Getting cash out of American Home Shield ? Experiences sought

[Tekkie®]

Connie posted for all of us...

No shit...

[jamesflanagan1044]

Clearly I'm a bit late to this thread... but my home is 20 years old, bought it 4 years ago and it came with an HSA warranty that I've renewed three times now. I have no complaints about the value I get from the warranty when it comes to repairs I've needed for pluming leaks, broken stove, roof leaks, etc. however; I've had my two AC units repaired 12 times in 4 years. I submitted a service request on 5/27/19 and it took Piedmont heating and air until 6/2/19 to schedule my appointment (for 6/7/19), which I find a bit ridiculous. I had two separate companies come out to inspect, both said units require full replacement. I called HSA twice yesterday simply to find out what they'll pay towards full replacement and I got nothing but call center employees, seemingly in India, reading from a script and refusing to provide a number or connect me to a supervisor. I tried to get their contractor last year to report that the systems needed full replacement, but as per other posters, they did the quick band-aid fix and a month later I was submitting another request for work. Would have been nice to come here and see some level of a success story from someone getting a cash-out offer, but I'll post again tomorrow once I deal with their hack contractor and see what happens. Supposedly, if HSA agrees to full replacement and provides a $ number to their contractor, I'm supposed to be able to use my own preferred contractor and receive the same amount towards the new system. I'm not holding my breath, but when my renewal is up, I'll be taking the previous advice of keeping my money in my savings account.

[Ed Pawlowski]

And you think you got value from them? What would you be willing to pay to eliminate the downtime of the AC 12 times for days at a time? What did you pay for the deducible each visit? Put that money towards a new reliable unit.

[trader_4]

Would be interesting to see what the cost was for the duration of the plan, exactly what repairs they got for that and how it compares to what the cost of those repairs would have been if you just hired it out yourself. Also, given how they are avoiding doing what's right with the AC, what do you think that says about the quality of the other repairs? Another factor with AC or furnace, if it's a unit that's 20 years old and it's used a lot, a new unit will likely result in substantial energy savings too. When you're paying for repairs yourself, you can factor that in, also any other issues like noise, comfort, etc when deciding whether to fix it or replace it. When it's a warranty company, it's up to them.

I saw on the news last night a total scam. I've heard ads for some of them myself, usually on WOR here, the home of Rush, Hannity and the other right wingers. They are soliciting people who are stuck with timeshares, claiming that they can get you out of it. On the TV news last night, they said Missouri is home to many of these. They showed an elderly couple that had a timeshare at the NJ shore. The maintenance fee had risen to $1500 a year and they didn't want to keep it. IDK, but $1500 a year doesn't sound so bad, assuming you get two weeks use. But anyway, they wanted out, so they contacted one of those "get you out" companies. They paid the company $18K and a year later, the company did nothing, they are still stuck with the timeshare.

When I heard those commercials on the radio, first thing I thought was how are they going to get you out of a contract with a timeshare? What can they do, that you can't? I bet if that couple went to the timeshare company themselves and offered them the $18K, the company probably would have said yes.

It seems to me that there are a lot of these ads, for what sound like shysters on conservative talk radio. Another is the diet company that claims they take your DNA to use to come up with a diet specific to you. They say they use saliva, hair and blood. First thing there, why do you need all those, when the cops do DNA with just a saliva swab? And I have never seen any study, any scientific research that supports the idea that using DNA to come up with a diet works. Plenty of consumer complaints about them too, high pressure, didn't work, etc.

[invalid unparseable]

This is true for all warranties sold beyond the original product warranty. If they were not more profitable to the seller than the buyer they would not be selling them.

[trader_4]

That's some interesting economics. So I buy a loaf of bread at the supermarket and they would not be selling it unless it was more profitable to them, than to me?

[devnull]

Unless you're an idiot, why pay inflated prices?

Do you buy your bread at the local Stop-n-Rob ($6/loaf) or do you go to Costco ($2/loaf)?

Home warranty companies determine what repairs are covered, how the appliance will be repaired and who makes the repair.  If my furnace pukes in the middle of winter, I sure as f*ck don't want to wait a week for for some jackleg to come out and fix it.

[jamesflanagan1044]

Excellent points all around. I'm in Metro Atlanta so the AC gets used quite a bit, and I've got a rare leukemia that while it's not fatal, it makes me run hot, so naturally I'd like to keep my home as cool as possible. In the three times I've renewed my warranty, my total out of pocket just for the warranty was $1800. Add in the $75 service calls, and the "not covered" expenses on the heating and air repairs, I've probably spent around $4,000 total. Looking at it that way, and realizing the savings I would see in two new units, as well as the benefit to having newer heating and air units when I sell the house in a few years, and it would have made financial sense a couple years ago to just replace them.

[trader_4]

You have four separate furnaces and ACs and they are all kaput at the same time? Good news is that since it's 20 years old, you will save on energy going forward. Bad news is that $1500 isn't going to make much of a dent in the replacement of even one furnace/AC. That's about the cost of a cheap gas furnace, uninstalled. What was the yearly cost of the warranty?

the call taker (Gill, admittedly in the Philippines in a call center) said "sir, I really don't know, all I can do is read your contract and review a guide with suggestions based on the callers concerns. You'll have to wait for our contractor to call the resolutions and approval department with their estimate." Got to give the man credit for being honest.

[Ralph Mowery]

Most home inspections are a joke. The warranty I was offered when I bought a houss that was bout 20 years old had so many exclusions and co- pay or whatever they called , I would have had everything in the house quit at the same time the week after I bought the house to come out on what that warrenty would have cost.

