Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
There are many advantages of owning a home, but as your Wheaton home ages, you may need to factor in the cost of updating your appliances and systems. A home warranty is a way to protect your savings from unexpected home repairs and expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be considerably lower and give you some peace of mind.
Finding the right warranty for your home can be difficult, so our team at Today's Homeowner has compiled this guide to help you find the best home warranty companies in Wheaton. Read on for our top provider recommendations.
Very highly rated among customer service reviews
Covers repairs with a 60-day workmanship guarantee
Extensive list of 20+ add-on coverages
Easy claims process
Won’t cover known or unknown pre-existing conditions
Liberty Home Guard is the most trustworthy home warranty for Wheaton residents. Liberty has been operating for about 6 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. Liberty has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Liberty Home Guard: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. The coverage caps associated with Liberty’s plans are around the $3,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are an affordable $75.
For more information, read our Liberty Home Guard Review. To receive a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or give them a call at 866-451-2281.
Appliance Guard
Systems Guard
Total Home Guard
Over 10 years of experience
24/7 customer service team
Home inspections aren’t required
90-day repair guarantee
Plans aren’t customizable
Customers can’t choose their own contractor
Not available in washington
Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty for Wheaton residents. Choice has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. Choice has 2 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties.
There are 2 home warranty plans from Choice Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Total Plan. The coverage caps associated with Choice’s plans are around the $3,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are an affordable $85.
For more information, read our Choice Home Warranty Review. To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 929-400-6164.
Basic Plan
Total Plan
Low service fees compared to other home warranty providers
Two months of free coverage
Has an appliance-only, systems-only, and combo plan option
90-day repair guarantee
Has a $75 cancellation fee
Low coverage caps
Select Home Warranty is the most cost-effective home warranty for Wheaton residents. Select has been operating for about 11 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Select Home Warranty: Bronze Care Plan, Gold Care Plan, and Platinum Care Plan. The coverage caps associated with Select’s plans are around the $2,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are a reasonable $60.
For more information, read our Select Home Warranty Review. To receive a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 888-370-3953.
Bronze Care Plan
Gold Care Plan
Platinum Care Plan
The oldest and most trusted company in the industry
Allows customers to build their own plans
Ability to choose the service fee you want to pay
Broad coverage on up to 33 appliances and systems
Doesn’t let customers choose their own technician
Doesn’t provide coverage in alaska
American Home Shield is the most customizable home warranty for Wheaton residents. AHS has been operating for about 26 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies.
There are 3 home warranty plans from American Home Shield: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. The coverage caps associated with AHS’s plans are around the $2,500 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125.
For more information, read our American Home Shield Review. To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or give them a call at 888-365-2839.
ShieldSilver
ShieldGold
ShieldPlatinum
Offers home insurance deductible of $500
Extra long 180-day workmanship guarantee
Offers free cancellation in the first 30 days
Charges high service fees of $75-$150
Doesn’t allow customers to choose their own technician
Isn’t available in hawaii or alaska
Cinch Home Services is the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for Wheaton residents. Cinch has been operating for about 44 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. Cinch has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Cinch Home Services: Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. The coverage caps associated with Cinch’s plans are around the $1,000-$2,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150.
For more information, read our Cinch Home Services Review. To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or give them a call at 877-589-0505.
Appliances Plan
Built-in Systems Plan
Complete Home Plan
Policy starts in ten days
24/7 customer service support
Generous coverage caps on important systems and appliances
30-labor guarantee and 90-day parts guarantee
Offers utility and home service outside line coverage
Higher service fee of $95
Not accredited by the better business bureau (bbb)
Only 2 plan options
The Home Service Club is the best home warranty with the quickest service for Wheaton residents. HSC has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. HSC has 2 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. If you’re looking for quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
There are 2 home warranty plans from The Home Service Club: Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. The coverage caps associated with HSC’s plans are around the $2,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90.
For more information, read our The Home Service Club Review. To receive a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or give them a call at 800-750-9443.
Standard Coverage Plan
Comprehensive Coverage Plan
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on home warranty companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Home Appliance | Repair Cost |
---|---|
Air Conditioner | $6,534 |
Heating | $4,356 |
Electrical | $653 |
Toilets | $545 |
Washer/Dryer | $871 |
Plumbing | $653 |
Oven | $1,742 |
Fridge | $653 |
A home warranty is a protection plan that helps lower expenses for Wheaton homeowners needing appliance and system repairs. These plans provide financial coverage to repair or swap out appliances and systems that break due to normal wear and tear.
