How Long Are Washing Machines Under Warranty? (Explained)

You can barely get something for free, mostly due to increased price rates.

Therefore, when you purchase a washing machine, its warranty seems like winning the lottery.

This feeling is because you don’t have to pay for repairs for non-accidental machine failures. 

However, it can be quite tedious to understand the intricacies of your washer warranty documents. Not to worry, we will cover all your possible warranty questions in this article.

Generally, most washers have a warranty duration of one year. This duration is also standard for most electrical appliances. Once you purchase your new washing machine, it will come with a 12-month warranty that covers parts replacement. However, if your warranty expires, you can purchase an extended warranty that covers longer periods. 

In this article, you will understand the intricacies of warranty documentation, its worth, and how extended warranties work.

By the end of the article, you will also understand how to check your appliance warranty information.

How Long Are Washing Machine Warranties?

Washing machine warranties last for a year. However, some washer brands offer warranties that cover two to three years from the first day of purchase.

The warranty covers all necessary repairs for your washer during the first 12 months from the day you purchased the machine. 

Once you report any issues to the brand, the company will send professionals to survey the problem and perform any necessary repairs.

These warranties are usually challenging to understand. For instance, some companies offer separate warranties for electrical parts, machine components, or labor. 

Brands like Samsung offer a warranty for parts the tub part, a separate warranty for the motor parts, and another for labor.

With these separate warranties, it can be confusing when you contact the washer manufacturer to use the machine warranty.

Before contacting the company to use your warranty, however, it is necessary that you carefully read the warranty.

Though it might seem time-consuming and difficult, reading it can help determine what repairs are covered and prevent you from spending unnecessarily.

While some brands offer one-year warranties for your washer or separate warranties for different parts of your washer, others might feature a ten-year warranty.

Though these long-term warranties are not very common, they cover your washing machine for a long while.

Long-term warranties like this show that the company trusts the machine’s performance. The warranty also provides security for your washer.

Therefore, the warranty length could also be a determining factor for selecting the type of washing machine you need. 

However, warranties can defer in their coverage documents, depending on the brand you use.

Therefore, check your warranty documentation to verify the benefits of your machine warranty.

Below is a table showing what a warranty would cover and what it would not:

What Is Covered	What Is Not Covered
Defects in  parts during noncommercial use of the product	Defects from the incorrect electric supply, surges, house wiring, or natural causes
Manufacturing damages during noncommercial use of machine	Defects from accidents, neglect, altered serial numbers, or shipment damage
Covers varying parts, including motors, seals and gaskets, and thermal fuse	Use of installation not authorized by Samsung

How to Know if Your Appliance Is Still Under Warranty

To know your appliance warranty, you can check your purchase receipt or user’s manual.

You can also call the company or the retailer or inspect your home warranty documentation.

No matter how strong your appliance is, despite how strong the brand is, it will fall apart at some point in its lifespan.

When your machine breaks down, you will wonder if your device is still under warranty.

If the warranty is still effective, you can repair your washer without spending more than you need to.

So before trying to perform any repairs (which could nullify your warranty coverage), follow the methods below to verify the validity of your appliance warranty:

Consider Regular Washer Warranty Periods

If your washer develops a fault within 40 days of purchasing it, you can be sure your device warranty is valid. 

If you bought from a retailer or the brand store, you could request a replacement or return. First, however, call the store to verify.

Most washer manufacturers offer a 12-months washer warranty. If the damage occurred within a year since you purchased it, there is a high chance your appliance is still under warranty.

Check Your Appliance Receipt

Apart from the accompanying free warranty, you might have purchased an extended warranty plan while buying your washing machine. 

You can verify this warranty purchase by checking the product documentation. The documentation includes your receipts, manual, and warranty information (if it came separately).

Manufacturer’s Website

You could visit the brand’s website to verify your warranty validity if you did not store your warranty paperwork or misplaced the receipt.

On the manufacturer’s website, you can check the warranty length and check for warranty information.

Checking the information on the site could jog your memory and help you recall the details of the purchase you made.