[jamesflanagan1044]

Two furnaces, two AC's. Both AC's are in the middle of dying, pieces are literally crumbling or breaking off at the touch. Furnaces have both been repaired a time or two the last couple of years, but I'd rather replace both since the systems are connected, ensuring everything is compatible and not pieced together. Nothing like pairing 2 new AC units with 20 year old furnaces, lol. I've received one quote of $12K out the door for everything, nothing flashy, reusing duct work and old distribution boxes, manufacturers warranty, nothing else, no financing option. Received another quote for $16,500 out the door, but replacing all distribution boxes and duct work, relocating the AC's outside to meet current state code, and installing new "smart" thermostats on first and second floors, and comes with a 10 year warranty and maintenance contract, 0% for five years to pay it off.

Yearly cost of the home warranty itself is $600.00

[Roger Blake]

Costco is ripping you off. $2/loaf and you have to pay them a membership fee for the privilege of buying there? Aldis sells bread for $1/loaf and no fees.

[jamesflanagan1044]

now you sound like the contractor with the $16,500 total replacement cost; you're recommending and saying almost everything he said as well. 2 stage systems with the appropriate thermostats to fully take advantage of those systems in order to see the savings on monthly gas and electric bills. During the typically 4 warmest summer months, my electric bill will exceed $300-$350, so it would be nice to see that drop a bit and negate some the added monthly payment I'd be taking on for the new system.

Thanks for the explanation and advice, I really appreciate it.

[Biff Tannen]

And then there are the clowns who vacuum the system for 30 seconds and then fill with refrigerant.

[trader_4]

Replacing 20 year old eqpt, especially furnaces, you should see substantial energy savings regardless of whether it's one stage or two stage. A 94% furnace is pretty much 94%, as compared to an old one that was 80% when it was new. I don't think two stages will even show up in additional savings. It's a comfort issue. With the AC, on days when it's not very hot, it allows the system to run longer, move more air, get more humidity out, than a system that only comes on full and runs a short time. Similar with a furnace, it lets you better size it, it can be a bit bigger on the high end so it can warm faster when needed, but when it's just running to maintain it runs on the lower stage, runs longer, moves more air to even it out throughout the house. The extra cost of a two stage furnaces is maybe $200, $300 and it usually includes other things too, like a more energy efficient blower. The AC I think there it can cost considerably more for a two stage, but you can price it out and you may also get

16 SEER with it too.

During the typically 4 warmest summer months, my electric bill will exceed $300-$350, so it would be nice to see that drop a bit and negate some the added monthly payment I'd be taking on for the new system.

The AC here dropped by about half with the new eqpt, so did the gas bills.

Another question is what to do with any chimneys that the old furnaces used. If they are still needed for a water heater and you're in a cold climate, they should have a liner sized for the WH put in. Otherwise a large chimney with just the WH will get condensation which can lead to damage over time.

No problem, any questions I can help with, feel free to ask.

[trader_4]

When you said $1800 for three years, it didn't sound too bad. But that changed when you said $4000 total. Still, without knowing all that was done, no way to fairly evaluate it. If those 20 year old ACs had several major failures, eg compressor or leaks, you could have spent that just on them. If most of that money was attributable to the furnace/AC, then between not paying for that and energy savings, you should see pretty fast payback on the cost of the replacement.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Our house came with a Trane 16 SEER unit. It is AC and heat pump for heat. To upgrade to the two speed unit would have been $3800. I thought that was a bit too much.

There was a variable speed unit that was a $5800 upgrade.

[jamesflanagan1044]

One of the AC's has had nearly all of "guts" replaced, including the compressor, yet it still develops leaks in the coil. Both AC units have the starter capacitor need replacement every summer, and I know I've had to get fan blades replaced at least 3 times. Looking back, I'd have to make an argument that the contractor HSA sends out is either performing shoddy work, or using sub par parts that continue to fail. Both AC's have had new coils, but again, two weeks ago when it was in the mid 90's in Atlanta, I couldn't get the temp in the house under 80 degrees until around 1AM. Of course now that today is high of 78, I'm sure the AC will have no problem keeping up and they'll tell me nothing is wrong with the units. We'll see... I'll post an update once they complete their assessment and provide me with a quote. I've got a lovely arrival time of 10am-3pm, lol

[trader_4]

+1

Sadly that's kind of what I saw too. Beyond 14 SEER, to get higher eff, the payback would have been very long, good chance the system would not last that long. And similar with two stage. IDK if that's because it's real cost driving it, or mostly marketing, bundling two stage with high eff, etc. Would be nice if there was a two stage, 14 SEER for not too much more than 14 SEER. Maybe there is, but I didn't see it when I was looking in 2010 either.

[trader_4]

That's the problem, when the thing is that old, solve one thing, then something else goes. Also, when a compressor fails, sometimes they go peacefully, other times they foul the system. And a tech trying to do it on the cheap, may not properly flush it to get any crud out.

Something not right there. These are $30 items and they do fail, but you should get way more than a year out of them. My old Ruud, I had to put a hard start kit on it, because it was having trouble starting. That was when it was ten years old. It then went another 15, no capacitor problems. El cheapo company may be using el cheapo crap parts. Maybe the warranty company will only pay $10 for a cap.

That's weird? What happens to them? They are just aluminum fan blades.

Looking back, I'd have to make an argument that the contractor HSA sends out is either performing shoddy work, or using sub par parts that continue to fail. Both AC's have had new coils, but again, two weeks ago when it was in the mid 90's in Atlanta, I couldn't get the temp in the house under 80 degrees until around 1AM. Of course now that today is high of 78, I'm sure the AC will have no problem keeping up and they'll tell me nothing is wrong with the units. We'll see... I'll post an update once they complete their assessment and provide me with a quote. I've got a lovely arrival time of 10am-3pm, lol

What brand was this gem?