You want new windows but want a good warranty. There are so many different window warranties. Some manufacturers offer a limited warranty while others offer a true lifetime warranty and others call it a full warranty. To add to the confusion you may find that coverage varies between manufacturers. What do these different terms mean and which is best? Remember that a warranty is not a guarantee.
Let’s first define lifetime. The definition varies among manufacturers and even within lines at one manufacturer. Lifetime may be defined as long as you own your home. It may also be the life expectancy the manufacturer assigned to that particular window. That is certainly one of the first questions to ask when comparing window warranties.
Limited Lifetime Warranty
This is the most common warranty within the window industry. Those terms may sound contradictory. The term limited refers to the limited items the warranty covers. The lifetime generally means for the original owner of the windows. In a limited warranty you’ll find that depending upon the manufacturer, different parts of the window are excluded from the warranty coverage. You may also find that labor is not included which means you’ll be paying the repair person for their time. Every limited lifetime warranty is different so you’ll need to read the fine print to really compare.
True Lifetime Warranty
This is fairly straightforward. A true lifetime warranty covers all parts of the window. These are generally not pro-rated, meaning if the failure occurs in the first year or in ten years it’s still covered at 100% their cost to the original owner of the home. Some are transferrable but if they are, they often become a limited warranty with the transfer, which is still a benefit when you sell your home.
How Valuable is a Warranty
A warranty is only as valuable as the company standing behind it. If the manufacturer goes out of business your warranty is not valuable at all. If they have a large batch of bad windows and the replacement time is extremely long you’ll be dealing with the issue longer than you want. As you look at a manufacturer’s products, look at how long they’ve been in business. A long history is a good sign that they’ll likely be around for a long time to come.
Talk to your replacement window company about the product lines they like to install. Typically they will recommend products that have a good reputation and few problems because they don’t want to have an unhappy customer. Ask them how they handle warranty issues as that will give you a good idea of how they operate too. When you’re ready to get a quote on affordable replacement windows with good warranties, contact Affordable Replacement Window Systems at 817-264-6509.
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