Stove dealer - installation warranty

[rotarysound]

Greetings,

Is there a standard installation and workmanship warranty period from stove shops?
How long should it be?

In evaluating wood stove installation bids I am wondering about local dealer, installer contract wording etc.. My understanding is that stove manufacturers warranty their products for at least 5 years and chimney products such as Excel have a lifetime warranty. Should the installation and workmanship warranty be any less?

Thanks

 

[begreen]

Good question. This is one you should be asking each of the bidders. Get the answer in writing if at all possible.

 

[webbie]

Very rare for an installation to be warranted for longer than one year.
In fact, we never (in 10,000 plus stoves sold) were asked about a labor or workmanship length of warranty....not that I can remember. But we had a good reputation and were in a small town. Folks naturally assumed we'd take care of them.

In general, anything that would go wrong with an installation will happen in the first year. After that, there are "acts of god" such as freezing and thawing, wind and other factors which can be considered more "wear and tear" than workmanship - example: new silicone on storm collar of stove flashing.

When it comes to stove warranties, I have seen some as short as one year. It really has little to do with the quality of the stove or manufacturer - more important are two things:
1. Is the stove model one which is known to have a history of high repair incidence?
2. What exactly does the warranty cover?

The longer the warranty, (in general) the less it covers. I have seen steel stove warranties that cover a piece of steel plate - the welding and repair is up to you.

So be reasonable in your expectations. Just because something is or is not warranted does not mean you will be less or more satisfied.

 

[JimWalshin845]

Some states have a implied workmanship warranty, check with your local Better Business Bureau and they can give you that info.