AHS - American Home Shield
Bogus Lack of Maintenance" Excuse - Claims Drain Pan Rusting on A/C is due to Lack of Maintenance

I recently bought this townhouse (1.5 years ago. It was originally built in ~92 or 93...

The original Central A/C is made by York and has a metal drain pan that captures the condensation/sweat of the Internal A/C Coil Housing. This reclaimed water that is removed humidity from the air collects in the drain pan then is routed outdoors via the water exit pipe line.

So, after over a decade of use (most of which was not by me) the METAL drain pan has rusted through. When I turned on the A/C the last weekend of May (for the first time this season), the condensation water leaked through the Drain Pan then down the Furnace Walls and flooded a portion of my finished basement.

After several visits from several techs associated with AHS ($55 per visit for 4 visits) the last Tech finally opens the unit. He finds the drain pan completely rusted and the side walls that the pan is connected to completely rusted.

He talks a sweet game to me, but then provides AHS with a Bogus Report. The end result is that AHS is refusing to fix/replace the A/C because somehow the rust in the drain pan is there due to Lack of Maintenance.

They claim that the A/C coil and the outdoor unit haven't been cleaned so the drain pan rusted. — Totally Bogus!

The drain pan is made to collect water anyhow at any time the A/C is running. The quantity of water running through and out the exit pipe is irrelevant. Any sensible person that took Middle School Science knows that a drop of water or a cup of water all can cause rust. Furthermore, just humidity alone will cause metal to rust. You don't even need a puddle in direct contact for Oxidation to occur.

So I am paying for a new unit and will be pursuing every measure to set the score straight with AHS. My next step is the Better Business Bureau.

They (AHS) are ridiculous... I talked to their Claim Person to Contest their findings and all she did was read what the ignoramus tech supposedly wrote. Then when I argued with her that the drain pan was made to collect water and that the unit will generated water anyway - her response was " I am not a technician to know..."

Then when I said to her that rust can occur with one drop of water as much as a whole cup or gallons of water... - her response was " I don't have the technical knowledge to reply..." So she has the technical knowledge to understand what the A/C technician wrote but not to understand my point?

How can they say that the drain pan rusted because of lack of maintenance??? I did what is was supposed to do... There is a reason why drain pan these days are made of Plastic...

My initial claim with AHS started in Late May... I have gone till mid July with the issue pending and with no A/C.

Company: AHS - American Home Shield
Country: USA
Site: www.ahswarranty.com

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