This may be a perfect topic for everyone who owns a house. It is highly likely that at some point in your life you’ve asked yourself: What does a home warranty include, and what doesn’t? It doesn’t matter whether you’ve bought a house that already has a warranty, or you’re planning to obtain one for the home you currently live in, you must get yourself familiar with it.
So what is it actually? A home warranty can be defined as a service agreement that helps you cover all the expenses related to replacing or repairing some systems and appliances in your household. Homeowners give a certain amount of money for a set service call fee each time they experience a problem with a particular appliance.
This is the simplest answer you can get, and now, below we will talk about the things it does and doesn’t cover.
Everything That Home Warranty Does And Doesn’t Include
Typical House Warranty Coverage
Now, it mostly depends on the company you choose. There are those that truly are willing to deal with all kinds of repairs and there are those that can be quite “selective”. As it was stated previously, it is supposed to cover service, replacement, repair of some of the most important home systems and appliances.
A great thing about it is that it will give you peace of mind, especially if we’re talking about appliances that are too old and no longer under the warranty of the manufacturer. So these things are normally included:
Systems:
- Heating
- Ductwork
- Electrical
- Water heater
- Interior plumbing
Appliances:
- Spa equipment
- Air Conditioning (but that’s not always the case)
- Refrigerator (this may also not always be the case and can potentially exclude ice maker)
- Dishwasher
- Oven, cooktop, range
- Garage door opener
- Pool equipment (may or may not be fixed)
- Garbage disposal
Items That Are Not Covered By Home Warranty
What To Expect?
Now, when it comes to this side of the home warranty, some people may be surprised by the facts that we’re about to reveal. Namely, a home warranty is not going to cover issues that were uncovered during a home inspection.
On the other hand, if they notice that some of your appliances were poorly maintained, or were generally neglected, they are not going to cover them as well! Besides these things, there are some others that are not part of the home warranty coverage.
- Windows, walls, and doors – Since home warranties are taking care of appliances and systems, in most cases, structural issues aren’t covered. However, there are contracts that enable this service, but they can potentially threaten the integrity of the rest of the house.
- Roof leaks – When you’re dealing with unwanted water entering your household, it seems like it would be something that a home warranty would cover, however, leaks from roofs are considered to be structural, not systemic problems.
The things we mentioned in this article were part of the most common home warranty cover; however, keep in mind that the home warranties can vary, depending on the company you’re hiring.
