Carrier Warranty: Everything You Need to Know (2024)
Carrier is a world leader in heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration solutions. It sells a variety of air conditioning and heating products and offers warranty plans for its products. This warranty is different from a traditional home warranty that covers multiple systems or appliances in one comprehensive package.
In this review, we’ll discuss Carrier warranty plans to give you thorough, accurate information on the terms and conditions of its service contracts. If you’re in the market for a traditional home warranty plan, we’ve reviewed the top home warranty providers and evaluated them based on plan structure, cost breakdown, customer reviews, and the claims process. Liberty Home Guard is our top pick for more extensive coverage, you can read our complete Liberty Home Guard review to learn more.
What Are the Pros and Cons of a Carrier Warranty?
Compare the pros and cons of a Carrier warranty below.
Pros
- Warranty is free with purchase of product
- Warranty can be passed between owners
- No service fee, while most home warranty providers charge one
Cons
- No coverage for major home appliances, while home warranty companies are comprehensive
- Doesn’t cover systems that have broken down from improper installation or improper servicing
- Limited warranty for systems registered after 90 days of the original installation
What Plans and Coverage Are Offered by Carrier Warranty?
Carrier doesn’t provide traditional home warranty plans that cover multiple systems or appliances in one comprehensive package. Instead, the specific products homeowners purchased from Carrier are covered under the company’s own warranty plan. Coverage is limited to parts and compressors on an AC unit and is not inclusive of labor.
Below is a breakdown of the products sold, as well as how long they’re covered under a Carrier warranty. The “Original Owner” column displays the number of years the item is covered for the first owner, and the “Subsequent Owner” column displays the number of years covered by the second owner once the warranty is transferred to them. Customers must register within 90 days or their warranty period is reduced to five years.
*Note: Coverage for appliances and systems housed in apartments or rental properties is only available for the original owner up to five years.
What Does Carrier Warranty Cover?
System or Appliance | Original Owner | Subsequent Owner |
---|---|---|
Air Conditioners or Heat Pump Condensing Units | 10* (5) | 5 |
Air Purifier | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Boilers | 10–20 (5–20) | 5–20 |
Central Dehumidifier | 5 | 5 |
Ductless Split Units | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Evaporator Coils | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Fan Coil | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Residential Apartment Fan Coils | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Non-Condensing Gas Furnace | 5–Lifetime | 5–20 |
Condensing Gas Furnace with Tube and Fin Secondary Heat Exchanger | 5–Lifetime | 5–20 |
Heat Pumps | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Air Conditioner & Heat Pump Condensing Units with Puron® (R-410A) Refrigerant | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Humidifier | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Côr® Thermostats | 5* (or 3) | 3 |
Thermostats | 5* (or 3) | 3 |
Zoning Controls or Zoning Kits | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Oil Furnace | 5–Lifetime | 5–20 |
Small Packaged Products | 5–Lifetime | 5–20 |
Ultraviolet Replacement Bulb | 90 days | 90 days |
Ventilator | 10* (or 5) | 5 |
Carrier Thermostats | 5* (or 3) | 3 |
In all warranty agreements, there are some cases where items are not eligible for coverage. Here’s a breakdown of the coverage exceptions:
Costs related to defective parts, replacement parts, or new units due to:
- Diagnosing
- Repairing
- Removing
- Installing
- Shipping
- Servicing
- Handling
- Products purchased online
Failure to perform normal maintenance as outlined in the installation and servicing instructions or Owner’s Manual, including:
- Filter cleaning
- Filter replacement
- Lubrication
Failure, damage or repairs from:
- Faulty installation
- Misapplication
- Abuse
- Improper servicing
- Unauthorized alteration
- Improper operation
Failure to start due to:
- Voltage conditions
- Blown fuses
- Open circuit breakers
- Damages due to the inadequacy or interruption of electrical service
Failure or damage due to:
- Floods
- Winds
- Fires
- Lightning
- Accidents
- Corrosive environments (rust, etc.)
- Other conditions beyond the control of Carrier
- Parts not supplied or designated by Carrier, or damages resulting from their use
- Products installed outside the United States or its territories and Canada
- Electricity or fuel costs
- Increases in electricity or fuel costs from any reason whatsoever, including additional or unusual use of supplemental electric heat
- Any special, indirect, or consequential property or commercial damage of any nature whatsoever
- Any cost to replace, refill, or dispose of refrigerant, including the cost of refrigerant
How Much Does Carrier Warranty Cost?
Carrier warranties are included with the cost of a Carrier product upon purchase. Additionally, Carrier does not charge a service fee when technicians visit your home to repair or replace components.
In general, most home repair insurance companies charge between $300–$600 a year for home warranties and require service fees, which are paid by the homeowner directly to the technician at the time of repair or replacement. The average service fee in the home warranty industry is between $75–$125. For a detailed look at how these contracts function and benefit homeowners, visit our article discussing the ins and outs of home warranties.
How Is Carrier Warranty’s Claims Process?
