Garage Door Warranty: What It Covers, What Voids It and Your Rights

Question 01

What does a garage door warranty cover?

A garage door warranty covers defects in the door or opener for a set period, and each part often carries its own term. Springs, cables, seals, remotes and safety beams usually get far less cover than the door itself. Most warranties also set conditions you must keep, such as registering the product or servicing it on schedule.

The ACCC says a warranty against defects must state what you have to do to claim and how long it lasts, so the conditions are always in writing. Here's how three Australian door makers set out theirs for residential doors, taken from their own warranty documents.

Terms differ by product and change over time, so read the warranty that came with your own door and opener. Who supplied it matters too. Gliderol says that when a third party supplies its product, the Gliderol warranty covers defects of manufacture only, not the cost of reinstallation or delivery.

Question 02

How long is a garage door motor warranty?

A garage door motor warranty depends on the brand, the model and who services it. B&D says its motors carry five to seven years. Steel-Line's own-brand openers range from 3 years or 15,000 cycles on the RD1500 Pro to 10 years on the SD1000 Pro. Gliderol gives 5 years parts only on the drive unit and motor of some openers.

• Accessories get less. B&D gives 1 year on opener parts such as safety beams, battery backup, remotes and receivers.
• Consumables aren't covered. B&D says owners replace things like remote batteries, light bulbs and fuses as part of normal care.
• Interference isn't a defect. B&D excludes opener faults caused by radio or electrical interference or a lack of signal.
• Servicing can decide it. Gliderol says failing to have several of its openers serviced by an authorised Gliderol distributor or technician every 18 to 24 months will void the 5 year motor warranty.

An opener out of warranty isn't automatically a write-off. The motor replacement cost guide covers whether to repair or replace, and Thom does garage door motor replacement across the Sunshine Coast.

Question 03

What voids a garage door warranty?

Missing a servicing condition is one of the easiest ways to void a garage door warranty. Others are misuse, installation or changes by someone the maker didn't approve, and running a door you know is faulty. Each maker's list differs. A void warranty doesn't wipe out your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which still apply.

The ACCC uses this exact case as an example. A warranty requires the product to be serviced once a year, the owner skips it and can no longer claim under the warranty, but still keeps their consumer guarantee rights. The ACCC also says the consumer guarantees give no remedy when the problem was caused by misusing the product.

Question 04

What are the warranty laws in Australia for garage doors?

Under the Australian Consumer Law, a garage door and opener come with consumer guarantees that apply automatically, whatever the warranty says. The ACCC says products must be of acceptable quality, which means safe, durable and free from defects. A maker's warranty is an extra promise on top, and it can't replace, change or take away those rights.

The law also sets wording every warranty against defects must carry. For goods, it opens: "Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law." You'll find that line, or the version for goods and services, in the B&D, Steel-Line and Gliderol warranty documents.

Question 05

Can I claim after the garage door warranty runs out?

Often, yes. The ACCC says the consumer guarantee of acceptable quality usually still applies after a warranty expires, so a garage door or opener that fails early may still be covered. There's no fixed period. It turns on what's reasonable for that product, given things like its price, its age and the upkeep it needs.

The ACCC says there are no set rules for how long a product should last. It lists questions to weigh up instead, including these:

• What maintenance does the product need to keep working? Dated service invoices help show the door was looked after.
• How old is it, and how long do similar products normally last? The how long garage doors last guide has typical lifespans by part.
• How much did it cost, compared with similar products?
• Did the maker or seller claim anything about its quality or how long it would last?
• Has it been used in a way it wasn't designed for?

Wear parts are a harder case. B&D, for one, says a regular service replaces seals, springs and lifting cables worn through normal wear and tear, which is why those parts carry short terms in its warranty.

Question 06

Who do I contact when my garage door fails under warranty?

Contact the business that sold you the garage door or opener, or the business that gave the warranty. The ACCC says your first step is to contact them, explain the problem and say what outcome you want. Under the consumer guarantees, a seller must not send you off to the manufacturer instead of dealing with it.

1. 01Stop using the door if it's unsafe or not working properly, and keep people and cars clear. Gliderol's warranty asks you to stop using a faulty product and tell it within 48 hours.
2. 02Find your receipt or invoice, the warranty document and your service invoices.
3. 03Call or write to the seller or the business that gave the warranty. Describe the fault, when it started and what you want done.
4. 04Let them look at it. The ACCC says a business has the right to assess the product before it provides a remedy.
5. 05If it still isn't sorted, go to your state consumer protection agency. In Queensland, the Queensland Government's consumer complaint pages explain how to prepare a complaint and what to do next.

A garage door is fixed to the house, so you shouldn't have to pull it out and take it back. The ACCC says businesses are responsible for collecting faulty products that are large, heavy or hard to remove, and lists installed appliances as an example. If the business finds there's no fault, though, it can charge you the collection and inspection costs, after giving you a reasonable estimate first.

Question 07

What should I keep to make a garage door warranty claim?

For a garage door warranty claim, keep the receipt or invoice, the warranty document, any registration confirmation and every service invoice. The ACCC says a business can ask for proof of purchase, and B&D says it may be unable to assess a claim without the purchase receipt. Service invoices show you met any servicing condition.

• Proof of purchase. The receipt, tax invoice or bank record showing the date. B&D's warranty runs from the purchase date on the receipt.
• The warranty document. It tells you the terms and how to claim.
• Registration. B&D's Total Confidence Warranty asks you to register the purchase. Keep the confirmation email.
• Service invoices. Dated, and naming who did the work, for any warranty with a servicing condition.
• Evidence of the fault. Photos or a short video, and a note of when it started.

Bought a house with the door already in? Ask for these papers before settlement. The new home garage door checklist covers what to ask the seller, agent or builder for.

Question 08

Is an extended garage door warranty worth it?

An extended garage door warranty is only worth it if it gives you more than you already have. The ACCC says extended warranties are usually sold separately for an extra cost, and a business must not mislead you into paying for rights you already have under the consumer guarantees. Ask what it covers that the law doesn't.

The ACCC also says a business must not pressure you into buying one. A longer maker's term that comes with the purchase is a different thing. B&D offers a 10-year warranty when you buy its door and opener together, on condition you register it and have the door serviced once in the first 12 months and every two years after that.

A deal like that suits you if you'd service the door anyway, as long as you keep to the schedule and keep the invoices. Miss a service and the longer term may not hold, though your consumer guarantee rights still do.