AHS - American Home Shield - Not Very Impressive

American Home Shield not so impressive so far. @1sthome attn: David J. Crawford - President AHS

AHS could not find a competent HVCC tech to fix my heat pump. I spent several days of 95+ degrees and high humidity without AC... Finally they found a tech who appeared to be a complete sketch ball.

The AHS approved tech told me on the phone to be certain to have my checkbook because AHS hardly ever covers what needs to be replaced and he is not going to work for nothing... he complained that he never gets paid when he makes service calls for AHS... needless to say, I cancelled his service call... Because AHS was unable to find one of their approved technicians they told me to hire my own.

I had already been told by 4 different shops my compressor and air handler inside needed to be completely replaced. All four companies who came out and gave me estimates told me that. They said I was lucky to get 20 years out of them but they were no longer serviceable nor efficient.

When my tech called American Home Shield for authorization, the AHS inside customer service person, who refused to give me his last name, only authorized the outside unit to be replaced. They wanted the inside unit to have parts replaced first. This also meant I would be approved only for the old style compressor that is rarely used anymore for new installs. In fact, R 22 refrigerant is being phased out...

I believe they are dragging their feet on replacing a 20 year old heat pump. My compressor locked up. It was 20 years old. It was dead...My installer said you must replace inside and outside units together when they are that old. AHS warranty approved me for a new outside unit (which is old technology) and told the tech to start replacing parts on the inside handler. My tech refused and said if he did he would be back next week to replace it. He also refused to replace the heat pump with the same old style technology that is not energy efficient.

Any HVCC techs out there who can add some thought to this?

Hopefully @AHS @DavidCrawford @JudyPeedic read this post. I will be calling AHS tomorrow to try and make this right and will report back the outcome.

Why was I skeptical from the start?

Read the reviews for American Home Shield here-->> click here

I wonder if anyone at American Home Shield, otherwise known as Service Master has ever read the information below regarding the phase out of the type of unit they want me to continue to repair.....

A Common Sense Approach To Servicing Your SystemAlong with prohibiting the production of ozone-depleting refrigerants, the Clean Air Act also mandates the use of common sense in handling refrigerants. By containing and using refrigerants responsibly -- that is, by recovering, recycling, and reclaiming, and by reducing leaks -- their ozone depletion and global warming consequences are reduced. The Clean Air Act outlines specific refrigerant containment and management practices for HVAC manufacturers, distributors, dealers and technicians. Properly installed home comfort systems rarely develop major refrigerant leaks, and with proper servicing, a system using R-22, R-410A, or another refrigerant will reduce its impact on the environment.

While EPA does not mandate repairing or replacing small systems because of leaks, system leaks can not only harm the environment, but also result in increased operation and maintenance costs. One important thing a homeowner can do for the environment, regardless of the refrigerant used, is to select a reputable dealer that employs service technicians who are EPA-certified to handle refrigerants. Technicians often call this certification "Section 608 certification," referring to the part of the Clean Air Act that requires minimizing releases of ozone-depleting chemicals from HVAC equipment.

A Common Sense Approach To Purchasing New SystemsAnother important thing a homeowner can do for the environment is to purchase a highly energy-efficient system. Energy-efficient systems result in cost savings for the homeowner. Today's best air conditioners use much less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save significantly on your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Products with EPA's Energy Star® label can save homeowners 10% to 40% on their heating and cooling bills every year.

These products are made by most major manufacturers and have the same features as standard products but also incorporate energy saving technology. Both R-22 and R-410A systems may have the Energy Star® label. Equipment that displays the Energy Star® label must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER specification, the more efficient the equipment. You should consider energy efficiency, along with performance, reliability, and cost, in making your decision.