Introduction – Warranty On Air Conditioners
As the weather starts to warm up, air conditioners will soon be put to the test. If you’re in the market for an air conditioner, you should consider getting a warranty to help protect your investment. An air conditioner warranty is a guarantee from the manufacturer that repairs and replacements will be covered for a specific period of time.
Below we talk about warranties for ACs in general and we also provide information on warranties for the top 14 brands of both ducted and ductless ACs.
If you’re impatient and want to know what we found, we will give a high level summary. The range of warranties for air conditioners is 5 years to a lifetime, which is indeed a very wide range.
However, what’s most helpful is that extended warranties for original owners, with registration of product, is very commonly 10-12 years.
Let’s dive more into what we found.
Warranties And The FTC
A warranty is a written, contractual guarantee from the manufacturer that repairs and replacements will be covered for a specific period of time. Warranties can vary in length and coverage and are typically offered on a range of products, from cars to air conditioners.
Generally, warranties cover the cost of repairs and replacements due to defects in materials or workmanship. Some warranties may also cover labor costs associated with repairs and replacements but this is pretty rare in air conditioners when we examined them.
Some warranties may provide additional coverage or benefits, such as extended coverage or discounts.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for regulating warranties and enforcing consumer protection laws. The FTC has established guidelines for warranties and requires that companies provide clear and accurate information about the coverage and limitations of a warranty.
The FTC also investigates violations of warranty law, such as deceptive advertising or failure to comply with warranty requirements. Additionally, the FTC can take legal action against companies that violate warranty laws, such as issuing fines or requiring companies to provide refunds to consumers.
Big Purchase Means A Careful Look At The Warranty
In general, having a warranty is good. Air conditioners are large purchases in the tens of thousands of dollars meant to last 15 to 20 years. This means consumers want a contractually enforceable insurance against a product becoming defective too quickly, in say, like the first 5 years.
Warranties are meant to help you save money on repairs and replacements. It also means the manufacturer will expend more effort on the product to keep it free from defects. So having a warranty can provide peace of mind knowing that your air conditioner is protected.
There will be built-in limitations to air conditioner warranties, such as coverage for a specific parts and not labor, or less coverage for certain models.
Additionally, warranties are limited in length and may not cover certain components of the system. As you will see below, there are a few brands that offer lifetime warranties which are unusual.
Do Your Research On Details
When choosing an air conditioner warranty, it’s important to do your research. Consider the cost and benefits of each warranty and read the fine print to make sure you understand the details of the coverage. These are the things you should watch out for:
• Register your Product – It is important to register your product with the manufacturer to make sure you are eligible for the warranty.
• Buy Extended Warranties – If necessary, extended warranties can be purchased to provide additional coverage for your air conditioner. If the base is 5 years, the extended will be 10 or 12. Some brands start at 10 or 12 base!
• Check warranties for the compressor, heat exchanger, and controllers – It is important to look at the warranties for the compressor, heat exchanger, and controllers to make sure they are covered by the warranty.
• Be aware of original owner restrictions – Some warranties may have benefits for original owners only, so it is important to be aware of these restrictions when purchasing a warranty.
We Researched 14 Brands And Their Air Conditioner Warranties
When assessing the warranties of 14 different brands of air conditioners, both ducted and ductless, we considered the base and extended warranty periods, as well as the compressor separately.
This is because the compressor is one of the most important components of an air conditioner and can be one of the most expensive to replace if it fails.
Additionally, the extended warranty period can provide additional coverage for the compressor, which can help to protect your investment.
By considering the base and extended warranty periods, as well as the compressor separately, we were able to get a better understanding of the coverage and limits of each warranty.
