So I called Goodman and I asked how the warranty works when I buy a furnace from an on-line retailer, and they said they don't honor the warrany in those cases - I think it's because they don't want to deal directly with the public - they'd rather deal with dealers when it comes to parts replacement.
Anyone buying a furnace off the net is more likely to try to contact the manufacturer directly vs a local HVAC dealer when fixing their furnace, and probably the first mistake they'll make is to tell the manufacturer where they bought it. That lets the manufacturer weazel out of their warranty obligation by mentioning the (likely illegal) clause about the warranty being voided because of "electronic" sale vs dealer sale.
They acknowledged that unless I tell them I bought it from an internet retailer that they have no way of knowing, and that if I have warranty repairs done by a local contractor that most likely the contractor will have no problems dealing with Goodman as far as the parts go so it won't be a big deal anyways. Even if I installed the furnace myself and a part went bad and I took the part into a local HVAC dealer, I could probably still have the part covered by the warranty and get a replacement from the dealer (assuming the part is still covered under the warranty period).
I asked why they sell their furnaces to electronic / internet retailers in the first place, and they said they have no control over how those furnaces are re-sold, and it might even be "illegal" to refuse to do business with those retailers (restraint-of-trade laws).
Bottom line is that I don't see how it can be legal for a manufacturer to void a warranty on a product based on who sold you the product or how you purchased the product. That would be discrimination against the retailer who lawfully purchased the product from the manufacturer for retail re-sale to an end-customer in a manner that is essentially identical to a local dealer who purchases the produce from a manufacturer for re-sale to an end-customer.
I think a careful re-reading of what I posted previously will show that Goodman and other companies DO infact provide warranty coverage for systems purchased over the internet, and they provide that coverage through the licensed person or company that performed the installation of said system.
Here is part of what I posted previously:
=========================================== If you are a licensed mechanical and HVAC contractor and EPA certified to buy and sell and install HVAC equipment, then you will be responsible for handling warranty claims and the manufacturer is responsible for providing for that warranty provided the guidelines below are met by both the consumer and the dealer/seller.
The manufacturers warranty, like the sale of a car or other product sold by a licensed dealer, is passed through the company or dealer to the consumer regardless of through which means they make their purchase. Consumers who purchase heating and air conditioning through the internet should also receive an additional labor warranty from the licensed professional who performs the installation. Labor warranties on the installation of heating and air conditioning typically are good for 1 year. Consumers can also pay an additional charge to extend the labor warranty beyond 1 year. This is provided by your qualified local licensed installer. These warranty policies are stated as follows: =========================================
Those policies follow below. I just want to interject here and re-state what is mentioned above.
First, HVAC manufacturers do not (as a rule) provide any coverage for the labor component for parts replacement. The consumer is paying for that labor coverage as part of the inflated cost he's paying to the HVAC dealer/installer.
Second, if you have a licensed contractor / installer perform the installation of the unit that you buy from an internet retailer, then you have satisfied the terms of the manufacturer's warranty.
It would probably be useful in these cases to ask your local HVAC installer to quote you for installation of a furnace that you've purchased and delivered to your basement through your own means, and to break out the cost for the labor warranty separately from the installation cost. You may find it cost-effective to forego the installer's labor warranty.
Also, I would stipulate that in any such installation contract, that the contractor agrees to not decline requests to service the unit in the future (with the labor to be paid by the customer if the customer has declined labor coverage) and that the contractor agrees to handle the replacement of broken parts still covered under the manufacturer's warranty - even if the customer removes and replaces those parts himself.
With that said, here are the policy terms continuing from the above quote:
===================================== Air Conditioning and Heating Equipment Warranty Guidelines - Including brands by Goodman, Rheem, Ruud, York, Mitsubishi, or Pridiom heating and air conditioning equipment
All manufacturers warranties on equipment purchased through the World Wide Web will be honored providing you abide by the following guidelines:
- You must have your system installed by a licensed, EPA certified HVAC-R Contractor. (It is required that your system be checked, started up and signed-off on by a licensed AC & heating contractor prior to use.)
- You must comply with all federal refrigerant handling laws.
- Please keep a copy of the installation ticket in a safe place for your records.
- Please make sure that all your ductwork is properly sized including all supply and return installation work.
- Comply with all permitting regulations where required.
- Always conform with applicable local and state codes.
- Electrical connections should only be made by a licensed electrical contractor.
References: