Tag: Home Warranty

Unexpected home repairs can cause serious headaches. It’s hard enough to find vendors you can trust when you’ve got time to research them, and it only gets worse when you are facing an urgent repair issue and a full plate of other responsibilities.

But Platinum Concierge can help.  If you’ve ever filed a claim with Platinum Home Warranty, you know what a relief it is to hand the problem over to professionals so you can get back to your life.

What is Platinum Concierge?
When repairs aren’t covered by a policy claim, Platinum Concierge works on your behalf to arrange for your home repairs, providing the same satisfaction of our home warranty customer service and support.

How does Concierge work?
Working with Platinum Concierge is easy.

1. Tell us what you need. A flat, $50 concierge fee* is collected upfront at the time of the initial service request, where we work with you to determine the extent of your service needs. 
2. We make it happen. Platinum Concierge takes the reins to assign and coordinate with the best local vendors to prioritize your repair for high-quality, worry-free service. 

Do I need to have a Platinum Home Warranty to use Concierge?
No! Whether your Arizona home warranty policy has lapsed, you never had one, or you’re looking to use Concierge as a gift for someone who is overwhelmed by home repair needs, we can help.

Need help with a repair?  All it takes is a quick phone call to our friendly, Arizona-local support team to start your service request.

Call today! 602-733-5000

 

*Concierge Fee does not credit toward any payment owed to the vendor. Vendor payment for services coordinated through Platinum Concierge but not covered by a Platinum Home Warranty is handled directly between the customer and the vendor.

 

 

 

 

Do you know what’s involved when you make a Platinum Home Warranty claim?

If you’ve not yet needed to contact us for a covered repair, that’s wonderful — it means you probably practice preventative maintenance, or have been super lucky!

In the video below, we break down the claims process so you know exactly what to expect when you do need to enter a service request with Platinum.*

Having a home repair issue can be daunting, but you’ve chosen Platinum as your home warranty provider, making it a cinch.

Whether you’ve got questions or some good words about your Platinum Experience, we’d love to hear from you as we’ve got you covered!

Contact Us

 

*Always refer to your Platinum Home Warranty policy for full details, terms, and conditions. A Service fee applies.

Home warranties have many benefits for homeowners that protect their homes and offer peace of mind.  When it comes to buying and selling homes,  both buyers and sellers can benefit from having a home warranty.  One might think that, when selling a home, a home warranty would only benefit the buyer who will take over the home but, in fact, it benefits everyone.

The first and most important benefit for sellers is that it offers a competitive edge in the housing market.  When you go to sell your home, you want to sell it quickly and for top dollar.  With a home warranty, buyers will be that much more attracted to your home because they will feel safe and covered should something go wrong and they will also know that you have taken good care of your home.  If they are considering a similar home in the neighborhood, having a home warranty may give your home the competitive edge it needs to be out the other home.  Additionally, having a home warranty may help lessen the amount of negotiations with the buyer after an inspection because they will feel covered should something go wrong.  Another benefit for sellers is that the home will be covered and protected should something go wrong or break while the home is listed or in escrow.

The seller is certainly not the only one who benefits from a home warranty, the buyer benefits immensely from purchasing a home with a home warranty.  First, purchasing a home is very expensive and you will be spending money on not just the home but on moving expenses and decor. If you purchase a home that has a home warranty, you will not need to worry that a huge repair will pop up, costing you money you may not have readily available.  A home warranty protects home buyers from additional costs for surprise repairs.  Additionally, buyers will have peace of mind that their new home is covered should something break down.

When you move into a new home there is a lot to learn about the new home and having peace of mind that your home is protected is priceless.  An existing home warranty will also make home ownership easier.  When things break down, it can be very frustrating to try to find a reliable and knowledgeable handyman or repairman that can do the job. When you purchase a home with a home warranty, you simply need to call the home warranty company and let them handle it from there.  They will send a trustworthy and experienced handyman to handle your job and will handle all of the legwork.  A home warranty is simply a good choice for both home sellers and home buyers.

