Because the manufacturer offers more then one type of warranty.

 

The 10 year parts and 1 year labor warranty is standard if you register it online with Bryant. The 10/10 warranty is something you are paying extra for. He just figured it into the price. The 10/1 is free.

 

Thanks. I usually do not buy the extended warranties for things I purchase. What do people on this forum think, is the 10/10 warranty worth it for a furnace? I checked the Bryant web site, all they have is a sample of the extended warranty agreement. What is the typical cost to cover a new furnace and AC?

 

I got a partial answer to my question by calling Bryant. The labor warranty pricing is set by the dealer, not Bryant, so there is no "universal" price for the 10 years labor warranty.

After thinking about it, it makes sense the labor warranty would be variable, because I assume the cost of labor varies by region.

 

Every distributor negotiates its own pricing with the factory and the distributor has different prices for each dealer. That's one of the big reasons we don't talk price on here.

 

The labor warranty is priced "retail" to the customer based on the contractors pricing practice, so each may vary what the HO actually pays. That being said, if the price is reasonable, then this factory sponsered warranty is usually well worth having. If prices are comparable, then the one offering the extended labor warranty would have my vote(and job), simple as that.:.02:

 

Ask them what some common failures could be and ask them how much it would be to fix it after the first year is up. You may be surprised at how much some things might be as compared to the cost of the extended warranty which would cover everything but freight to ship the parts.

 

Thanks for the information - the two contractors have similar offers, one has a little more equipment included vs. the one offering the additional 9 years of labor. I'll see what the firm that didn't include the extended warranty charges for the same level of coverage.

Extended warranties are a no win scenario in my eyes.. Not because they don't have any value, as some of you pointed out, they do. But in order for me to feel like it was money well spent, I am almost hoping that the warrantied item breaks so that I get money's worth out of the warranty. Talk about conflicting emotions!

I've purchased an extended warranty once for a vehicle. I never really needed it, and the one time I tried to use it, it was so full of exclusions that it was only minimally helpful. I suppose the best way to think of it is as insurance, where you pay the premiums and hope you never need to make a claim.

 

if you have a compressor failure after 1 year with out the 10 year labor warranty all Bryant is going to do is give the contractor a compressor in a box you will be responsible for the recovery of the old refrigerant ,nitrogen to pressure test the system, welding supplies ,driers,refrigerant to fill the system and labor to perform the task.with all the inferior Chinese parts being installed on new units I would highly recommend the labor warranty

 

I'll give you a bit of advice from somebody who fixes this stuff all day. Unless the warranty is some ridiculous price. Buy the thing. You will use it. Most of the equipment these days is junk, no matter who makes it. Most of the repairs I have done in the last 2 years is on equipment less than 5 years old. Ask your contractor how much per hour he charges or what is an average cost for repairs. IN 10 years there is a good chance you will lose a txv, probably your condenser motor and blower motor, 1 circuit board, 3 or 4 capacitors and probably an igniter or other part in the furnace/air handler. And an outside chance of a compressor failing. Not too mention a few clogged drains which will not be covered. Plan on at least 1 service call every 2 years. In 10 years, you're looking at around 5 service calls. Do the math based upon what the warranty costs vs. what this guy is gonna charge you to come out.

 

But in order for me to feel like it was money well spent, I am almost hoping that the warrantied item breaks so that I get money's worth out of the warranty. Talk about conflicting emotions!

So do you also almost hope you you have an accident in you car, so you feel the money you spent on insurance is worth it.

 

I see where you are going with that question, but for some reason, I'm always grateful if at the end of the year I have been fortunate not to have had to use auto, home, and health insurance.

I don't need a sledgehammer to hit me over the head to see where this thread is going. It looks like there is a high probability that a 10 year labor warranty will be used. I guess I was operating under the assumption that a new furnace = no repairs for at least 10 years. Here's why I was thinking that way: A couple of years ago, one of the techs servicing my 1992 Bryant high efficiency furnace, that had needed frequent repairs even before it hit the 10 year mark, suggested that I consider replacing it rather than repairing it. He explained that that furnace was was cutting edge technology in 1992, and that Bryant had learned from the mistakes they make on that first generation of furnaces, and the new ones were far more reliable. He never said a new furnace would not require repairs for first 10 years, that was just my assumption.

I appreciate you guys sharing your opinions from the tech point of view that the new equipment is not a lock to perform repair free for the first 10 years just because high efficiencey is no longer "new" technology.

 

kc, as many have said, make sure and buy the labor warranty. The days of "buy it and forget it" are long gone. Those old units were very dependable, but very inefficient also. Today's more efficient equipment contains a lot more controls, motors, and ignitors. As mathews said, base your decision on 5 calls in ten years. Probably won't be wrong, sadly.:gah:

 

Wahoo - you and the others on this board have educated/convinced me. I'm going to get an extended warranty.

By the way, what happens when the equipment reaches 10 years? Does Bryant offer warranty programs for 10 year old equipment?

 

Just a followup to my original post: In October 2011 I had a Bryant Evolution Plus95s furnace and an Evolution 17 AC unit installed. So far, I have gotten good performance from them. I got the 10 year warranty, but never needed it. I had a "tune-up" done on both units every other year prior to their respective seasons. I live in Wisconsin, so the furnace gets much more use. We typically use the AC an average of three weeks out of the year. My home is half a mile from Lake Michigan, so the lake's natural cooling effect helps keep mitigate all but the hottest and most humid days of summer.. I hope to get another ten years out of the furnace before it needs to be replaced.

 

Count yourself as one of the fortunate few if you had no breakdowns in 10 yrs.

 

The previous equipment in the home was an early 1990s Bryant high efficiency furnace. It was in the house when we moved in in 1996. It required constant repairs. When shopping for the replacement furnace in 2011, the sales person and a tech separately told me the early 1990s units were the first generation of a high efficiency furnace, and that much had been learned from them which resulted in highly reliable furnaces in 2011.

From what you stated, the reliability I have gotten over the past ten years is not typical. Are there any residential units that you have found to be mostly trouble-free?