According to the US Census Bureau an estimated 2.5 to 3 million residential furnaces and ac units fail every year. Some of these units have served their homes faithfully while others may have broken down weeks or even days after installation. It can be frustrating dealing with failing heating equipment because you may not know how to contact the manufacturer or you may not be familiar with the warranties on part. This article discusses ways through which you can establish the validity of your warranty on your HVAC unit.

Find the Label on the Equipment

HVAC units come with labels on their outer surfaces indicating the manufacture date. If the equipment has been in use for less than five years, chances are high that the warranty is still valid. This may however differ from one manufacturer to the other.

System Inspection

The validity of some warranties may not be apparent and as such difficult to establish. In such instances, you may have to contact HVAC experts who will inspect the system and determine whether the existing warranty is still valid.

The Installing Dealer

Many of the specialists who install your HVAC equipment usually leave you with a product registration card that has their names and contacts. Getting in touch with them can help you in establishing the validity of your warranty. Many contractors offer warranty on labor and parts. As long as the problem stems from these aspects, you will be entitled to a fresh installation at no cost at all. If you have bought a new house with everything installed, you should ask the seller to tell you the details of the installing agent.

Find from the Manufacturer’s Database

Most manufacturers of HVAC equipment maintain extensive databases that have all the information pertaining to the equipment they have manufactured and sold. If the manufacturer has an online portal through which you can log in and verify your product warranty yourself, this will take you a very short time. In case they don’t, you will have to call the manufacturer customer support line so that you can be assisted by the internal staffs.

If You Have Followed the Conditions of Use

Every warranty has certain conditions that should be met. Failure to meet these conditions can invalidate the entire provisions of the warranty. Some of the conditions may require registration of the unit within a number of days after installation for it to be valid. If the HVAC unit is not registered within the specified duration, then the warranty may not apply regardless of its duration. In certain situations, changes on home ownership can also interfere with existing warranties. This is because some manufacturers recognize the original homeowners and not the current ones.