What to expect from a replacement window warranty

With the level of technology and research that goes into replacement windows these days there is no surprise that many companies offer warranties on their windows. In a standard replacement window warranty you can expect to get the following coverages (and make sure you do; if the company you are working with does not have all these guarantees, it should be easy to find one that does):

• Glass breakage - this is offered because many windows now-a-days come with double strength glass which makes the window panes more than twice as strong as the old single pane glass.  The warranty should cover any kind of breakage whether it be from moving furniture inside you house or if a rock gets kicked out by a lawn mower and strikes your window.  Acts of god like hurricanes and lightning strikes are not usually covered.
• Parts - there are many moving parts to a window like the balance systems, lock and keeper hardware, vent tabs and tilt latches to name a few.  Make sure these are protected in the warranty
• Labor - some handy men will not warranty labor but larger remodeling and contracting companies will make sure they install the windows correctly the first time allowing them to guarantee nothing will happen because of the installation.
• Frame failure - sometimes the frame of the window will fail because of improper installation, damage during transit, or just because of a manufacturing defect.  
• Seal failure - we have all seen the windows that have the foggy condensation built up between the double panes.  This is cause by the seal keeping the air in between the glass deteriorating either from sun damage or just old age.  
• Transferable - since these windows are usually warrantied for the life of the house make sure your warranty is transferable.  That means if you ever move or sell your house the warranty transfers to the next homeowner; not only does it add extra security to you but also adds a nice selling point if you try and sell your home.