A homeowner with two warranties was left facing a hefty labor quote to replace part of their furnace, even though neither company that inspected it determined the part was faulty.
Here's what to know
High carbon monoxide levels led to the replacement recommendation. In Reddit's r/hvacadvice, the homeowner said CO levels were above 580 when the unit was in high burn.
The first technician speculated that the heat exchanger had a hidden crack but couldn't confirm why CO levels were so high, so the homeowner got a second opinion. This technician also suspected a heat exchanger problem, but a stripped screw affected their assessment. The original poster said that each company pointed the finger at the other for the screw issue.
"What are my best next steps? Replace the heat exchanger and hope that fixes the problem?" they asked. "They are quoting me $1400 for 2-4 hours of labor."
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More background
Because the second company hadn't installed the furnace, it refused repairs under the manufacturer's warranty. The OP was hopeful, though, that their $5,000 furnace coverage under an appliance warranty could apply if they could identify the failed component.
"Did any of them put an analyzer on it and do an actual combustion test?" one commenter asked. Another recommended getting a third opinion and suspected a gas valve was to blame.
What can be done?
The OP said they decided to get a third opinion, and happily, this company was able to diagnose the issue. "Clocked it immediately as flame impingement," they shared. "Re-aligned the flames and CO levels plummeted right away. So grateful for this technician."
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Where can I learn more?
Other homeowners have also faced steep HVAC repair quotes while trying to use their warranties.
• A homeowner questioned nearly $2,000 in labor for warranty furnace work that technicians called brief.
• A first-time homeowner faced a $2,300 bill despite warranty coverage after a 15-month-old HVAC failed.
• A landlord disputed a $1,400 warranty-coil bill for HVAC work performed without approval.
• A homeowner expecting a $149 AC diagnosis faced a separate $600 fee.
• In Cleveland, a two-year-old AC stopped cooling, prompting a $2,800 repair quote despite warranty coverage.
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