What Does A Window Warranty Actually Cover?
Have you ever been skeptical of certain warranties salespeople offer you during closing? This is most common when buying a new car, renovating your home, or upgrading your phone. It usually brings some seemingly “too good to be true” warranty offer at some point during the sales pitch. This often leads to disappointment and a loss of trust between the seller and the new owner. We’ve been there, and there’s nothing worse than signing a contract for something other than what you were told. Here at Joyce, we believe everyone is entitled to knowing what they’re getting BEFORE they need it. You might find yourself purchasing windows and later asking “what does a window warranty even really cover?” If you’re looking for the truth about window warranties, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what a window warranty actually covers.
What is a Warranty?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what warranties cover, it’s important to first define the term. A warranty is a guaranteed condition of a product from a manufacturer or similar business. A warranty can also refer to situations where repairs, refunds, or exchanges are made in the condition that the product does not operate as originally described. Now that we’re on the same page about its definition, let’s get into the different types of window warranties.
Types of Window Warranties
Oftentimes in the window industry, you might see different warranties offered for different products. This often goes hand in hand with the cost of the product. If you buy a new car that’s been equipped with every feature it offers, the price tag will surely reflect that. When you purchase higher quality windows, the warranty will typically offer more coverage. Of course, it’s not always within budget to purchase the top shelf product, but it’s almost always worth it.
Windows aren’t something you’re looking to purchase more than a few times in your entire lifetime. If there’s a way to preserve the integrity of your home along with saving money in the end, is it more of a purchase or an investment? Some companies may only have one warranty to offer, and that’s perfectly justifiable. It just depends on the business and what they consider important in a warranty. Joyce Manufacturing Company offers two warranties to provide coverage for multiple products.
Your warranty selection may vary based on where you live. Places with harsh winters have different window needs than ones that never see snow. It’s important to make note of what matters the most to you in a warranty, then be realistic about whether or not that’s something anyone’s warranty will cover.
Many businesses will also offer extended warranties, or warranties you can purchase separately from a product or service. This can give the new owner some additional scenarios for coverage and can be a great investment depending on the product and the warranty.
Window Warranty Coverage
Companies tend to offer warranties based on how much they back their own product. If a company offers a lot of coverage, they may be confident that their product is high quality. They may also really want the buyer to feel safe and supported in their decision to purchase from them. Here at Joyce Manufacturing, we offer pretty extensive warranties. That’s because we’ve spent decades researching the best ways to build windows and we’re happy to share that with homeowners for as long as we can.
General Defects
What does a window warranty actually cover? Well, defects are something that almost every warranty will cover. For example, a defective product is certainly an error on the manufacturer’s part, which is why it’s most likely going to be covered in the warranty. Whether it’s on the locking system, the sash, or glass itself, defects are something every homeowner should feel comfortable talking about with their installer or window representative.
Exterior Paint and Lamination Finish
Exterior paint and lamination finishes are something Joyce Manufacturing will cover. This is only in the event of a manufacturing defect or noticeable cracking or peeling. This is because we use high quality products and want homeowners who choose Joyce to know their windows will retain their beauty for years to come.
Screens
Screen frames with significantly impaired operation via rusting, rotting, or staining are covered by Joyce Manufacturing. This is because our aluminum frames were designed to reduce the chances of these instances occurring, but we know no frame is completely resistant to these conditions.
Insulated Glass Units
Our windows are composed of insulated glass units, which are sealed to provide an extra barrier to prevent Argon gas from prematurely leaking. This is also where decorative grids are placed. Insulated glass unit coverage refers to defects in materials and/or workmanship resulting in material obstruction of vision caused by film formation due to dust or moisture in the dead air space of the sealed IG unit for life. Many assume condensation is a sign of seal failure but it’s actually a sign that there’s moisture in the home. That means condensation does not qualify for warranty coverage. Interior grids are also warranted against slipping and sagging for the duration of the homeowner’s warranty.
Vinyl Windows
We provide coverage for the vinyl windows themselves, too. Ensuring they are free of cracks, chips, blisters, peels, and pits. When you purchase vinyl, it’s often meant to enhance your home’s curb appeal, not decrease it. That’s why we guarantee your vinyl windows are defect-free.
What’s NOT Covered?
Every warranty will vary in what exactly they do and do not cover, but there are some general rules of thumb to keep in mind. If a third party who is not affiliated with the manufacturer alters a product, the warranty loses its value in that instance. For example, if Joe pays his neighbor to install new grids into his insulated glass units, Joyce is not responsible for any damages incurred by his neighbor.
Acts of God are common conditions that most companies do not cover. Acts of God are defined as uncontrollable events that no human or business is at fault for. This includes natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, and tropical storms. Joyce Manufacturing is unique because they do actually have a warranty that covers acts of God under certain circumstances.
Typical wear and tear, and fading from sunlight is not typically something a manufacturer will cover. The improper use of a product, as well as accidents caused by human error (ex. baseball through the window) does not fit into warranties. Most warranties do not cover damage from animal or insect actions either. 
How Long Do Window Warranties Last?
The lifespan of a warranty depends on the product and the business. Joyce windows offer very generous warranties on products, with lifetime transferable and double lifetime warranties. A lifetime transferable warranty lasts the duration of the homeowner who purchases the windows’ stay in the home. It also covers 15 years into the second property owner’s time in the home (when properly transferring the warranty). A double lifetime warranty allows a lifetime warranty to transfer from the original purchaser to a second homeowner. The double lifetime warranty remains in effect for the duration of the second homeowner’s lifetime.
Note: Transfers must be made within 60 days from the transfer of the title date in order to be effective.
Now that you have a better understanding of what Joyce window warranties cover, we invite you to learn more about our products to see if they might be a good fit for you. Our warranties match our confidence in ourselves, our products and how much homeowners love Joyce Manufacturing. It’s important to note every warranty is different, and what we offer may not be what another company offers. Joyce warranties only cover Joyce Manufacturing products. We hope this article helps remove the question of “what does a window warranty actually cover?” and provides you with more peace of mind while you make this long-term investment.
View our warranties here.
If you’re looking to transfer or register a Joyce warranty, please fill out the form here.
If you’re interested in learning more about our warranties or products, reach out to a local dealer here.