of the equipment provided a robust warranty that included parts and labor for at least the first year. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.
The Smart Comfort Limited Parts Warranty has up to a 10 year warranty of its parts if it is registered within the registration
Here is the Smart Comfort Limited Parts Warranty:
There are a few points that will be of particular interest to our clients.
“International Comfort Products (“ICP”) warrants this product against failure due to defect in materials or workmanship under normal use and maintenance as follows. All warranty periods begin on the date of original installation and are for the duration, in years, listed below. If a part fails due to defect during the applicable warranty period ICP will provide a new or remanufactured part, at ICP’s option, to replace the failed defective part at no charge for the part. Alternatively, and at its option, ICP will allow a credit in the amount of the then factory selling price for a new equivalent part toward the retail purchase price of a new ICP product. Except as otherwise stated herein, those are ICP’s exclusive obligations under this warranty for a product failure. All warranties in this document are subject to all provisions, conditions, limitations and exclusions listed below and on the reverse of this document.”
“No Hassle Replacement limited warranty – available on qualifying models only… If the compressor or condenser coil fails due to defect during the applicable No Hassle Replacement limited warranty time period, a one-time replacement with a comparable ICP unit will be provided. This unit replacement warranty is in addition to the standard parts warranty. Proof of purchase and installation date will be required. No Hassle Limited Warranty replacements are subject to review and verification by an ICP representative. The remaining balance of the original unit’s standard warranty will be transferred to the replacement unit.”
Under “CONDITIONS”:
“1. To obtain the longer warranty periods as shown in the table under original owner, the product must be properly registered at “https://productregistration.icpusa.com within ninety (90) days of original installation.”
“9. Proof must be supplied that the equipment has been properly maintained over the life of the warranty, i.e., a minimum of once-a-year maintenance.”
Under “THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER”:
“1. Labor or other costs incurred for diagnosing, repairing, removing, installing, shipping, servicing, or handling of either failed parts, or replacement parts, or new units.”
“3. Normal maintenance as outlined in the installation and servicing instructions or owner’s manual including coil cleaning, filter cleaning and/or replacement, and lubrication.”
“4. Damage or repairs required as a consequence of improper shipping or handling, faulty installation, misapplication, abuse, improper servicing, unauthorized alteration, and/or improper operation.”
“5. Failure to start or damages due to voltage conditions, blown fuses, open circuit breakers, or the inadequacy, unavailability, or interruption of electrical, Internet service provider, or mobile device carrier service or your home network.”
“6. Failure or damage as a result of floods, winds, fires, lightning, accidents, corrosive environments (except for coastal rated units in coastal environments), rust and wear, or other conditions beyond the control of ICP.”
“9. Any special, indirect or consequential proper or commercial damage of any nature whatsoever. Some states do not allow the exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you.”
“10. Refrigerant or any costs related thereto.”
As you can see, the manufacturer’s warranty does not cover diagnostic service calls, does not cover labor or refrigerant costs.
In addition to laying out what is NOT covered by the warranty, it is important to understand the the homeowner has some responsibilities of their own to maintain the warranty. The system must be serviced at least annually, and the warranty does not apply to parts that fail as a result of environmental influences. This includes physical damage or setting the thermostat low enough to cause freezing. (We recommend not setting the thermostat lower than 69.)
Are there any better solutions?
Yes, there are. Our team at Air Conductors is now offering an Extended Service Agreement that works in tandem with the manufacturer’s warranty to provide the coverage that many of our clients are looking for.
If you are within 90 days of the date of installation of your system and the system was installed by Air Conductors, you can add on this Extended Service Agreement so that you don’t get hit with unexpected expenses. Simply fill out the form below and we will contact you about options for adding a labor warranty to your system!