FARMINGTON, Conn. - Carrier Corp. announced it is enhancing the
warranties on its 90 percent-plus efficient gas furnaces. Carrier said it will
provide an industry leading 20-year parts and labor warranty for the secondary
heat exchanger.
The enhancements are in response 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 (annual
fuel utilization efficiency) or greater and were produced after Jan. 1,
1989. (Day & Night furnaces sold after January 2007 are not affected.)
Carrier said it firmly denies these
claims and maintains that it acted lawfully and properly. The company said it
stands behind its products, and believes that the patented material used to
construct the secondary heat exchanger is superior.
To resolve the issue, Carrier has agreed to a proposed settlement
that provides enhanced warranty coverage in the unlikely 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 an
enhanced 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 exchanger would receive monetary compensation from
Carrier.
Carrier and Bryant dealers are advised
to contact their distributor for additional details, or call 877-574-0173 for more information.
Publication
date:12/03/2007
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