Help finding Bosch IDS installer?

2 years ago

I had a nice efficient Carrier gas furnace installed a few years back, but due to the emergency holiday circumstances, the contractor left an ancient, non-functional 60 year old condenser and coil in place. While I use heating mildly for about 7 months a year in the SF Bay area, I only have maybe a couple weeks a year in summer desiring air conditioning, though seems to increase each year.

So I'm looking to get a Bosch IDS heat pump (BOVA or BOVB) installed, keeping my Carrier furnace and Ecobee thermostat. In 2022, I was only able to find a couple of certified Bosch Home Comfort Pro installers within 200 miles, and the one that responded merely said the Bosch were incredibly backordered.

I'd like to try again in 2024, now the Bosch website returns 0 certified installers in the Bay area, even the LA/Orange Country area has only 1 in the entire metro area. Is there another way to locate a certified Bosch IDS installer, assuming one even exists in my metro area?

If there are none, does the 10-year parts warranty apply if installed by a non-certified installer? A read of the warranty doc suggests only that it needs to be a licensed HVAC contractor, but I'm not sure if I'm missing any other details that might exclude an independent contractor. For example, are licensed HVAC contractors able to easily order the equipment from proper distribution channels to ensure the hardware is brand-new? Or, the warranty drops to 90 days if Bosch can't verify the date of install - would an independent contractor have issues proving the date of install to Bosch's satisfaction?

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Comments (5)

sktn77a
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Austin Air Company is the local Bosch expert - he can probably elaborate of the Bosch position. Having said that I would be surprised if the climate(s) in the Bay Area would warrant a high end inverter AC system. But if you can afford it, why not.
dadoes
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Austin Air Companie, not Company.
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mike_home
2 years ago
Did you try calling customer service? Here is the website: Bosch Customer Service

I don't think the Bosch installer search works. I tried my address in NJ and nothing came up within 100 miles. I would be cautious about hiring an HVAC contractor do a first time installation of a Bosch IDS heat pump. Improperly installed equipment is likely to have problems short and long term.
sktn77a
2 years ago
"Austin Air Companie, not Company."

Hey, he can't even spell his own company.......... not my problem!
PRO
Austin Air Companie
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
In 2022, I was only able to find a couple of certified Bosch Home Comfort Pro installers within 200 miles, and the one that responded merely said the Bosch were incredibly backordered.

Yeah that was a crazy time period for pretty much anything. I had a couple Bosch Installs in 2022, but only really due my relationship with my distributor in my area.

In terms of warranty, as long as said contractor is licensed, the install paper work with model / serial number / date of start up along with company letter head on the service invoice along with proper licensing etc. Should suffice under most warranty related scenarios.

In all honesty being certified thru Bosch is for the most part a "joke". Just being certified or not isn't necessarily the end all be all of a well installed machine, especially in the Inverter space. I am certified thru Bosch several years ago and from that experience it was mostly about the history of the Bosch company and not about the skills or lack thereof of the HVAC contractor.

That being said: A company that took the time needed to become certified is probably more likely to deliver a quality installation. But I wouldn't pin a certification as being more likely to achieve that. (Most HVAC service & repair companies do not opearate the way I do.)

If you use just any old contractor and then have a problem, it may be quite the ordeal to then find someone to repair it if it breaks down. Handling warranty of high cost parts like inverter board as an example may due to rules of the manufacturer require some sort of authorization first and probably more so if the contractor making repairs isn't the original installing contractor.

So it's in your best interest to use a HVAC contractor that has a good relationship with supplying distributor not to mention a good relationship with Bosch as well.

Bosch IDS 2.0 is a great machine. I have nothing but good things to say about Bosch so far. I installed one at my own house in Oct. 2019. The thing runs like a stallion.

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Today the only thing that might give me pause is the phase out of R410a (Puron) most still call this Freon. The new refrigerants + new equipment getting ready to duke it out are not here yet, there's possibly some bumps in that road too...

Just freshly minted : FREON WARS 2024 UPDATE. (embedded below)

Although by buying an R410a AC / Heat pump now will probably help you escape what is to happen in 2025 and beyond. (Escape a generation of equipment, with possibly bigger problems?) The Fun could be more severe depending on what state you live in. Yep. Fun times!

Austin Air Companie -- I walk to the beat of my own drum, there's only 1 Ray Austin, The company logo looks better.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

(If you are a new customer attempting to call me for AC service --- it's best to text me your name / address and let me call you back things are changing in 2024. If you are trying to call me for any other reason? good luck to you robot!)

It's becoming clear how AI is going to destroy humanity, no one is going to be answering their phones in a year or less. "We've been trying to reach you about the expiration of your cars extended warranty."

If I am doing something, anything -- there's probably a good reason for it. LOL