It is the American dream to own a home and very exciting when you are finally able to. It is one of the biggest investments you will ever make so it is very important to take good care of it. It takes a lot to budget for the monthly expenses of owning a home but what happens when an unexpected repairs arises? What if something major breaks and a repair will cost thousands? It can be very stressful when unexpected expenses arise but with a home warranty that stress can be relieved. There are three reasons why everyone should have a home warranty. The first reason every home owner should have a home warranty is to protect their investment. When you purchase a new home it is a big transition and with any big investment, it takes maintenance. Depending on the age of your home and the age of the existing systems in the home, necessary repairs may arise and they need to be dealt with promptly to ensure no further damage is done to the home and that the new home remains in working order. With a home warranty, when necessary repair arises, you simply need to call your home warranty provider and they will handle the rest. You wont have to worry if the repair is being done by someone trustworthy or trained, a home warranty company hires trained professional repairmen and they will make sure your home is properly repaired and your investment protected. The second reason that a homeowner should have a home warranty is that it will save on out of pocket expenses. With a home warranty you will simply need to pay the service call fee. If your hot water heater breaks in the middle of winter you will not have to spend hundreds of dollars for a hot shower. The home warranty will protect your wallet from any unwanted surprises. The third reason for a home warranty is that it will give the home owner peace of mind. You just never know when something may break or a problem may arise. If you own an old home you may be looking around wondering what the next ticking time bomb may be. With a home warranty you do not have to lose sleep worrying what may break or if something will cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair. With a home warranty your investment is protected and your wallet can rest easy. If or when you do choose to sell your home having a home warranty is also a great incentive for potential buyers as they will desire to maintain their homes and have peace of mind. These three reasons help show a home warranty is right for every home owner who takes pride in their home and wants to maintain their investment.]]>

The first of the garage door maintenance tips is to check all the components of the door that actually move to ensure that they are still intact. Check to make sure they move correctly and that they are not bent, broken, or cracked. If you have moving parts that do not move correctly or that are broken, it could cause even more damage to other portions of the door. The next tip to follow is to check the rails and axels to see if they are tightly secured into place. The hinges, rollers, and springs will also need to be checked to ensure proper installation, and could be oiled lightly with a generic household oil. If any moving parts sound like they are grinding or squealing as they move, be sure to put a little extra oil on those areas. Another of the garage door maintenance tips that you can do on your own is to wipe down the door on a regular basis with a damp cloth and a gentle household detergent. This will keep the surface clean and free of dirt that could erode or eat away at the door. Some home owners apply car wax directly to the surface of the garage door so that it has added protection from dirt and moisture. If your garage door is wooden, keep it properly painted at all times. If there is a crack or a gap in the wood, caulk it. Any time the paint is peeling, it provides a way for dirt or mold to get inside the wood and cause further damage. If it is not taken care of, it could result in the need for total garage door replacement, which might end up being a much larger cost than simply touching up paint spots or caulking a crack. Every once in a while, check to be sure the weather sealant is still intact and in good shape. If it isn’t, water and other elements will be able to seep into the garage easier, possibly damaging anything you have stored inside. If your sealant is not in good condition, consider having it replaced. As you can see, it could be simple to follow a few maintenance tips that will keep your garage door in top condition at all times. Whether you just moved into your home, or if you are just thinking that there might be more you can do for your existing garage door, following these tips and more could help your garage door to last a lot longer without the need for major repairs or replacement. If you have more questions or need more tips, contact a professional that installs or repairs garage doors.]]>

Whether you are living in a home or have a vacation home that you live in for a portion of the year, there is basic plumbing maintenance that needs to happen. It is very important that when the temperatures start to turn cold, you prepare your plumbing for the change. During the winter, extreme temperatures can lead to problems for many homeowners. It is a good idea to have a home warranty to protect you and your home should a problem arise. A good home warranty will be available around the clock for you and can help you get your repairs done quickly and easily. It will give you the peace of mind that you are covered in case of an emergency. By winterizing your plumbing you can protect your home and hopefully avoid such an emergency altogether. The last thing you want on a cold winter night is to discover that a pipe has burst because you did not properly winterize your plumbing. There are some simple steps you can take to winterize your plumbing and spend time enjoying the holidays with your family rather than dealing with untimely and costly plumbing problems. First, you will want to begin with a simple visual inspection of your plumbing, particularly your external plumbing. If you see any cracked or missing caulk around the external plumbing, you will want to fill and fix any holes as this is an easy way for the cold air to get into the pipes. Additionally, for external pipes, you will want to make sure the pipes are wrapped or insulated in some way. You can get foam to wrap around the pipes, there is also insulating tape available and in a pinch you can always wrap your pipes with insulating towels or rags. You should also disconnect your hose during the winter months. Any water in a garden hose can easily freeze and cause major problems in your pipes. On the inside of your home, you should keep temperatures relatively warm. The internal warmth of your home will help regulate the temperature of your plumbing. If the weather drops very low, for example, below 30 degrees or more, you may want to go around your home and run all the faucets and flush the toilets to keep water moving and help prevent freezing. Lastly, you may consider winterizing your water heater by insulating it. While your water heater will more than likely not be at risk of bursting, it will help your water run more efficiently and help you save money on your energy bills. Depending on your location and how cold it gets, you may need to do all or only some of these things. The important thing is to routinely inspect your plumbing and be aware of what is going on in your home. If you have made the wise decision to invest in a home warranty you also have the added peace of mind that, should a problem arise, you will have someone on your side in an emergency. By properly winterizing your plumbing you will more than likely prevent any major problems and save yourself time and money.]]>

