Consumer Rights 101: Warranties
Whenever you buy an appliance, you have a reasonable expectation that it will work as intended. Sometimes, though, a defective product may cause additional issues, such as a water leak or electrical damage. In some cases, you may be able to receive compensation for these types of damages.
Unless expressly disclaimed, every consumer product sold in the U.S. has an implied warranty of merchantability. This means the product must be suitable for its normal purpose. For example, a dishwasher must be able to wash dishes. The manufacturer must honor this warranty even if they did not directly sell to the consumer.
Another implied warranty of products is that they must be able to perform the task it was designed to within a reasonable amount of time. If the product breaks down too soon, the manufacturer could be held liable. Every product's reasonable lifespan is determined on a case-by-case basis.
These warranties won't cover every type of damage. If the product was installed incorrectly, it is likely uncovered by the warranty. Other cases where coverage is not guaranteed include if the user does not follow the instructions, abuse or misuse of the product, and incomplete maintenance. The implied warranties are meant to cover manufacturing and design defects.
Products purchased in the U.S. could also come with expressed warranties if the manufacturer chooses to provide one. They may choose to do so as an added benefit to their product or to build trustworthiness.
Manufacturers can disclaim certain warranties, such as a disclaimer for merchantability. In other words, the product may not work as it is intended to. Similarly, a manufacturer may hold itself blameless in the event of damages caused by it's product. This is one reason why it’s important to read the fine print.
Some of these damages may be covered by the consumer's home insurance. If it is not included in the standard home insurance coverage, it should be available as an add-on. This could extend the coverage to include issues such as water damage caused by appliances, sewers, or drain backups.
