Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 5, May 2003

Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article and photos below in your research. Be sure to quote the Seattle Sun as your source.

AROUND THE HOME

Homeowner's guide to warranties

By MATT MAURY

When a new car comes with a 50,000-mile warranty, the owner expects the dealership to replace any defective parts at no charge within the warranty period.

On the other hand, a 50,000-mile tire warranty will never pay the full price of a replacement tire, if there should be a problem.

For instance, if a tire fails at 40,000 miles, only 20 percent of the tire's original purchase price (the amount of the remaining tread-wear) is credited toward a new tire.

The same variance in warranties is true with the differing products and services found in the home services industry.

When roofing contractors guarantee their work for three years, they mean that they will return and correct problems within that period at no charge to the homeowner. When the roofing material is guaranteed for 25 years, it is on a declining scale of the original price, similar to tires.

When a painter guarantees his or her work for a year, any problem will be solved at no cost. But, if the paint company's warranty is for 10 years, that is only on the price of the paint and, again, on a declining percent of the time remaining.

For the homeowner, each guarantee is unique to the service done. While the words "guarantee" and "warranty" may have one meaning to the manufacturer or contractor, they may have different meaning to the consumer. Always read the small print and be aware of exclusions.

The purchase of new carpet offers an excellent example. Today's products are the best that have ever been manufactured. While "stain resistance" and "texture retention" are two of the major selling points for new carpet, most homeowners don't bother to read the warranty card and, therefore, are not aware of any exclusions until after a problem arises.

One manufacturer's warranty reads that it specifically excludes stains "caused by materials that permanently destroy dyes or alter colors (such as bleaches, caustic chemicals, insecticides, paints, drain and toilet bowl cleaners, corn and callous removers, acne medication, plant food, iodine and very strong dyes, etc.)."

Another manufacturer rules out teas, Kool-Aid-type drinks, mustards, pet stains, etc.

As for texture retention and crush resistance, all the manufacturers exclude both carpet that has been installed on stairs and that which develops what is commonly referred to as "permanent shading" in high traffic areas.

Besides gaining an understanding of a warranty, a homeowner should keep all the information that may be necessary to file a claim.

For most manufacturers, this means retaining a copy of the warranty, the original sales receipt, the retailer's name and address, the date of purchase and some evidence of the packaging.

For most contractors, this means keeping a written copy of your contract along with any payment records.

If the homeowner is supplying the materials to be installed by the contractor, be especially clear about the contractor's warranty.

In most cases, the contractor will not replace a defective item without additional charges when it has been supplied by the homeowner.