Nobody wants to be cold during the winter months. We crank up the heat and bundle up in our warm and cozy homes. Unfortunately, many insects and rodents can have the same idea as us. They will seek out the warmth and comfort of our homes, especially if we do not keep up with routine maintenance that would prevent them from entering. We often do so much to decorate our homes to make them beautiful during the holiday season but are we masking lurking problems and welcoming pests into our homes? The most important part of winter pest control is prevention. You can save yourself time and frustration by preventing these pests from entering your home in the first place. There are many insects that are dormant during the cold winter months but we cannot forget the ones that seek out warmth and shelter. Some pests to be aware of that could enter your home are ants, cockroaches, and rodents. Being vigilant about year round pest control can keep nasty critters out of your house and away from your family. First, you will want to check the perimeter of your home on a regular basis. Things you should be on the lookout for include the conditions of your walls and roof, should you see any holes or cracks where insects could enter you will want to have them sealed immediately. Also, if you see any scratches, marks, or droppings you may have rodents nearby or already in your home. Chimneys and stove pipes should be covered by protective screens to prevent rodent entry. If you have a fireplace and store firewood it can retain a lot of moisture and invite insects. You will need to store all firewood as far away from your home as possible. By maintaining the exterior of your home you are taking the first step to protecting your home from unwanted visitors during the winter months. Next, you will want to protect the interior of your home. Now is a great time to declutter and maintain general cleanliness. Clutter is like an invitation to rodents and bugs to take up residence in your home. Also, food should be stored in airtight containers. Cleaning out your cabinets will also help prevent creatures from scavenging around in your home. Storing items in cardboard boxes is not a great idea because insects like to hide in cardboard. Instead, in your basement or garage, store items in plastic containers. Should you hear any sounds or scratching in your ceiling or walls it is best to call professionals to help you remove any unwanted visitors from your home. You should also keep up with your routine pest control such as pesticide during the winter months to help ensure protection of your home. When you have decorated your home and made it a beautiful and comfortable place for your family during the winter months the last thing you want are insects and rodents to make an appearance! Routinely maintaining your home will prevent major infestations from occurring and help keep your home beautiful this winter.]]>

Most people who own a home take time to make it beautiful and safe for their families to live in. We routinely vacuum, replace light bulbs, sanitize, maintain appliances, change air filters and more, but we often forget about our smoke detectors. We hope that we will never have to be awoken to the loud alarm of our smoke detectors and we rely on them to protect our families, but we often forget they are there, let alone do routine maintenance checks. According to the National Fire Protection Association, we should be testing our alarms monthly by pressing the test button. Home many of us remember to check our fire alarms yearly, let alone monthly? But the fact is, when a fire occurs in our home it can spread quickly and without our knowledge if our smoke detectors are not properly functioning. Smoke detectors can give us the early warning that will not only help protect our home from total loss, but more importantly, save our lives. If you do not currently have a smoke detector in your home, all hardware stores sell them and they can make recommendations as to how many you need. They are an inexpensive way to protect your home and family, and are also easy to install. Many experts recommend installing smoke detectors in every sleeping area and on every floor of the home. Once you have installed smoke alarms, routine maintenance is critical but it is also relatively easy. According to Realtor.com, “About 90 percent of U.S. households have smoke alarms installed. However, a CPSC survey found that the smoke alarms in 20 percent of those households-about 16 million-were not working, mostly because the battery was dead or missing.” CPSC Chairman Ann Brown also notes that, “Smoke alarms can save lives, but they won’t work if they are not maintained. They should be tested monthly, and the batteries should be replaced at least once a year or when they make the ‘chirping’ sound.” It is astonishing that approximately 16 million smoke detectors were not working! Especially during this time of year when we need to practice fire safety with our holiday decorations and lighting as well as our home heating, those smoke detectors could mean the difference between life and death! Additionally, the age of your smoke detectors could be problematic. The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years or sooner if they do not respond to testing and battery replacement. An interesting fact that some may not know is that there are also smoke alarms available for those hard of hearing or deaf; the alarms use strobe lights and vibration. Along with smoke alarm maintenance it is also very important that every family has a fire escape plan that they have practiced and know well. By taking these steps to maintain your smoke detector you will have the peace of mind that you have protected your family as best as possible from the dangers of fire.]]>