Contacting Product Retailers

If you still have no luck finding your warranty paperwork or determining the validity of your appliance warranty, you can contact the retailer.

You can get specific details of your purchase when you reach out to the store you purchased the washer. You can also get information on their customer reward package, if any. 

This information can give you any possible warranties or reward programs to which you might be entitled. If you can, also retrieve a copy of the purchase receipt.

Check Your Credit Card Protection Package

If you used a credit card to purchase the appliance, you could enquire from your credit card company. 

Most credit card companies offer machine warranty coverage for a year after the manufacturer’s warranty period. Contact the credit card company to verify your warranty status, if any.

After you purchase your washer, it should come with a warranty document stating the warranty offers for your product.

It usually starts with a date of purchase, while some warranties will request you to go online to register the product for the warranty to be activated. 

What Is the Best Washing Machine Warranty?

From a survey of most washer brands, Maytag and Speed Queen offer one of the best warranty coverage. Most brands offer a one-year warranty from the day of purchase.

However, Maytag and Speed Queen offer a five-year part and labor warranty once you purchase their washer brand. 

With every purchase, you can also extend the free warranty to an additional five years, though it would include costs. 

Maytag also extends the warranty on parts like the tub and transmission to ten years. On the other hand, Speed Queen extends its part warranty to 15 years.

Therefore, ensure you understand how the warranty works before any appliance purchase. Washing machines of recent are quite more complex than older washer versions. 

However, it is smart to purchase washer models that are part of a longer warranty package, or you can upgrade the warranty to protect your machine. 

Is an Extended Warranty on Washing Machines Worth It?

The worth of an extended warranty depends on your budget and how likely you think the appliance is prone to damage.

Also, before you purchase an extended warranty, you must understand your consumer rights.  

If your appliance fails to function during its first six months of use, you can return it to the store. At the store, the retailer will put through your appliance repairs.

If, after performing the necessary replacements and the washer does not function, then you will get a refund.

It is also essential to check the service quality you will receive if you purchase an extended warranty.

Some questions you could ask to check the worth of the extended warranty include:

• Do you require specifically authorized technicians for repairs?
• How regular is the payment? Is it fixed or a monthly fee?
• Are there any possible exclusions or available loopholes in the warranty documentation?
• How long will it take to complete the repairs?
• Also, consider the quality of the appliance you want to purchase. Do you trust its quality? Are you willing to ignore an extended warranty for the appliance?

Once you have placed your washer’s extended warranty under scrutiny, you will better understand the warranty’s worth. 

Though most brands will let you extend your limited warranty period when its end approaches, you must consider the cost and its benefits to you and your appliance.

Some of these warranty extension costs can accumulate with time, and you might be paying the same amount you would pay for a new washer.

Consequently, you may also pay for an extended warranty package, and turn out not using it, which might be a waste of funds on your part.

What Does the Warranty Cover on Washing Machines?

Generally, washing machine warranties cover mechanical defects from manufacturer damages and non-accidental faults. 

This warranty includes all the necessary components to perform the necessary repairs.

Though some warranty plans might also include non-repairable issues requiring parts replacement.

However, washing machine warranties do not cover all repairs. In addition, there are restrictions to what you can repair or replace with your washer’s limited warranty.

What Is Not Covered by a Washer Warranty?

Washer warranties do not cover pest damage or natural effects like defects from lightning, flood, or natural disasters.

Also, it does not cover accident damages, damages from long-term neglect, defects from shipment movement, or if your serial number is tampered with.

In some warranty plans, manufacturers include plans for other kitchen appliances that might be affected by the machine. 

If plans like this are not available to you, you might have to deal with the cost of any additional repairs. 

There are also limitations in the covered parts, depending on the brand of the washer. In addition, some warranties make restrictions based on the location and model of the appliance.

However, you should confirm this information before purchasing an extended plan. These restrictions could include parts under warranty but manufactured outside the US.

To verify the content of your warranty coverage:

• Visit the brand website or contact the claim center to claim your warranty.
• Make inquiries about the appliance and its coverage limits.
• Authorize the warranty claim.
•  Schedule an appointment.