Most of us buy products that come with a warranty and assume the longer the warranty
the better. When it comes to quartz countertops that may or may not be true. It’s critical to understand what your warranty actually covers and what it excludes. Most importantly, you have to remember that the performance of a product has little to do with its warranty.
Consider
the following. This warranty language comes from a leading quartz (engineered
stone) manufacturer who advertises a 25-Year limited warranty (note, the company’s
name has been removed),
"WHAT
THIS LIMITED 25-YEAR WARRANTY COVER: (sic)
This
limited transferable warranty covers (PRODUCT NAME) surfaces that have
been purchased from an Authorized (PRODUCT NAME) Installer or Dealer
("Authorized Installer”) and have been permanently installed in your single
family residence by an Authorized Installer.
This
limited transferable warranty covers products that have been maintained
according to the (PRODUCT NAME) Surfaces Care and Maintenance and (PRODUCT
NAME) Sink Care and Maintenance set forth on (Company Web Address)."
What
does this warranty cover? It covers the brand’s countertops for a period of 25 years. Sounds good, but
what protection does it actually provide? The question isn’t answered by the language above.
So,
let’s ask a second question, "What isn’t covered?” Without quoting the
entire warranty verbatim the following is a list of issues not covered, "cracking,
thermal shock,
non-uniform appearance including variances in color, shade, particle structure
or gloss level, damage from excessive heat, scorching, exposure to weather
conditions, exposure to ultraviolet light, physical or chemical abuse, acid
etching, staining, chipping, impact damage or breaking."
The warranty language is pretty much standard for the industry. It's written to protect manufacturers from frivolous claims. The exclusions simply clarify issues over which the company has no control, i.e., certain anomalies inherent in the production process, how their product is installed and how it is cared for by the home owner.
The moral of this story is learn everything you can about the product you are going to purchase. Never assume a product will look or perform in a way that is not a certifiable fact. Quartz countertop materials are a fantastic design choice but they may have very noticeable variations in color, pattern and gloss, they can be stained and they are not bullet proof.
If you need help with an estimate, give us a call at (417) 258-2787 and ask for Doug, Holly, Mitchell or Sarah.