We are all trying to save money right now. Owning a home can be expensive. Having a home warranty is a great way to help should unforeseen home problems arise. Having a home warranty will help to prevent you from spending an arm and a leg if something breaks down. Another great way you can save money year round is with a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat will help you save money because it is energy efficient and it will also be one way to make your home more “green.” When you are sleeping or away from your home during the day your heating and cooling needs will be different than when you are spending time awake inside of your home. According to Houselogic.com, “It’s no secret that heating and cooling account for the bulk of a home’s energy usage – an average of over $1,000 annually. Switching from a manual to a programmable thermostat is one simple way to save as much as $180 a year.” That is a huge savings! The temperature control settings make a programmable thermostat easy to use and efficient. You can time the settings around your schedule so that, in the winter, you can set the thermostat to keep the temperature a little cooler during the day while you are gone, and set it to warm up your home for your arrival. Also, while you are asleep at night you can wear warm clothes and use heavy blankets so you will not need to heat your home as much at night. There are even programmable thermostats that will help you to know what the most energy efficient settings are and learn your habits and adjust itself accordingly! There are programmable thermostats available that even can have different settings for during the week or weekend. Additionally, for those that frequently travel, a great option may be a programmable thermostat that can be managed remotely through a web portal! It does not get more convenient or efficient than that! Lastly, in extreme weather months you can program your thermostat so that your home heats or cools 30 minutes before you intent to wake up or arrive home. You will get all the benefits of energy savings that programmable thermostats offer while still maintaining your comfort all year long. With programmable thermostats no sacrifice in comfort is made and yet energy savings, and thus money savings, are still achieved. Programmable thermostats are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to install. Now is the time to make the switch to a programmable thermostat and start helping the environment and saving big money today!]]>

There are many every day appliances we rely on to work when we need them, but, often we may forget to properly maintain them. When we make the wise decision to protect ourselves with a home warranty, we often forget to do general maintenance and upkeep on appliances. We can make the most of our investments in both appliances and our home warranties by doing checks and maintenance on our appliances. Microwaves are an invention that has given Americans convenience and timeliness in our increasingly busy society. We often rely on them to quickly heat a meal so that we can make it to work or school on time, get our families fed, and get everything done in our day that we need to. Aside from cleaning out and spilled food or residue, we often do not do any additional maintenance to keep our microwaves functioning properly. While many of us wipe down our microwaves on a regular basis to get those stray pieces of food out, we may not check our grease filter. We should routinely clean out the grease filter on our microwave. As with any general maintenance, you should consult the owners’ manual and follow any manufacturer recommendations. If any food debris has accumulated and is difficult to clean, you can put a glass with a cup of water in it and heat it for approximately 3 minutes. Allow the cup to sit in the microwave for a few minutes. By doing this, you steam the inside of the microwave and loosen all of the difficult stuck on food debris. This will make it much easier to wipe down the inside of your microwave. Once you have ensured that you are working with a properly cleaned microwave, you need to take care to ensure that you are putting the correct things in your microwave. To begin, you should only put microwave safe dishes and containers in your microwave. They should be properly labeled as such to ensure you are not doing damage to your microwave and to also ensure your container will not melt or catch fire. Also, takeout food containers are not typically safe for the microwave. You should also be careful not to use dishes that are too large. By overloading your microwave, you can reduce air circulation in the device, which will cause overstress on your microwave. As with any home maintenance, you should always take precautions to avoid dangerous, electrical situations and to always consult your manufactures guide. It is crucial to follow the manufacturer instructions to a tee. Through the advancement of technology we have been given many of our modern conveniences. We rely heavily on these conveniences, such as microwave, to keep our families functioning on a day to day basis, and in a timely manner. It could greatly slow us down to wake up one day and find that our microwave is not working. By following these simple tips, we can extend the life of our microwave and enjoy the convenience it has to offer.]]>