I had a whole new central HVAC system installed in home a couple of years ago and I've been having the company who installed it, provide service. I know enough about refrigerant and air conditioners to know that I don't know much, so this is one of the few areas where I don't DIY. The AC quit working Friday and the tech who came out to troubleshoot told me it had a bad control board in the air handler. He said it's under warranty so the repair parts are at no cost but wouldn't be available until Monday (today) and I would have to pay for labor, $860. I asked how long it would take, he said 30 minutes. I asked "are you sure about that? $860 for 30 minutes?" He said he was sure. After he left I called the service manager and he confirmed.

I told the service manager to get the board on order and I would install it, I'm not scared of a PCB. He said "you'll void the warranty if you DIY." Understood, thanks.

I don't know what that combination of words sounds like to an apartment dwelling office worker whose entire arsenal of tools lives in a kitchen drawer, but to me it sounds like a dare. I don't even know why I have a warranty. What good is it when I still have to pay $1,720/hr for warranty work?

We spent the whole weekend with the family packed into the master bedroom huddled around a portable AC. I picked up the board this morning and had the AC running before everyone woke up. It took 15 minutes. I called the AC company and informed them, they reminded me that I voided the warranty, and I reminded them that I don't care.

Apparently they had some breakdown in communication because I got a call around 4pm saying the tech wouldn't be able to make it until tomorrow morning. So I was supposed to be waiting another day in the heat I guess. No thanks. I reminded them I don't need the tech.

I think this is how I will handle the situation from now on; call their tech out to thrash around in the 140 degree attic doing the hard part, figuring out what the problem actually is (for the actually reasonable diagnostic fee they charge), and then rob them of the opportunity to capitalize on the findings. Ordinarily I would feel guilty about that but not now that I know how soundly they would violate me if I did things their way.

 

You could have got a top-rated layer to install it cheaper. He'd also be able to advise you on the finer points of warranty law whilst he was there.

 

Not much of a warranty if it doesn't cover labor in my opinion. I'm no expert by any means, but if this is the only problem you have had in a couple years then most likely nothing else will happen until after the warranty expires anyways.