# Will a Home Warranty Replace Your Old AC? What Happened When I Tried

- Link: https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/home-warranty-old-ac-replacement/
- Published: 2026-10-24T09:25:18+00:00
- Author: homeinspectordan

When an inspection finds an old AC system, a home warranty often gets offered as
the answer. The seller pays for the first year, and everyone feels better. I’ve 
had a home warranty on my own house for years, so here’s what actually happened 
when our old upstairs unit needed work.

## The system

Our upstairs unit is a 2.5-ton system from 1997. You can tell the year from the 
serial number: on many units, the third and fourth digits are the year it was made.
It runs on R-22 refrigerant, which isn’t made anymore, so what’s left is expensive.
This system holds about 4 pounds of it.

## Claim #1: a refill, not a repair

The first technician the warranty company sent found an R-22 leak. He said he’d 
come back with parts to fix the leak and convert the system to newer 410A refrigerant.
A month and a half later, he came back, added a couple of pounds of R-22 and left
in about 20 minutes. The leak wasn’t fixed. He told me the warranty company had 
only approved a refill.

## Claim #2: $2,580 for a coil

The system leaked again, this time at the coil in the attic. The second technician
recommended replacing the whole system, since it’s 27 years old and runs on R-22.
Instead, the warranty company approved only a new coil and said we’d owe $2,580 
out of pocket because the work counted as a “modification,” which they don’t cover.
After I complained, they offered a cash payout instead. I’m putting that toward 
a brand-new system that I choose, installed by a contractor I choose.

## What buyers should know

 * **Don’t count on a warranty to replace an old AC.** Expect repairs and refills,
   and read the exclusions for older systems, refrigerant and “modifications.”
 * **You don’t pick who shows up.** You also don’t control how it’s fixed, and service
   windows can be all day.
 * **They can help with small things.** One phone call that gets someone out for
   a minor appliance or plumbing issue has real value, especially for new homeowners.
 * **If the AC is old, negotiate now.** Get an HVAC contractor’s evaluation and 
   price during your inspection period, and ask for a credit or a lower price instead
   of relying on a warranty.

## Build your own list of pros

Most of my job is telling clients which professional to call for each issue I find.
If you’re not sure who to call about something in your home, send me a photo and
I’ll point you in the right direction. A trusted local HVAC company, plumber and
roofer will usually serve you better than a national warranty company deciding for
you.

## Watch the video

See the unit and the leaky coil in the video above, or [watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_ypA-LQTE).
Every [home inspection](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/residential-home-inspection/)
I do includes testing the AC and noting its age and refrigerant type. [Book online](https://app.spectora.com/home-inspectors/my-inspection-company-f8d6dbae4e/schedule)
or call [623-399-0079](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/home-warranty-old-ac-replacement/6233990079).

Property Inspections Plus is a [Gilbert, AZ home inspection](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/)
company led by Certified Master Inspector Dan Pierce. We inspect homes across the
East Valley, the Phoenix metro and the rest of Arizona. See all of our [service areas](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/service-areas/).