- 2 plans available + optional add-ons
- Has over 11 years of industry experience
- 90-day repair guarantee
- $46–$55 per month with $85 service fee
Good air quality, proper interior temperature control, and general ventilation play an essential role in leading a comfortable and healthy home life. Each of these functions is regulated by your HVAC system — short for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Within these three interrelated home systems are many smaller, more complex components that require regular tune-ups to stay in working condition. Still, breakdowns due to normal wear and tear happen.
A home warranty with HVAC coverage ensures that if, for example, your central air conditioning quits on you mid-summer, you’ll have immediate access to affordable, hassle-free service from a licensed technician near you. Keep reading to learn more about the best home warranty for HVAC coverage, how it could benefit your home, and what you’ll need to do to find the right plan and provider for you.
House Method’s team of home warranty experts evaluated 40+ home warranty plans nationwide, specifically scouting companies with versatile HVAC maintenance coverage, accessible customer service, and overall positive feedback from current policyholders.
Our final line-up for the best home warranty companies for HVAC are:
Our take:
Best Overall
Plan options:
2 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$45-$53
Year founded:
2008
State availability:
49 states (excluding WA)
Our take:
Most Cost-Effective
Plan options:
3 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$57-$62
Year founded:
2012
State availability:
46 states (excluding NM, NV, WA, WY)
Our take:
Most Customizable
Plan options:
3 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$30-$75
Year founded:
1971
State availability:
49 states (excluding AK)
Our take:
Quickest Service
Plan options:
2 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$50-$63
Year founded:
2008
State availability:
all 50 states
Our take:
Most Trustworthy
Plan options:
3 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$65-$80
Year founded:
2017
State availability:
48 states (excluding WA & WI)
Our take:
Best Workmanship Guarantee
Plan options:
3 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$35-$68
Year founded:
1978
State availability:
48 states (excluding AK & HI)
Our take:
Best for Immediate Coverage
Plan options:
2 plans + optional add-ons
Monthly premium:
$53-$61
Year founded:
2016
State availability:
46 states (excluding CA, NV, NY, WA)
Currently protecting the systems and appliances of over 1.6 million homes across the U.S., Choice Home Warranty (CHW) is our first pick for all-around premier home warranty coverage. This provider keeps its policy breakdown simple by splitting its standard coverage into two plan levels — the Basic Plan and the Total Plan.
While both the Basic Plan and Total Plan offer coverage for household heating systems and ductwork, only the Total Plan includes air conditioning system coverage.
With the Total Plan, CHW will cover heat pumps, floor furnaces, electric baseboards, hot water circulating heat, air ducts, and more. Items like chimneys, wood stoves, and insulation are not covered within Choice’s HVAC category.
Fill out this form or call 929-400-6164 to get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty.
Read our full Choice Home Warranty review for more.
Select Home Warranty (SHW) is an ideal service provider if you’re searching for a budget-friendly home warranty. This company is fairly popular for its unique seasonal discounts and a lower-than-average service call fee of just $60.
Select Home Warranty offers three different standard plan levels — Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care. HVAC coverage begins at the Gold level, which spans air conditioning, ductwork, and heating systems.
Exclusion-wise, some of what Select won’t cover include solar or geothermal heating systems, air purifiers, humidifiers/dehumidifiers, and portable air conditioning units.
Be aware that some of Select’s systems plan policy limits tend to be lower than competing providers’. When the policy limits are lower, the chances of the plan covering the costs of an expensive HVAC repair are quite a bit less.
For a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953.
Read our full Select Home Warranty review for more details.
Founded in 1971, American Home Shield (AHS) is often recognized as the torch-bearer of the home warranty industry. With AHS, you’ll have exclusive access to a pre-screened network of top HVAC contractors and repair personnel in your area.
American Home Shield’s standard home warranty plans are forked into three coverage options — a systems plan and two catch-all combo plans that offer appliance and system coverage at different depths. Full-spectrum HVAC coverage is included in all three policy tiers.
Unlike some other leading providers, AHS includes geothermal components, wall air conditioners, room heaters, and cable heat in its HVAC coverage terms. American Home Shield’s most comprehensive plan level, Shield Platinum, also includes one free pre-season HVAC tune-up per year and unlimited A/C refrigerant.
