What should I look for in a Window and Door Warranty?

It’s normal for homeowners to spend a lot of time researching the best design elements for their homes. When buying or replacing a window or door, you know you’re making a long-term investment. Your windows and doors are meant to stay in their places for years. So you would naturally want them to be as comforting as possible.

When shopping for windows or doors, it pays to be as careful in selecting the right warranty. Bad things happen, and your service warranty is the only assurance that you’ll have an easier time managing the next repair or replacement. When things go especially wrong, lacking a good warranty just adds to the hassle.

Researching Warranties

The truth is that not all manufacturers will offer a warranty that reasonably meets your needs. A customer-friendly warranty is viewed, by some manufacturers, as a useless expenditure. But that doesn’t normally mean they’ll forgo offering a warranty. What they’ll often do is make the warranty so limited or just plain complicated that when it comes time to use your warranty, it ends up being useless.

Warranties aren’t an immediate concern. So, you need to be vigilant to make sure you have the right warranty. You don’t want to be surprised at the time you really need it. So, let’s go over what those factors are. 

What’s in a Good Window & Door Warranty?

Several factors need to be considered when comparing window and door warranties. These are all questions that are even worth double-checking with the manufacturer.

Length

How long is the window and door warranty?

The length of time when a warranty is active is something businesses in many industries try to skimp on. This is often even true when you see that “lifetime warranty” advertisement. Oftentimes, “lifetime warranty” is a trick just to get you to buy a warranty that doesn’t really last a “lifetime”.

There are other issues with the length of warranties. Limitations and exceptions are common, as well as misrepresentations that marketing material or salespeople give you. Depending on where you live, manufacturers may be provided to use the word “limited” ahead of “lifetime warranty”. That’s because there can simply be so many complications that your warranty cannot truly be described as a “lifetime” warranty.

Knowing these things, you are in a much better position to scrutinize warranties. Look for a no-nonsense warranty that lasts for as long as advertised, without complications.

What is Included in the Warranty

You want a warranty that covers everything involved in window repair or replacement.

Many window and door warranties will only cover the costs of labour. That means that they’ll only pay for the person who comes to service your windows and doors. If a part is broken or goes missing, you will need to pay for that first. This is a factor that is best confirmed verbally.

An ideal window and door warranty will include the costs of necessary repairs and replacements. At a minimum, it should cover any defective parts, as delivered by the manufacturer.

Knowing what is included in the warranty becomes more important the more expensive your windows and doors are.

All-Inclusive

Some warranties will only cover the costs of the product, or installation, but not both. So, if the installation was completed by one company and manufactured by another, you may have an awkward situation.

An ideal warranty is all-inclusive and provided by one company. It should cover all associated potential costs and make it easy to get the service and parts you need.

How much are windows for a house

How to Find the Right Warranty

Overall, limited lifetime warranties are the most common for windows and doors. That doesn’t mean it’s the only kind of warranty you can expect to find. But it’s worth knowing because of all those exceptions and limitations we discussed above.

Limitations are ultimately the area where you need to exercise the most scrutiny. To start, coverage may only cover part of the costs of repair or replacement. It’s normal for a window and door warranty to only cover either labour OR replacement costs. Depending on your specific situation, you may find one of these options adequate.

You can always speak to the manufacturer about your options. Many of them will offer additional options such as extended coverage or “full” coverage. But as you’ve seen, the devil is in the details. So, speak to the manufacturer about those potential add-ons and what exactly they cover, including all the limitations. Most salespeople will be happy to discuss your options and come to a solution that better suits your specific concerns and your budget.