When will it come in handy? A quick look at five common home warranty repairs

Before purchasing a home warranty, you’re likely to wonder – when does a home warranty come in handy? It’s a valuable question to make sure your dollars are being spent wisely! 

We’ve outlined some common scenarios to help answer that question. These are great examples of when you’ll be glad to have a home warranty in place.

Scenario 1: The garbage disposal stops working. 

A fussy garbage disposal is no fun, and a home warranty can be quite helpful. Assuming the concern is normal wear and tear, this is within the scope of home warranty coverage. A plumber can help resolve the jam or replace the garbage disposal if necessary. 

By the way, a good rule of thumb — if you can’t chew it up yourself, don’t expect your garbage disposal to handle it. Only put items down your sink that can be broken down with ease.

Scenario 2: The toilet gets stopped up. 

Yes, this is another not-so-exciting, but common, concern. Similar to the garbage disposal, your home warranty will come in handy here assuming the issue is related to standard use. That means – don’t throw anything you shouldn’t down there! 

Most of the time the plumber can clear the stoppage with a snake. In some more complicated cases, a full toilet replacement may be necessary and typically would be covered by your home warranty.

Scenario 3: The water heater stops heating or starts leaking. 

Not heating? It’s likely an element problem. Leaky? It may end up requiring replacement. Either way, this typically is within the scope of home warranty coverage. 

An extra tip — be sure to flush your water heater at least once a year. Doing so can remove some of the sediment that builds up over time and thus extend the life of the water heater.

Scenario 4: The AC stops running or blows hot air. 

This, of course, is a biggie here in the Valley of the Sun. Our AC units take a big beating, so repair needs are likely. Covered AC issues range quite a bit from failed capacitors, compressors, motors and contactors to leaks within the system. 

When problems arise, here’s a good first step — check for dead batteries in the thermostat or bad circuit breakers or fuses. Also make sure you’ve changed your air filters recently, which should be done every month to maintain proper airflow. 

Scenario 5: The microwave stops working.

When your microwave decides to stop doing its thing, a home warranty can help too. An appliance technician will be able to trace the source of the problem and resolve the issue through repair or replacement. 

While every home and scenario is unique, these examples help paint a picture of typical home warranty claims. When one of these common home issues arises, a home warranty can serve as a go-to plan for repairs that helps bring a bit of convenience and predictability.