Home Warranty Guide For Houston First Time Home Buyers

Good afternoon, Your may have recently purchased a home that came with a home warranty, or you maybe thinking of purchasing one for a home you already own. Here a few things to know about what it is, what it covers, how it works and what you can expect.

What is a Home Warranty?
A home warranty is typically a one-year service contract designed to protect your family’s budget from unexpected and costly repairs on your home systems and appliances. However, these plans do come with limitations and are not all inclusive. For example, if your dishwasher leak and the leak cause damage to your wood floor, the warranty may fix or replace the covered dishwasher but may not fix or replace the damaged wood floor.

What is Covered?
There are usually several plans and upgrade options to choose from. Plan coverage may include:
heating system – garage door openers – attic - ceiling and exhaust fans – oven/range/cooktop – pressure regulators – dishwasher - plumbing system – toilet tank and bowls – water heater – circulation pump – trash compactor – dryer – washer – duck work - central air conditioning - electrical system and more.

What is Not Covered?  Home warranties typically do not cover:

• Items that are already covered by manufacturer warranty

• Damage from termites or other pests

• Walls, windows and doors

• Leaking roof

• Sprinkler system

• Damage covered by homeowner’s insurance

• Cosmetic defects to appliances, such as scratches or dents

• Secondary damages

• Pre-existing problems

• Improper installations

How Does the Claim Process Work?
If a covered item fails, simply call the toll-free number you received during the initial process or go online to their website portal to request service. Once the company receives the request and coverage is confirmed, a local service technician will call you to arrange a mutually convenient day and time to visit your home and service the broken system or appliance.

Repair or Replace?
Once the problem is diagnosed the technician will proceed with fixing the problem. If a part is needed to complete the repair, additional appointments maybe required. There is usually no additional service fee charged to complete the repair. In the event the item cannot be repaired, it is usually replaced with an item of similar features, efficiency and capacity.

What Determine an Emergency Repair?
Example of emergencies are, no electricity, no gas, no water, condition that endangers health and safety, or malfunction that may cause damage of your home. In these situation, the company will make all reasonable efforts to expedite service. Please note, you may be required to pay a small fee based on the agreement of your coverage.

As with any agreement and contract, please take a moment to read the information you received during the initial phase, to get a full understanding of your coverage. As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Until next time...Diana

Image Created by Diana for First Home Houston