Lifetime Warranty Doesn't Cover A Lifetime

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Story Published: Oct 1, 2008 at 4:15 PM PST

By Audrey Asistio

HARRAH -- Purchasing a lifetime warranty doesn't always mean it's covered for a lifetime. Your warranty might be worth nothing more than the paper it's written on.

Cathy Hutton started noticing a lot of dots on her living room window. This is when she realized there was mold growing inside the twin-pane window.

"It's ugly, it's horribly ugly. You can't clean it out,” says Cathy.

She noticed the mold about a year ago. Since then, she has tried numerous times to get the window panes replaced with her lifetime warranty, but hasn't had any luck. That's because Permanent Exteriors, the company she bought her windows from, has closed down.

Better Business Bureau spokesperson Zan Deery tells Action News, "The reality is, a lifetime warranty means for the life of a company, so more than likely, you're out of luck as far as having any further coverage."

Still, Deery says there is one way Cathy could get the windows replaced. That would be through the manufacturer, Amerimax. And in fact, Amerimax is willing to send her new windows, but won't pay for installation. This is another problem for Cathy.

"What am I going to do with glass panes?" she asks. " I can't install it!"

So, Cathy will have to use her own money to install the windows. It's money she doesn't have and certainly didn't expect to spend since she thought there was a lifetime warranty for the windows.

"I just want my window panes fixed," she says.

The Better Business Bureau says workmanship warranties usually only lasts up to a year, so Cathy is on her own from here. The BBB adds that when all else fails, home owner's insurance sometimes cover home repair problems.

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