14 Top Brands And Warranty Details
| Brand | Type | Base (years) | Extended (years) | Compressor (years) | Notes |
| Mitsubishi | Ductless | 5 | 12** | 7* | *Licensed installer; **Diamond contractor, single family home, registered, original owner; link |
| Trane | Ducted | 5 | 10* | 10* | *Registered; link |
| LG | Ductless | 5 | 10* | 7 | *Trained installer, registered in 60 days; link |
| Lennox | Ducted | 5 to 10, 20* | – | 10 | *Lennox doesn’t require registration; Signature, Elite and Merit different terms; heat exchanger 20 years; link |
| Daikin | Ductless | 5 | 12* | *Registration required; link | |
| Rheem | Ducted | 10* | 5 | *Lifetime warranty for (-)98V, (-)97V, RGFG; 5 year for some models, check RGGE & RGJF, requirements of original residence; link | |
| Carrier | Ducted | 10* | *Original owner is 10, otherwise 5; link | ||
| Fujitsu | Ductless | 5 | 10 | 7 | link |
| Goodman | Ducted | 5 | 10* | Lifetime | *Registration required; link |
| Panasonic | Ductless | 5 | 7 | *Controller is 1 year; link | |
| York | Ducted | 10 | *Controller is 5 year; link | ||
| Ruud | Ducted | 5* | 5 | *Heat exchanger exceptions for certain models extend to 10 or 15 years; link | |
| Amana | Ducted | 5 | 10* | Lifetime** | *Requires registration; **Original home owner; link |
| Maytag | Ducted | 12* | 12 | *Registration required; link |
Discussion Of Our Results About Air Conditioner Warranties
Did you see your favorite brand in our table? Contact us if you didn’t!
So how long are AC units under warranty? The simplest warranty with the longest period is offered by Maytag, with a 12-year base warranty and 12-year compressor warranty.
Mitsubishi offers a 12-year extended warranty, but it is only available to customers who have their air conditioner installed by a licensed installer and product registered within 60 days.
Daikin offers a registration-based 12 year extended warranty. Goodman and Amana offer unusual lifetime warranty on the compressor with registration.
Lennox does not require registration for their warranties, but the coverage for their heat exchangers is 20 years. We’ve bolded these entries in the table above because they stood out.
There is also great variation in warranty coverage. The shortest is 5 years, with the longest being lifetime for certain parts. Most of the extended are 10 to 12 years.
There is also consistency between the different brands’ warranties: All of the warranties have a base warranty period of 5 years or more. All require registration for the extended warranties. Most of the warranties provide coverage for the heat exchanger.
Most of the warranties have a compressor warranty period of 5-10 years. Most of the warranties have some restrictions for original owners.
Air Compressor Warranty – More Time Added
One of the most interesting findings above in our survey about air compressors is that the warranty for the compressor may differ from the warranty for the rest of the air conditioner.
For example, Mitsubishi, LG, Fujitsu and Panasonic offer a 7-year warranty for the compressor that is 2 years longer than the base warranty for everything else.
Additionally, some brands offer lifetime warranties for the compressor, while the rest of the system is only covered for 5 years. This highlights the importance of researching each warranty carefully to make sure you understand the coverage and limitations.
Among those parts, the compressor is one of the most crucial and expensive components. It’s often referred to as the “heart” of the system because it circulates the refrigerant necessary for heat exchange through the coils of the indoor and outdoor units.
Given the importance and cost of this part, manufacturers often provide a longer warranty on the compressor for a few reasons:
Maximize The Benefits Of A Warranty With Regular Maintenance
To make the most of an air conditioner warranty, it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance. This can include changing the filters regularly and monitoring the system’s performance. Get a service plan and have a technician come and take a look at the unit every two years.
A service plan for an air conditioner would typically include regular maintenance and inspections of the air conditioner, as well as coverage for any repairs that may be necessary.
This plan would also include preventative maintenance, such as changing the filters regularly and monitoring the system’s performance.
Additionally, the service plan may include an extended warranty for the compressor, heat exchanger, and other components of the system. The service plan may also include discounts on parts and labor, as well as priority scheduling for service calls.
Being Out Of Warranty
If you’re out of warranty, all is not lost. Old ACs should be replaced anyway because newer ones have higher efficiencies and you will get more out of the product. There are also ways to extend parts of the AC with parts replacements and small labor costs.
The compressor is a very small piece yet essential to the functioning of the AC. Replacing it vs the whole unit saves up to 90% of the costs.
Conclusion – Air Conditioner Warranties
In conclusion, air conditioner warranties can be beneficial for protecting your investment. When choosing a warranty, it’s important to do your research and consider the cost and benefits of each warranty. Pay attention to the details and do regular maintenance to get the most out of your warranty.
