Everyday we are contacted at Redsell by people that have had air conditioners break down due to electrical faults or motor burn outs inside their compressor. It is often very sad when you need to inform a person that a system cannot be repaired as the manufacturer has discontinued the required parts and only then do you find out that they do not have the right level of insurance cover.

Many newer systems these days are Inverter units which are variable speed units to help them be more energy efficient. The compressor has a range of speeds it can run at rather than just the usual on or off. If you don’t need full cooling, it slows down and coasts along using less power to maintain the temperature setting you have chosen. To reach this magic position, manufacturers have introduced lots of electronics and circuits to control the system which brings a range of headaches for the consumer.

Electronics fail from a range of reasons whether it be power surges, age, salt water corrosion or the dreaded gecko lizard. The most frustrating is the “burn out” or “fusion” of the electrical windings inside the sealed compressor units which normaly is noticed when the circuit breaker in the switchboard for the unit trips and the whole unit dies. Electrical surges can be more common than you think and many people do not find out until talking to a neighbour that they had the same sort of electrical issues on the same day. Many insurance companies will offer protection against fusion as an OPTION which can be the difference in no ducted air conditioner anymore or a new system to replace one that cannot be repaired.

I would recommend everyone who has a ducted air conditioner ensure they are covered for motor burn or fusion on their policy, especially if the unit is over 5 years of age and out of warranty. Air conditioners do break down and most faults are not insurance related and need to be rectified by the owner, but having the safety net of cover for a burnt out motor is certainly going to save you thousands of dollars if it happens to you. Talking to your insurance company or insurance broker should be considered to ensure you have the coverage you need on your valuable system come summer.