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Top Home Warranties for HVAC Systems
The right home warranty can help cover costly HVAC breakdowns. Compare plans to find the coverage that fits your system.
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What home warranties typically cover for HVAC systems?
HVAC system coverage varies from company to company, but many home warranties cover the main components of permanent HVAC systems. These often include:
- Compressors.
- Condensers.
- Coils.
- Air handler.
- Motors.
- Thermostats.
- Refrigerant replacement.
Most have at least some exclusions, including certain types of HVAC systems. For example, a home warranty company might cover repairs for ducted central and installed wall air conditioning units but not window units. Likewise, a plan might state that it covers air conditioning unit components but exclude coverage for leaks, condensate pumps and coils. Although a home warranty might exclude mismatched HVAC systems — where an air conditioning unit and furnace are different sizes or made by different manufacturers — some companies do cover mismatched HVAC systems.
Most home warranties won’t cover repairs if an HVAC system is still under the manufacturer warranty.
Will a home warranty replace an HVAC system?
Yes, home warranties typically state that they’ll replace an HVAC system if they can’t repair it, but that’s not a guarantee that you’ll get a new system for free.
Some home warranties depreciate the value of an HVAC system, usually based on its age. If your home warranty does this, it’s unlikely that the company will pay you enough to replace your HVAC system with a new model that’s similar to what you already have. In other words, even if a home warranty agrees to replace your HVAC unit, it might not pay enough to cover the full replacement cost.
Some plans might also exclude the cost of certain installation steps as well, such as the cost of a crane for roof-mounted systems.
Will a home warranty maintain your HVAC system?
Many home warranties require you to perform routine maintenance on your HVAC system, and some will deny a repair if you haven’t properly maintained your HVAC system. If you’re worried about maintaining your system, you can look at home warranties that cover repairs despite insufficient maintenance, though they’re not as common. Some home warranty companies include annual or seasonal HVAC tune-ups or offer them as add-on services for an additional fee. A tune-up is considered preventative maintenance to check that your HVAC system is performing efficiently and usually includes inspecting filters, checking refrigerant levels, cleaning components, calibrating the thermostat and more. You might have to pay a service fee for each tune-up, so consider this cost when budgeting for a home warranty.