FARMINGTON, Conn. - Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp., is enhancing the warranties on its 90-percent-plus-efficient gas furnaces. The company will provide a 20-year parts-and-labor warranty for the secondary heat exchanger. The enhancements respond to a recent class-action lawsuit by a small number of U.S. and Canadian consumers claiming premature failure on the secondary heat exchanger found in Carrier, Bryant, Payne, and Day & Night high-efficiency condensing gas furnaces that are 90-percent AFUE or greater and that were produced after Jan. 1, 1989. Day & Night furnaces sold after January 2007 are not affected.

Carrier denies these claims and maintains that it acted lawfully and properly. According to the company, the patented material used to construct the secondary heat exchanger is superior. To resolve the issue and provide peace of mind for its customers, however, Carrier agreed to a proposed settlement that provides enhanced warranty coverage in the event of a failure of the secondary heat exchangers on its 90-percent-AFUE or greater high-efficiency gas furnaces.

While the company said it has seen an extraordinarily low national warranty rate, the settlement proposal provides customers with a 20-year parts-and-labor warranty for the secondary heat exchanger. In the event of a failure, customers could opt for coverage of the parts and labor, for the replacement of the secondary heat exchanger, or a credit toward the purchase of a new, more energy-efficient system that can provide greater comfort and energy savings. Customers who have already been required to replace their secondary heat exchangers would receive monetary compensation from Carrier.

Carrier and Bryant dealers are advised to contact their distributors for additional details, or call 877-574-0173.

Publication date: 12/10/2007