Two warranties, two very different promises
The builder's warranty comes from the company that built your home. It typically runs about a year and covers workmanship: equipment installed wrong, ductwork connected badly, a system that never worked right from the start. Terms vary by builder, so your closing paperwork is the real document.
The manufacturer's warranty comes from the company that made the equipment. It covers named parts that fail under normal use, and on many systems it runs about ten years for parts. It does not cover the labour to fit those parts, and it usually depends on registration.
Both can apply at once in the first year. After that, the manufacturer cover is normally the only one left. Knowing which one you are claiming under changes who you call and what paperwork you need.
| Builder warranty | Manufacturer parts warranty | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | About 1 year | Often 10 years, if registered |
| Covers | Workmanship and install defects | Named parts that fail |
| Labour | Often included early on | Usually not covered |
| Registration needed | No | Yes, usually within about 60 days |
The registration trap most buyers miss
Here is the catch that catches Cibolo buyers out. The longer manufacturer term, often ten years on parts, usually applies only if the system was registered within about 60 days of installation or closing. Builders and installers often handle this, but often is not always.
An unregistered system may carry only a shorter base term, and the difference is discovered years later, at the worst moment: when a coil or compressor fails and the claim comes back reduced. The serial number on your outdoor unit is the key to checking.
If you bought recently, confirm the registration now, while it costs nothing. If you bought years ago, a pro can look up the record from the model and serial numbers during a visit. That check can be worth thousands on a major part.
How do I check whether my system was registered?
Find the model and serial numbers on the outdoor unit's data plate, then check the manufacturer's registration lookup or ask a pro to check during a visit. Closing documents sometimes include a registration confirmation page as well.
I bought the home second-hand. Does any cover transfer?
Sometimes, and the terms vary by manufacturer. Some allow a transfer to a new owner, occasionally for a fee or within a set window. The equipment record tied to the serial number is the only reliable way to find out.
What neither warranty pays for
Refrigerant is the big one. Even when a covered part is replaced free, the refrigerant charge to refill the system is commonly billed separately. A full recharge in this market runs $200–$600 depending on refrigerant type and amount needed.
Labour is the second gap. Manufacturer parts cover pays for the part, not the hours to fit it. Wear items and consumables sit outside both warranties, and so does damage traced to neglected maintenance: a coil destroyed by years of dirt is a maintenance story, not a defect.
That is why a warranty repair can still come with a real bill. Any quote should separate the covered part from the uncovered labour and refrigerant, in writing, before work starts. Full job pricing sits on the Cibolo repair cost page.
Can a claim be denied for skipped maintenance?
Yes. Manufacturers can ask for maintenance records, and a failure clearly caused by neglect can be refused. Keeping invoices from a yearly tune-up visit is simple protection, and it catches small faults while they are cheap.
Does the warranty cover a refrigerant leak search?
Usually not in full. Finding a leak is diagnostic labour, and repairing it is labour plus refrigerant, even when the leaking part itself is covered. Expect that part of the job to be quoted as a range of its own.
Who is allowed to do warranty work?
Warranty cover does not change who may legally do the work. In Texas, AC repair is licensed work, and any job that touches refrigerant needs a technician with EPA 608 certification. That applies whether the part is free under warranty or paid in full.
You do not usually have to use the original installer. An independent licensed pro can fit a covered part and file the claim paperwork, as long as the part and failure qualify. Keep the old part until the claim clears, since manufacturers sometimes ask for it back.
BreezeCrew connects homeowners with independent local pros who handle both the repair and the claim legwork. Tell the pro up front that the system may be under warranty, so the first visit includes the record check. The builder-grade failure pattern explains why these claims cluster at this age.
How to check the cover you actually have
Start with paper. Your closing packet should hold the builder's warranty terms and, with luck, the equipment registration confirmation. The builder's period is measured from closing, so find that date first. Anything inside about a year goes to the builder, in writing.
Next, photograph the outdoor unit's data plate. Model, serial, and manufacture date settle most arguments about age and cover. If the home was built between 2010 and 2022, the system is likely original.
Finally, keep every repair invoice from now on. A clean paper trail protects future claims and helps the next pro skip repeat diagnostics. If cover has expired, the repair or replace guide helps you judge the next big quote.
When the warranty has already run out
Most Cibolo systems reaching 10 to 15 years are running on their owners' money now. That is normal, not a crisis. The common first repairs at this age are mid-range parts, and the local cost ranges show where a fair quote should land.
Replacement only enters the picture when a major part fails on an old system, or when repairs stack up year after year. New-system pricing is laid out on the replacement cost page, including what drives a quote up or down.
If a pro recommends a new system, the installation page explains how honest sizing works. A second opinion on a five-figure decision is never wasted money.
Questions homeowners ask
Is labour ever covered under a manufacturer's parts warranty?
On standard residential equipment, no. The manufacturer supplies the replacement part, and the homeowner pays the labour to fit it. Some builders or installers add their own short labour cover in the first year or two, which is separate. Always ask which part of a quote is labour before approving it.
What happens if my builder has gone out of business?
The builder's workmanship cover usually ends with the company, unless a third-party warranty company backed it. The manufacturer's parts cover is separate and survives, because it belongs to the equipment, not the builder. Check the serial-number record first.
Do I have to use the original installer for a warranty repair?
Usually not. Any licensed contractor with EPA 608 certified technicians can normally fit a covered part and process the claim. What matters is that the part is genuine, the failure qualifies, and the paperwork is filed correctly. Keep the failed part until the claim settles.
Does skipping yearly maintenance void the whole warranty?
Not automatically, and blanket voiding is uncommon. The real risk is narrower: a specific claim can be denied when the failure was clearly caused by neglect, such as a coil ruined by years of dirt. Keeping simple service records removes that argument.
My home is six years old. Is it worth checking the warranty at all?
Yes, and six years is exactly when it matters most. The builder period is long gone, but a registered system may still hold several years of parts cover. One data-plate check settles it. If a compressor or coil then fails at year eight, the part itself could be covered.
Related pages
Need a Cibolo AC pro?
Not sure which warranty, if any, still covers your Cibolo system? Call (830) 555-0147 and have the outdoor unit's model and serial numbers handy. BreezeCrew will match you with a local pro who checks the record on the first visit.
Call (830) 555-0147