Stop Losing Money: How to Track Appliance Warranties

That refrigerator that just broke down? It might still be under warranty—if only you could find the documentation. Here’s how to stop letting warranties go to waste.

The Warranty Problem

Most homeowners:

• Can’t find warranties when they need them
• Don’t know when warranties expire
• Forget they have warranty coverage
• Miss out on repairs and replacements they’ve already paid for

The solution is organization—and it’s easier than you think.

What to Save for Every Warranty

Essential Documents

1. Warranty certificate/card — The actual warranty terms
2. Purchase receipt — Proof of purchase date (required for most claims)
3. Product manual — Often contains warranty info
4. Serial number — Usually required for claims
5. Model number — For identifying your specific product

Information to Record

• Product name and description
• Brand and manufacturer
• Purchase date
• Purchase price
• Warranty duration
• What’s covered (and what’s not)
• Claim process and contact info

Organizing Your Warranties

Option 1: Home Management App (Recommended)

Apps like Dib handle this automatically:

• Upload warranty documents → AI extracts key details
• Link warranties to specific appliances in your inventory
• Get automatic expiration alerts
• All documentation in one searchable place

Option 2: Digital Folder System

Create a dedicated folder structure:

Warranties/
├── Kitchen/
│   ├── Refrigerator_Samsung_2024.pdf
│   └── Dishwasher_Bosch_2023.pdf
├── Laundry/
├── Electronics/
└── HVAC/

Name files with: Item_Brand_PurchaseYear

Option 3: Spreadsheet Tracking

Create a spreadsheet with:

• Item name
• Brand/model
• Serial number
• Purchase date
• Warranty end date
• Document location

Set up conditional formatting to highlight soon-to-expire warranties.

Types of Warranties

Manufacturer Warranties

• Comes free with the product
• Usually 1-2 years
• May have limited vs. full coverage
• Often requires registration

Extended Warranties

• Purchased separately
• Extends coverage beyond manufacturer warranty
• May include different terms
• Keep track of what’s actually covered

Credit Card Benefits

Many credit cards offer:

• Extended warranty protection (adds time to manufacturer warranty)
• Purchase protection (damage/theft)
• Return protection

Check your card benefits—you might have coverage you don’t know about.

Home Warranty vs. Product Warranty

Product warranty: Covers specific item, from manufacturer Home warranty: Service contract covering multiple systems/appliances

Making Warranty Claims

Before You Need Service

1. Locate your warranty documentation
2. Confirm the item is still covered
3. Review what’s covered (and exclusions)
4. Find the claim process/phone number

When Something Breaks

1. Check warranty status first
2. Document the problem (photos/description)
3. Contact manufacturer or warranty provider
4. Follow their process exactly
5. Keep records of all communications

Common Claim Killers

• Can’t prove purchase date — Keep receipts!
• Expired without realizing — Track expiration dates
• Not actually covered — Read the fine print
• Improper use — Warranties often exclude misuse
• Unauthorized repairs — Some warranties void if not repaired by authorized service

Warranty Tracking Tips

1. Register products — Some warranties require it
2. Save receipts immediately — Digital copies in your system
3. Set expiration alerts — 30 days before warranty ends
4. Review before buying — Consider warranty when purchasing
5. Bundle purchases — Some retailers offer better warranties on bundles

Getting Started

If you’re starting from scratch:

1. Gather existing warranties — Check manuals, email, filing cabinet
2. List your major appliances — Especially recent purchases
3. Find missing info — Manufacturer websites have warranty lookup tools
4. Set up a system — App, folders, or spreadsheet
5. Maintain going forward — Add new purchases immediately

Dib makes this process easier with AI that reads your warranty documents and extracts the important details automatically. No more manual data entry.

The Bottom Line

Warranties only help if you actually use them. A few hours organizing now could save hundreds or thousands when something breaks.

Start with your newest, most expensive appliances—they’re most likely to still be covered and have the highest potential savings.