Warranty, Explained Honestly
There are two warranties on every window project and they cover completely different things. Most problems come from not knowing which is which.
Every window and door project carries two separate warranties. The manufacturer warranty covers the product, typically the glass seal, the frame and the hardware, each for different terms. The installer warranty covers the workmanship. A leak at the perimeter is a workmanship issue. A failed glass seal is a product issue.
Two warranties, two different things
| Issue | Whose warranty | Typical term |
|---|---|---|
| Fog between the panes | Manufacturer, glass seal | 10 to 20 years |
| Frame cracking or distorting | Manufacturer, frame | Often limited lifetime |
| Balance or operator failure | Manufacturer, hardware | 5 to 20 years |
| Water leaking at the perimeter | Installer, workmanship | Varies by contractor |
| Draft around the trim | Installer, workmanship | Varies by contractor |
| Window out of square or binding | Installer, workmanship | Varies by contractor |
| Sill rot appearing after install | Depends on cause | Investigate |
| Finish fading or peeling | Manufacturer, finish | 5 to 15 years |
The workmanship term is the one to ask about, because it varies enormously between contractors and it is the coverage that matters most in the first few years.
What to ask before you sign anything
- How many years is the workmanship warranty, stated in writing? A verbal "we stand behind our work" is not a warranty.
- Is the manufacturer warranty transferable if you sell the house, and does it require registration?
- Who registers the warranty, you or the contractor? An unregistered warranty is often a void warranty.
- What is the glass seal term specifically, since it is the component that fails most often?
- Is labor included when a manufacturer part is replaced, or only the part? This is the most common gap.
- What voids it? Common exclusions include field painting, adding a full-view storm door over a dark door, and improper cleaning products.
- Is there a service charge for a warranty visit?
The labor gap almost nobody asks about
This is the single most common warranty surprise in this trade. A manufacturer warranty on a failed glass seal usually covers the replacement glass unit. It frequently does not cover the labor to remove the sash, install the new unit and reinstall it. On a fifteen-year-old window, that labor can be most of the cost of the fix.
Some manufacturers include labor for a shorter initial period, for instance the first two to five years, and part-only after that. Ask specifically. A "twenty year glass warranty" that covers parts only after year three is a different product than one that covers labor for ten.
What voids coverage more often than people expect
- Installing a full-view storm door over a dark entry door on a sunny elevation, which several manufacturers explicitly exclude because of trapped solar heat.
- Field painting a vinyl window, which is generally not permitted and does not adhere reliably anyway.
- Using abrasive cleaners or razor blades on low-E glass coatings.
- Failing to register the warranty within the required window after installation.
- Blocked weep holes causing water to sit in the sill channel, which is treated as a maintenance failure.
- Installation by someone other than an approved installer, on certain manufacturer programs.
- Structural movement of the house, which is excluded by essentially every product warranty.
Frequently asked questions
What does a lifetime window warranty actually mean?
Usually the original purchaser's ownership of that home, not a literal lifetime, and it typically applies to the frame rather than to everything. The glass seal, the hardware and the finish are usually covered for shorter and separate terms. Read which component gets which term.
Does the warranty cover labor?
This is the question to ask. Manufacturer warranties commonly cover the replacement part and not the labor to install it, or cover labor only for an initial period. On an older window, the labor can be most of the cost of the repair.
Is the warranty transferable if I sell my house?
Some are, often once and sometimes with a transfer fee and a registration requirement. It is worth confirming because a transferable warranty is a genuine selling point. Ask before you buy, not at closing.
Does Sundog register the warranty for me?
Yes. We handle manufacturer warranty registration as part of every installation, because an unregistered warranty is frequently a void warranty and it is an easy thing for a homeowner to miss in the first thirty days after a project.
What if a problem is not clearly product or workmanship?
We come out and figure out which it is, and we do not use the ambiguity as a reason to do nothing. If it is workmanship it is ours. If it is product we handle the manufacturer claim on your behalf rather than handing you a phone number.
How long is your workmanship warranty?
The term is stated in writing on your quote before you sign. We put it in the document rather than describing it verbally, because a warranty you cannot point to is not a warranty.
Ask us about coverage before you buy
We will put the workmanship term in writing on the quote and explain exactly what the manufacturer covers and for how long.