What people keep running into with home warranty
Complaints tagged home warranty, each raised by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
13 recurring problems · 309 people · 18 forums we read
Raised more than once
Most people first.
- 95Landlord built a fence around the AC and it brokeWhen a broken air conditioner leaves your home unlivable during a heatwave, you are left waiting indefinitely for a repair while scrambling to find alternative shelter for a newborn. Meanwhile, DIY attempts to clean the condenser coil with store-bought brushes risk causing major damage that leads to thousands of dollars in professional repair costs.
- 79How to find reliable contractors who actually show upContractors frequently fail to appear on scheduled dates, communicate delays, or return to finish half-completed projects after receiving deposits. This unreliability leaves homeowners stranded with unfinished work and unable to secure dependable help for future repairs.
- 31Is a basement wall crack structural or just cosmetic?Most small cracks result from minor concrete settling, but vertical cracks accompanied by wall bowing indicate active shifting that threatens structural integrity. Missing these signs prevents homeowners from catching foundation failures early, leaving them vulnerable to severe structural damage and costly repairs.
- 27Electrician installed an outlet instead of a generator inlet boxAn electrical outlet cannot receive power from a portable generator without exposing live prongs to electrocution and causing a dangerous backfeed hazard. Using a custom "suicide cord" to bridge the mistake risks severe shock, and finding no code allowance for this setup means the entire installation must be completely replaced with a proper recessed male inlet box.
- 24How to find hidden home defects after buyingStandard general home inspectors routinely miss major issues like uninstalled roof components, faulty electrical work, and plumbing failures. Relying on them leaves buyers facing massive, unexpected repair projects and damages after they have already moved in.
- 22Why is a newly installed sink drain leaking above the trap?Leaks directly above the P-trap on a new vanity usually stem from loose slip-joint nuts or worn, misaligned rubber gaskets. This allows water to escape during use, which risks water damage to the cabinet below until the connections are properly tightened or the washers are replaced.
- 13Why do home warranty companies deny claims after you pay the fee?Home warranty companies routinely cite fine print to deny claims or only partially cover repairs after collecting the initial service fee. This leaves homeowners stuck paying hundreds or thousands of dollars out of pocket while dealing with conflicting information between repair technicians and customer service reps.
- 6Why is it so hard to get a home warranty repair?Home warranties rely on low-bid contractors who often ghost customers, refuse standard repairs, and drag out claims over hours on the phone. This leaves homeowners paying service fees for issues that never actually get resolved.
- 4Furnace won't turn on after new AC installationThe gas valve may have been left closed or something was missed during the recent HVAC installation, preventing the furnace from starting up when the weather turns cold. Homeowners worry that waiting too long to report the issue will make the warranty company or contractor upset about the delay.
- 3How to choose homeowners insurance coverage and a reliable claims companyFirst-time buyers often feel in the dark about what to include in a policy to avoid unexpected coverage gaps. Focusing on a reliable claims experience rather than just the cheapest premium prevents being stuck with an inadequate policy after a major loss.
- 3What are these stains and damage on my attic roof sheathing?Stains and past carpenter ant damage on new roof sheathing leave homeowners unsure if the roof is structurally compromised or safe. This uncertainty makes it difficult to know whether to file an expensive warranty claim or contractor repair.
- 2Why does an HVAC leak test cost $1,000?HVAC companies frequently quote around $1,000 for coolant leak tests and duct sealing, which homeowners find unreasonably expensive. These exorbitant charges leave people questioning whether the prices are normal and whether the proposed fixes will actually resolve their system issues.
- 2Is my home warranty replacement quote too high?Home warranty companies often push expensive system replacements, claiming massive discounts while still quoting $8,000 to $10,000 for the final cost. They make it impossible to verify if these prices are normal by refusing to share the technician's actual written report. Without seeing what the technician wrote, you cannot tell if the high price is justified or simply inflated.
Comes up alongside
Topics that keep appearing on the same problems — not topics with similar names.