Flooring warranties and store financing: what to read before you sign
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What should you check in a flooring warranty?
What it covers, what it requires of you, and who stands behind it. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says that whenever there is a warranty, the law requires that it be available for you to read before you buy, in a store or online. So ask for it, for the flooring product and for the installation, before you commit. A new floor can come with promises from the maker of the product and from the business that sells or installs it, and the two are not the same thing.
What questions does the FTC suggest asking about a warranty?
Its advice applies to flooring as well as to any big purchase:
- Who is offering it, and what is their reputation? Search the company's name with "complaint" or "review", or ask your state or local consumer office.
- How long does it last, and does coverage change over time?
- What is not covered? If specific parts or repairs are not listed as covered, the FTC says to assume they are not.
- What will the company actually do? Repair, replace or refund.
- Does it cover only problems that arise when you maintain and use the product according to the directions?
- Do you need to register the product to qualify for service?
- Who handles claims? Do you go to the manufacturer or back to the seller, and do you pay for labor or shipping?
Why do care instructions matter so much?
Because a warranty may cover only a floor cared for as directed. The FTC's question about maintenance "according to the directions" is the one to read most closely on a floor. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), the hardwood trade's association, for example, tells owners not to use wet mops or steam mops on wood and says it is best to use a cleaner made for the finish on the floor, which the flooring professional can recommend. Find out at installation what the product's own instructions say about cleaning, humidity and furniture pads, and keep a copy.
The FTC also says federal law bars a manufacturer from requiring you to use specific parts or services to keep a warranty in force, unless it provides them free or has an FTC waiver.
Is a spoken promise from the salesperson enough?
No. The FTC says that if a salesperson makes a spoken promise, such as free repairs, you should get it in writing, because a business may later refuse a service that is not written down. Pennsylvania's home improvement law points the same way: the contract must describe the work, the materials and the specifications, and those cannot be changed without a written change order signed by both of you.
Are there protections without a written warranty?
Often, yes. The FTC says the laws of every state create implied warranties, unspoken promises that cover almost everything you buy. A warranty of merchantability means a product will do what it is supposed to do. A warranty of fitness for a particular purpose applies when a seller tells you a product is right for a particular job. These apply unless the seller gives written notice that there is no warranty, or sells the item "as is" where state law allows. If a seller recommends a floor for a particular room, ask for that recommendation in writing too. For your state's rules, the FTC suggests a lawyer or a state consumer protection office.
Is an extended warranty worth buying?
Decide only after reading the standard one. The FTC says an extended warranty or service contract costs extra, is sold separately, and may cover the same repairs for the same period as the warranty that already comes with the product.
What if a warranty claim goes nowhere?
The FTC says to contact the seller first and then, if needed, write to the manufacturer at the address on the warranty, by certified mail with a return receipt. If you report a defect during the warranty period and it is not fixed properly, it says the company must correct it even if the warranty expires before the repair is done. If that fails, report the company to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to the state attorney general.
How does store financing for flooring work?
Read the offer for the word "if". The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explains that a zero-interest offer reads like "0% intro APR for 12 months", while a deferred-interest offer reads like "No interest if paid in full within 12 months". It says many retailers offer deferred interest for big purchases. If you do not pay off the whole promotional balance in time, interest going back to the date of purchase is added. In its example, a $400 purchase paid at $25 a month leaves $100 owing after a year; under zero interest you owe $100, but under deferred interest at 25 percent you owe $165.
The CFPB also says store cards normally carry much higher rates than typical bank cards, and that you are still borrowing money that has to be repaid. Its explanation is in an archived 2017 post, so check the current terms of any offer.
What about a loan arranged by the contractor?
Shop around first. The FTC says never to agree to financing through your contractor without comparing loan terms, never to sign a document you have not read or that has blank spaces, and never to let anyone rush you. It describes a scam in which homeowners discover they have signed a high-interest home equity loan while the work goes unfinished. Pennsylvania's act prohibits arranging or taking part in the financing of a home improvement contract knowing the contract states a larger obligation than the actual price.
Two more Pennsylvania protections apply however you pay. You can cancel a home improvement contract within three business days of signing. And after storms and floods, the Attorney General suggests asking your bank or credit union about a Certificate of Completion, under which the lender pays the contractor stage by stage after approving the work.
The full contract rules are in what Pennsylvania requires of flooring contractors, the warranty questions belong on your list of questions for a contractor, and loan and deposit schemes are covered in flooring scams to avoid. Businesses are listed on the flooring contractors directory page.
Sources
- Warranties, Federal Trade Commission
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission
- How to understand special promotional financing offers on credit cards, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- 2008 Act 132 (Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act), Pennsylvania General Assembly
- AG Sunday Warns Consumers of Potential Scams Following Storms and Flooding, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Maintenance, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)