Every HVAC quote in Houston has an HVAC warranty line, and almost every one is worded to sound like total protection. It usually is not. The gap between what people think they bought and what they actually bought only shows up on the day something breaks, often in August, often in year eight. Here is the plain version, including what our own coverage does and does not include.
Quick answer: On the systems Koolpro installs, the manufacturer covers parts for 12 years. Labor is separate: the part is covered, the work to diagnose and install it is not part of those 12 years. Coverage also depends on registration, documented maintenance and proper installation, and it never covers surges, floods or clogged-filter damage.
Parts and labor are two different warranties
This is the distinction that matters most, and the one most often blurred on a quote.
The parts warranty comes from the manufacturer. It stands behind the components: compressor, coils, motors, control boards. If a covered part fails inside the term, the part is provided.
The labor warranty comes from the contractor. It covers the work of finding the problem and fitting the part. It is a separate promise, usually for a much shorter period, and each company sets its own.
So when we say 12 years of parts coverage on systems we install, we mean exactly that: 12 years of manufacturer parts coverage. Labor is not included in that number. In year eight, a covered compressor arrives at no charge for the part, and there is still a bill for recovering refrigerant, swapping the compressor and recharging the system. On a compressor job, that labor is a real number.
Anyone who tells you a “12-year warranty” means 12 years of free repairs is either careless or hoping you do not ask. We would rather have that conversation now than in year eight.
What an HVAC warranty covers, and what it never does
| Item | Manufacturer parts warranty | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Failed compressor, coil, motor or board | Part covered within the term | You pay labor unless a labor plan covers it |
| Diagnosis and installation labor | Not covered | You, or the contractor’s labor warranty while it lasts |
| Refrigerant | Usually not covered, even when the leaking part is | You |
| Filters and other consumables | Never covered | You |
| Power surge or lightning damage | Typically excluded | Homeowner’s insurance, if at all |
| Flood or storm damage | Excluded | Insurance |
| Damage from a clogged filter or blocked drain | Can be denied as neglect | You |
| Ductwork | Not part of the equipment warranty | Contractor’s workmanship terms, if any |
Read your own warranty certificate for the exact terms. Manufacturers differ, and the fine print is where the answer lives.
What quietly voids coverage
Three things cost homeowners more coverage than any manufacturing defect.
- The equipment was never registered. Many manufacturers give the full term only if the system is registered within a set window after installation. Unregistered, the same equipment can fall back to a much shorter base term. If another company installed your system, confirm somebody registered it, and in your name.
- No record of maintenance. Warranties expect the equipment to be reasonably maintained, and on a large claim a manufacturer can ask for proof. A neglected system with a failed compressor is the classic denied claim. Annual service records are the proof. That is a big part of why a service agreement exists: it keeps the paper trail without you having to remember.
- Improper installation. A system installed wrong, or by someone not qualified for that equipment, can lose coverage. This is why the installer matters as much as the brand. Koolpro is a certified Mitsubishi contractor, and we explain what that certification means in our Mitsubishi contractor guide.
A surge protector that was not reconnected
Here is a case from this year. We had installed a surge protector on a customer’s system. Later, another company replaced her equipment and did not reconnect that surge protector properly. She had new equipment, sitting outdoors in a city with summer thunderstorms and hurricane season, without the one device that protects it from the damage no warranty pays for.
That is the point of the story. Surge damage is typically excluded from manufacturer coverage, so a brand new system with a disconnected protector is exposed from day one. If anyone has replaced or worked on your outdoor unit, ask them to confirm the surge protector is wired back in. We wrote more about that in our piece on surge protectors and Houston power flickers.
When extra coverage is worth it, and when it is an upsell
A case that made the rounds among homeowners: a system only seven months old, still deep inside its parts warranty, and the owner was offered a surge protector for $400, a hard start kit for $340 and a UV light for $1,350 on the same visit.
Those three are not the same kind of item. A surge protector on an unprotected system is a reasonable conversation, because surges are excluded from coverage. A hard start kit on a seven-month-old system should come with a clear answer to one question: what problem is it solving? A UV light may help some homes with specific coil or air quality issues, but it is not warranty protection, and it is a lot of money to add with no diagnosis behind it. Our playbook on shopping for a new system without getting upsold goes deeper.
Extended labor plans are a different story. Many manufacturers and contractors sell coverage that stretches labor closer to the parts term. It can be worth it if you plan to stay in the house a long time and a surprise four-figure labor bill would hurt. It is not worth it if you are likely to sell in a few years and the plan does not transfer. The cheapest time to decide is at installation.
Questions to ask on any quote
Ask these of us and of anyone else you are comparing. The answers tell you more than the headline number. Our guide on what an HVAC quote does not tell you covers the rest of the page.
- How many years of parts, and how many of labor? Two separate numbers.
- Who registers the equipment, by when, and in whose name?
- What maintenance does the warranty require, and what proof would a claim need?
- Is refrigerant covered on a warranty repair?
- Does coverage transfer if I sell the house? A transferable warranty is worth something at resale.
If a competitor’s terms are genuinely better than ours on a given quote, we will say so. The goal is that you know what you are signing.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 12-year HVAC warranty cover labor?
Not in our case. The 12 years on systems Koolpro installs is manufacturer parts coverage. Labor to diagnose and install a covered part is separate and billed unless a separate labor plan covers it.
Is refrigerant covered under an HVAC warranty?
Usually not. Even when the leaking part is replaced under warranty, the refrigerant to recharge the system is typically billed separately.
Can skipping maintenance void my HVAC warranty?
It can. Manufacturers generally expect reasonable maintenance and may ask for records on a large claim. Keep your service invoices or a maintenance agreement record.
Does the warranty transfer when I sell my house?
Some do and some do not, and some require a transfer step. Check the certificate and ask the installer before you list the house.
Keep the paperwork
Model and serial numbers, installation date, registration confirmation, service records. Put them where you will find them in eight years. The claim that gets paid is the documented one.
If you are comparing quotes and the warranty terms read like they were written to be skimmed, send them to us or call 713-714-0707 and we will tell you what they actually say. We serve Houston, Katy, Sugar Land and Fort Bend.