For a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
To learn more about AHS, visit our American Home Shield review.
Founded in 2008, The Home Service Club (HSC) is an ideal home warranty option for homeowners who perhaps recently purchased a fixer-upper, as HSC won’t deny coverage for older appliances or home systems.
The Home Service offers two different plan types — Standard and Comprehensive. By enrolling in the Standard Coverage Plan, you’ll be covered for central air conditioning and heating, but not ductwork. The Comprehensive Plan, however, includes heating, cooling, and ductwork.
HSC has a long list of covered HVAC items for all systems under a five-ton capacity. Still, like every home warranty provider, it won’t cover everything. Things like fireplaces, built-in heat lamps, A/C window units, water-damaged ductwork, and insulation aren’t coverable.
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or call 800-842-9334.
Continue reading about HSC in our complete The Home Service Club review.
Liberty Home Guard (LHG) maintains a credible reputation and high scores with the Better Business Bureau, namely an accredited A rating and 4.6 out of 5 stars on over 900 customer reviews.
Supporting live 24/7 customer service, if you go with Liberty Home Guard for HVAC coverage, you’ll have no issue submitting a claim, getting in touch with a representative, or making adjustments to your policy.
Liberty Home Guard’s base policies are divided by coverage type, whether that be for appliances, home systems, or both. Customers will need to purchase the Systems Guard or Total Home Guard package for HVAC coverage. LHG also has over 40 options for add-on coverage.
To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281.
Continue reading about LHG in our Liberty Home Guard review.
A home warranty is a service contract that covers any necessary repairs or replacements of your home’s major appliances and systems as they endure wear and tear over time from regular use.
Nearly all home warranty companies offer HVAC coverage as a standard item, though providers sometimes reserve ductwork for the more comprehensive levels of their coverage. A home warranty for air conditioners is occasionally offered separately as an optional add-on, but those instances are few and far between.
Any home with an HVAC unit will benefit from a home warranty that covers HVAC.
Even homes without traditional central air conditioning or heating can benefit from HVAC coverage through a home warranty. Though exclusions vary by provider, most home warranty companies include mini-split ductless A/C, heat pumps, swamp coolers, attic, and ceiling fans.
We highly recommend HVAC system coverage for homeowners living in states with harsh seasonal climates. During peak summer temperatures in states like Florida, Hawaii, Texas, or California, a dead air conditioning system could be unbearably inconvenient and a safety hazard.
HVAC coverage is also wise for those in states like Alaska, Maine, or New York, where heating is non-negotiable during bitterly cold winters.
Depending on what type of plan you have, the services and appliances covered will vary. Typical HVAC inclusions across top-rated providers include:
Limitations on covered HVAC items are relatively consistent between different home warranty companies. Still, it’s crucial to study the fine print of any home warranty plan that piques your interest to guarantee you know what you’re paying for.
Most home warranty HVAC coverage explicitly excludes:
Because HVAC coverage is typically already included in most standard policies, the monthly cost of your plan will vary based on the type of level of coverage you purchase and optional riders you add. You can expect to pay somewhere between $40 and $60 a month for your plan.
For cost-conscious homeowners, $60 or so per month might feel like too big of an investment. But, when you consider your premium relative to the average cost of a potential repair or replacement, the savings opportunity is obvious.
Before purchasing a plan to cover your major appliances or major systems in your home, it pays to understand how this plan will work. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need to do to initiate a covered maintenance request.
You can start reporting issues for any covered items after your initial waiting period has expired on your new home warranty policy. Many home warranty companies allow you to submit your claim through an online portal or over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Once your provider has approved your claim — usually within 24 to 48 hours — a diagnostic appointment will be scheduled. An in-network technician will come to your home to assess your claim. The contractor will report back to your provider with a summary of their findings and a tentative quote. Your provider will then set up an appointment for repairs or replacements.
At this first assessment, you’ll be responsible for paying a service fee, usually between $75 and $150.
Most home warranty companies will cover up to $1,500 – $2,000 worth of maintenance costs for your HVAC system per year. You’ll be accountable for costs exceeding that annual maximum or parts/materials not covered in your home warranty contract.
A homeowners insurance policy is meant to protect homeowners whose homes and other assets sustain damage from large-scale disasters like hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, etc. If perilous circumstances like these damage your HVAC system, it will likely be covered as part of the homeowner’s insurance.
