Home Warrenties! Is this a SCAM!!! (Houston: sale, appliances, house)

[marykate1]

Recently out AC unit went out. I got it repaired and paid $700 out of my pocket. Later I found out that our home warrently was still valid since it expires in November 2009. Do you think we can contact them and claim our expenses? I know they are not going to do anything since I read their reviews online and they are pretty much the worse company in the world.

Also, how do these home warrenties work! Can I tell them that my Ac unit is pretty old so please replace it for FREE. We also have a shower that only gives HOT water. Can I call the home warrenty and tell them to fix it. The deductable is $50.

Any experiences?
Thanks,

[tstone]

I doubt you'll get any sort of reimbursement, because the home warranty people send out their own cheap, scuzzy contractors to diagnose & ''fix'' your problem for the lowest $... not your contractor you know & trust to do the job properly. If you think you'll get anything for free from them of significant value (like an AC unit), you're mistaken. They will continue to band-aid an old unit the cheapest way possible. Now on the other hand, if your garbage disposal goes out you may get a new (used but working) one from them.

As far as the hot-only water issue, are you sure the water in your pipes isn't just hot because of the summer heat?? My cold water is pretty warm this time of year, unless I run the faucet for a couple of minutes. (The exact opposite happens in the winter with my hot water.)

[marykate1]

Hi Tstone,

Thanks for the insights!

No! the water in the upstairs bathroom shower is boiling hot which makes taking a shower in that bathroom not possible.

[Poltracker]

Now, now...I actually got a new AC/heat out of my Home Warranty company. Not the best brand, but not the worst by far. The installer was actually reputable too. I was pretty frightened after I saw the plumber they sent the first time (different problem; actually had to hire my own plumber as theirs was useless). Guess you just never know.

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by marykate1

Hi Tstone,

Thanks for the insights!

No! the water in the upstairs bathroom shower is boiling hot which makes taking a shower in that bathroom not possible.

That sounds like the scald prevention device in the nozzle has gone bad. Sounds like a DIY problem and a trip to Home Depot or Lowes is in order.

[phaze]

What was the home warranty company?

[marykate1]

Globe Home Warrenty! The reviews says it all => Globe Home Warranty | Home Warranty Reviews

[phaze]

Ouch. I was getting worried because a family member just got a house and it has a 10 year limited warranty from HOME of Texas.

[Mom2Feebs]

There are many companies out there that are not as good as others. As an agent, I recommended AHS (American Home Shield). They are owned by the same company that runs Terminix, TruGreen, etc...not a fly-by-night operation.

The bottom line with home warranties is they are usually a good thing when purchasing a resale home where the appliances, HVAC, etc are older or the date/maintenance is unknown. Usually the seller pays for the warranty, so really, it's not a bad deal. AHS uses ARS here in Houston for repairs (or, at least, they did when I was an agent) and they were pretty good for repairs and time.

Home warranty companies are just like every other business. Some good, some bad. Instead of reading anonymous reviews online, I'd check with the BBB.

[westres1]

IA with Moms AHS is the best around. You can request a home warranty provider when you make the sale but rarely do homeowners know much about them. If you dont have a name the title company or your Realtor will choose for you.