To make a claim, you must register your Carrier product online within 90 days of original installation. Carrier will need your date of installation, which is the date the homeowner purchased the home from the builder. If you can’t verify this exact date, then the warranty period begins 90 days from when the product was manufactured, as indicated by the model and serial number.
To register your product, you’ll need the following pieces of information:
- Model number
- Serial number
- Date of installation
- Who it was installed by
- Name of owner
- Address of installation
Once your product is registered, make sure your product meets the following criteria to be eligible for coverage:
- The product must be installed properly by a licensed HVAC technician
- The warranty applies only to products remaining in their original installation location
- Installation, use, care, and maintenance must be normal and in accordance with instructions contained in the Installation Instructions Owner’s Manual and Company’s service information
- Defective parts must be returned to the distributor through a registered servicing dealer for credit
Carrier Service and Fees
Once you’ve identified an issue with your product, immediately contact Carrier. You can call Carrier at 1-800-227-7437, reach the company online, or notify the company in writing by certified or registered letter of any defect or complaint with the product, stating the defect or complaint and a specific request for repair.
As an alternative, you can contact the installer directly, whose name will be on the equipment and in your owner’s packet. Note: the service agreement states that proof of purchase may be required at the time of service.
How Are Carrier Warranty’s Reviews?
Carrier is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an A- rating from customers. The company’s highest rating is a 3-star review, and most reviews noted poor support, delays in waiting for replaced units, and many appliances breaking much earlier than expected.
How Do the Best Home Warranty Companies Compare?
We recommend American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty for full coverage on your most important home systems and appliances. Read our comprehensive analysis of American Home Shield and detailed review of Select Home Warranty to learn more.
Company | Logo | Star Rating | BBB Rating | Monthly Cost | Service Fee | Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberty Home GuardGet Quote | NR | $49–$59 | $65–$125 | Get Quote | ||
American Home ShieldGet Quote | B | $49–$109 | $100–$125 | Get Quote | ||
Select Home WarrantyGet Quote | B- | $44–$47 | $60–$75 | Get Quote | ||
Elite Home WarrantyGet Quote | B+ | $44–$59 | $70 | Get Quote | ||
First American Home WarrantyGet Quote | B | $47–$87 | $75–$125 | Get Quote | ||
AFC Home WarrantyGet Quote | B | $34–$92 | $75–$125 | Get Quote | ||
Cinch Home ServicesGet Quote | B+ | $30–$56 | $100–$150 | Get Quote | ||
2-10 Home WarrantyGet Quote | A | $27–$70 | $65–$100 | Get Quote |
Company | BBB Rating | Monthly Cost | Service Fee | Visit Site |
---|---|---|---|---|
NR** | $49–$59 | $65–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
B | $29–$89 | $100–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
B- | $44–$47 | $60–$75 | VISIT SITE | |
B | $42–$82 | $100–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
B | $35–$94 | $75–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
B+ | $44–$58 | $70 | VISIT SITE | |
B+ | $30–$56 | $100–$150 | VISIT SITE | |
A | $27–$61 | $65–$100 | VISIT SITE |
We think the best overall home warranty provider is Liberty Home Guard. It has the highest customer review scores of any provider we’ve rated. The company has three plans and offers 42 add-ons to help homeowners find the coverage they need.
Here are just a few reasons why this company is one of the best in the home warranty industry:
- Offers three plan types and 42 add-ons for added flexibility
- Provides 24/7 live chat service
- Operates in all 50 states
It is important to note, however, that most home warranty providers don’t cover appliances or systems that are under an existing manufacturer’s warranty. If your warranty through Carrier runs for 10 years, Liberty Home Guard won’t cover your HVAC unit until the warranty has run its course.
Get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard by calling 866-452-9107 or visiting the site below.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to score each provider objectively. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys.
We score each provider against our review standards, which include four comparison categories: coverage, value, trust and transparency, and availability and service. We rate each provider across 31 factors within these categories. Each factor is assigned a point value based on its importance to a homeowner, totaling 100 points. We then convert the final scores to a 5-star rating.
Here’s a breakdown of our weighted factors:
- Coverage (40%): We scored coverage based on included home systems and appliances, add-on options, and unique benefits. We also compared coverage caps and policy exclusions.
-
- Additional coverage items
- Annual coverage cap
- Home systems coverage
- Major appliances coverage
- Obstructed wall coverage cap
- Value (30%): We compared the coverage level received to monthly pricing to determine plan value. We considered premium pricing, service fees, and flexibility in customizing plan costs.
-
- Average monthly cost
- Cost flexibility
- Lowest service fee
- Trust and Transparency (16%): We evaluated each company’s reputation using the Better Business Bureau ratings and customer reviews on third-party review sites. We read through plan change policies, workmanship protections, and sample contract availability.
-
- Brand reputation
- Policy change flexibility
- Sample contract availability
- Workmanship guarantee length
- Availability and Service (14%): We award higher scores for faster claim processing and response times. We also considered service technician policies, including options to choose your technician.
-
- Claims process
- Guaranteed response time
- Service flexibility
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.