However, you won’t get the same service and attention for minor breaks and repairs from normal wear and tear with a homeowners insurance policy. This is where the home warranty stands out as a better option for specific systems or appliances like HVAC.
An HVAC home warranty will require you to pay an upfront service fee that will act as a deductible. When you call to let your provider know that you’re having an issue, they will dispatch a technician to handle the repair work, who will collect your service fee at the first home visit.
This service fee is all you’ll need to pay for a repair, so long as the repair cost falls within the policy’s limits.
With some policies, the HVAC coverage may be an add-on, but you’ll find it itemized as a standard item for the most part. If you are purchasing a home in California, Alaska, Hawaii, or New York, there will be different base coverage options depending on where you live.
Unfortunately, a home warranty provider will not help you if you have pre-existing air conditioning or HVAC issues. You will have to have all problems taken care of before signing up for your policy.
Let’s say, for instance, your water heater decides to stop producing hot water. You will be able to sign up for a home warranty policy for your HVAC, but until your water heater is fixed (out of your own pocket), your home warranty will not cover the hot water heater. It’s in your best interest to get your home in great shape and sign up for a proper plan to keep it that way.
A home warranty is designed to be a comprehensive plan covering issues throughout the entire house. Although you can get HVAC as an add-on coverage, you will still need a base policy to cover the rest of the home.
If you are looking for something specific that covers just your HVAC unit, it may be worth looking into a manufacturer’s warranty. These extended warranties are typically a bit more expensive, and you may not be eligible if you’ve had your HVAC unit for some time.
The best way to decide if a home warranty is right for you is to consider the annual cost of basic home warranty coverage relative to how much you’ll have to shell out for a potential appliance or home system breakdown.
Because HVAC coverage is usually the main facet of even the most bare-boned policies, you won’t have to go all out to protect your home’s heating, cooling, and ventilation. And given that deterioration of your everyday appliances and systems is inevitable, with a home warranty, you’ll benefit from the peace of mind knowing that unexpected issues around your home will never go unfixed. Our experts recommend Choice Home Warranty as the top provider of HVAC protection, but it would be best to get quotes from 2-3 companies and compare them before choosing one.
At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. We’ve done the homework for you and have researched over 50 home warranty companies so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
Our team spent hours on the phone speaking to representatives from each home warranty company to get information right from the source. We also dug into the fine print on each company’s service agreement to ensure no detail was left out.
To make the most of our research, we developed an objective rating system to score each home warranty company based on the following criteria:
HVAC Warranty Guide (2022 Update)
There are multiple ways to cover your HVAC unit: a home warranty, a manufacturer's warranty, or an extended warranty.
The Home Depot Home Services – HVAC Services Review
If your heater stops working or your air conditioner needs to be replaced, consider Home Depot’s HVAC Installation and Repair Services. Read our comprehensive review to learn more.
When to Replace Your HVAC System
As your heating and cooling units age, they break down and lose efficiency. Here are the telltale signs that you need an HVAC replacement.
Find an HVAC System Pro
As your heating and cooling units age, they break down and lose efficiency. Here are the telltale signs that you need an HVAC replacement.
5 Best Home Warranty Companies for Sewer Lines (2022)
When it comes to unexpected home repairs, water and sewer line issues can be some of the most expensive and inconvenient situations you can face.
Top 5 Cheapest Home Warranty Companies (2022)
We found the cheapest home warranty to save House Method readers time and money. Compare the premiums, service fees, and discounts of the top three home warranty plans available today.
The 5 Best Home Appliance Insurance Companies (2022)
Home appliance insurance, also known as a home warranty, protects you from paying expensive repair and replacement costs on major systems and appliances. Here’s everything you need to know about home appliance insurance.
5 Best Home Warranty Companies for Pool Coverage (2022)
Owning a pool can be fun, but when issues occur, you could be left footing the bill. Here’s the scoop on pool warranties to see if they’re right for you.
5 Best Home Warranties for Roof Coverage (2022)
Most roof leaks aren’t covered by home insurance, so a home warranty is a good way to protect yourself from the cost of roof repairs.
By continuing to browse or by clicking “OK” you agree to the storing of first- and third-party cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Privacy Policy.
OK