Sometimes a heating and cooling unit shows symptoms of malfunction within a few days or months of its installation. Under such circumstances you should first determine if the problem is serious, legitimate and intractable. If it is so, then you should get in touch with the manufacture. All reputable manufacturers, distributors, and contractors will want you to be satisfied with your experience about using the unit. This is on account of the feedback that they would reap from the customer which will go on to build their market reputation. If the problem is serious enough and generated due to faulty manufacturing process, the seller would usually replace the unit. But replacement is generally the last resort. Let’s see how you should approach the manufacturer-

Best practices for dealing with the manufacturer include:

• Always be in good terms with the company who installed you HVAC. As soon as you face a problem contact them. The company will send technical field rep. This person will link you to the manufacturer. The input that he gives to the seller is of utmost importance.

• If contacting your HVAC contractor is not bringing any results in terms of escalating the matter with manufacturer, contact the manufacturer directly. Call up the customer service number. Ask them about the contact information of your local technical field rep. Call the field rep who will do the needful to present your grievance before the manufacturer.

• As for notifying the manufacturer about the problem, write a simple notice asking him to rectify the faults, defects, etc. It should clearly point out your grievance. Keep documents such as sales receipts, contracts, warranties, work orders from the purchase, print out e-mails etc. handy. You may be asked by the manufacturer to produce them. If the manufacturer does not respond to your problem or fail to fix it, approach the local consumer protection office and file a complaint. You can so go to the state regulatory agency or licensing board that hold jurisdiction over the seller. You can approach the local office of Better Business Bureau (BBB). They would try to resolve your problem. Your problem will also be registered in their website which will be an eye opener to future customers. Also contact an appropriate federal agency, who can investigate fraud if not resolve them. If none of these work, seek legal help.

Last but not the least, be persistent in your effort do not drop the ball.