Homeowners file a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty provider then arranges a contractor to make the repair or replacement. The only time you may pay out-of-pocket is if the cost of the repair or replacement exceeds the item's coverage limit. A home warranty gives reassurance to homeowners because it helps prevent expensive emergency repairs. Home warranties are the most useful for older construction homes with aging systems. New homes with up-to-date appliances may not require a home warranty.
Home warranties safeguard both your home systems and appliances. Common covered appliances include dishwashers, garbage disposals, washers, refrigerators, dryers, microwaves, and others. Covered systems include electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating. Many home warranties offer additional add-on coverage options for locksmiths, septic systems, central vacuums, and even roof leaks. It's important for Wheaton homeowners to know that most home warranty policies have a 30-day waiting period before they will cover the cost of any repairs. Additionally, policies typically only cover repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't cover problems such as pre-existing conditions, natural disasters, cosmetic issues, or misuse of a system or appliance. You need to keep up with preventative maintenance to help ensure that your next repair or replacement is covered by your policy.
Home warranty contracts use several terms that you'll want to know before signing, such as:
There are several important considerations when selecting a home warranty provider:
Home warranty plans can have major differences in covered items. Most plans cover AC, electrical, plumbing, heating, and appliances. More robust plans also extend protection to other items such as roof leaks, well pumps, spas, and pools. Focus on companies with broad coverage options including upgraded plans. This flexibility enables you to customize protection for your home's needs.
You'll pay a standard service fee of around $60 to $100 for each claim filed with your home warranty provider. These fees to accumulate quickly with each claim, so you may seek out companies advertising lower service fees to optimize savings on each repair claim. Certain providers may waive deductibles after a customer goes a period of time with no claims filed.
A home warranty provider's reputation can offer insight into things such as contractor quality, speed of repairs, approval rates for claims, and customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, or Google Reviews to research companies. Good ratings and reviews indicate that a provider is known for quality service.
Home warranty providers use networks of local repair contractors to manage repairs in a given area. Reach out to potential companies to ask how many repair technicians they have in Wheaton and get an idea of how quickly your repairs could be handled in an emergency. Larger networks increase the probability of getting qualified contractors to promptly service your home.
Some home warranty providers include bonuses such as maintenance discounts, energy efficiency upgrades, and smart home device protection. These perks add value beyond repair coverage. Extra bonuses help maximize the usefulness of your home warranty.
Home warranty policies are an affordable way to guard your home systems and appliances from normal wear and tear. With temperatures in Wheaton reaching an average high of 57℃F, you may find that certain appliances, such as your A.C., get a lot of use. A home warranty can significantly lower out-of-pocket costs should your HVAC system stop working.
Plus, having a home warranty can save you some time by removing the need to research technicians — most providers will send a trusted professional right to your door to carry out the necessary repair or replacement. Another added benefit of having a home warranty plan is that it can increase your home’s property value. If you ever decide to sell your house, you may be able to transfer your home warranty plan to the new homebuyer depending on the provider you have your home warranty with.
One disadvantage of buying a home warranty is that there are generally exclusions. For example, if you already have a manufacturer's warranty on one of your appliances, it may not be included in the home warranty, so it’s important to read through any contracts you’re considering thoroughly to understand what is included and what isn’t.
Another pain point of home warranties is that they don’t cover items that have been improperly maintained. This can lead to your claims being rejected, so it’s important to carefully follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance of your home systems and appliances.
A home warranty in Wheaton can cost between $30 and $60 a month. The higher-priced plans usually have a lower service fee, higher coverage limits, and broader coverage. Home warranties are often cheaper when you pay annually instead of monthly. Some providers will also reduce your up-front costs when you agree to a higher service fee.
The difference between a home warranty and homeowner's insurance lies in what types of damage each covers. A home warranty plan helps protect against normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. A homeowners insurance plan protects your entire home in case of a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. With homeowners insurance, you won't be able to file a claim should you need a new refrigerator or stove, unless the damage is due to a natural disaster, which is somewhat common in Wheaton.
Homebuyers, landlords, real estate agents, home sellers, and homeowners can all get home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your property more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
A home warranty plan will cover your home’s systems, appliances, or both. Combination plans are great if you need more coverage for your home, but a system- or appliance-only plan can be helpful if you're concerned about one more than the other.
Generally, a home warranty policy offers coverage for a year and can be renewed yearly. Some companies may offer month-to-month options.
Usually the one who owns the home pays for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the one selling the home may buy a home warranty and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then have to pay the service fees when using the policy. Since the average home value in Wheaton is $434,595, a home warranty can be an added asset when buying a home.