Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
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United StatesWhich installed products and warranties does the federal warranty law cover? What 16 CFR 700.1 says
A homeowner can hold a contractor's promise, a manufacturer's warranty and a separately bought home warranty. This page does not compare them. It shows which installed products, and which kinds of warranty, the federal warranty law reaches, according to an FTC rule. It does not cover state contractor law or what any particular warranty says.
The short answer
- The federal law applies to "consumer products": the rule says the Act "applies to written warranties on tangible personal property which is normally used for personal, family, or household purposes," including property "intended to be attached to or installed in any real property."1
- Installed equipment counts: the rule says this brings "separate items of equipment attached to real property, such as air conditioners, furnaces, and water heaters" under the Act. In describing that coverage, the rule says it "does not extend to the wiring, plumbing, ducts, and other items which are integral component parts of the structure."1
- A repairer's workmanship alone is not covered: "warranties on services are not covered," and a warranty that applies solely to a repairer's workmanship in performing repairs is not subject to the Act. A single written agreement that warrants both parts and workmanship must comply.1
- A home warranty is a different question: this rule is about which products and warranties the federal Act reaches. Our guides on home warranties cover the contracts.
The question this page answers
A homeowner may hold several kinds of promises about work done on a home: a contractor's promise about the work, a manufacturer's warranty on a product such as a furnace or roofing, and a separately bought home warranty. This page does not compare the contracts. It reports what one federal rule says about which of these the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (the "Act") reaches. Our guide Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act explained covers the Act itself.
What the FTC rule says about installed products and work
| Situation | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Separate equipment attached to a home (air conditioners, furnaces, water heaters) | Brought under the Act. The rule says coverage "includes, but is not limited to, appliances and other thermal, mechanical, and electrical equipment."1 |
| Wiring, plumbing, ducts and other integral parts of the structure | In describing coverage of attached equipment, the rule says it "does not extend to" these items.1 |
| Building materials bought “over the counter” from hardware and building supply retailers | The rule says the "numerous products which go into the construction of a consumer dwelling are all consumer products when sold “over the counter.”"1 |
| Materials bought under a contract for improving, repairing or modifying a home (for example paneling, dropped ceilings, siding, roofing, storm windows, remodeling) | The rule says this is "also true" of those materials, so they are consumer products.1 |
| Structural parts sold as part of real estate covered by a written warranty (for example beams, wallboard, wiring, plumbing, windows, roofing) | Not consumer products, because "they cannot be practically distinguished from realty."1 |
| Building a home, a substantial addition, or other realty such as a garage or in-ground swimming pool under a builder contract | The building materials "are not consumer products." Separate items of equipment attached to the realty still are.1 |
| Warranty on replacement parts and components used in a repair | Covered.1 |
| Warranty on services, or solely on a repairer's workmanship in performing repairs | Not covered by the Act.1 |
| One written agreement warranting both the parts and the workmanship | The rule says it "must comply with the Act and the rules thereunder."1 |
Roofing appears on both sides of the rule
The rule lists roofing among materials that are consumer products when a consumer contracts to buy them to improve, repair or modify a home.1 It also lists roofing among structural components that are not consumer products when "sold as part of real estate covered by a written warranty."1 The rule says the nature of the purchase transaction decides whether goods are real or personal property.1 Which side a given job falls on depends on how it was sold.
If it is unclear
The rule says: "Where it is unclear whether a particular product is covered under the definition of consumer product, any ambiguity will be resolved in favor of coverage."1
What the rule does not say
The rule speaks of a repairer's workmanship. It does not separately address a contractor's workmanship promise on a new installation. It does not say what law governs a warranty that falls outside the Act. Other law, such as state law, may govern those, and this page does not cover it. Read the written warranty and ask the contractor and the manufacturer who stands behind each promise.
Where this fits our standard
Point 1 of our standard asks whether contract terms and exclusions are disclosed in plain language. The Register reports how we check providers by category. It describes a method, not a recommendation of any company.
How to verify this yourself
- Open 16 CFR 700.1 on eCFR (reference 1) and read paragraphs (a) to (h). Every statement above comes from it.1
- Collect every written warranty for the job: the contractor's, the manufacturer's and any separate contract. Note who is named as the warrantor in each.
- For state rules on contractors and home improvement, use your state's consumer protection office through the USAGov directory.
What this page is not
This is general information about one federal rule, not legal advice. It does not say whether a particular warranty is valid, whether a claim should be paid, or what a contractor owes you. It does not describe state law. It does not assess any contractor, manufacturer or warranty company.
What to do next
Gather the written warranties for your installed work and see who stands behind each. For home warranty contracts, read how home warranties work and transferring a warranty when you sell. Start from the home warranty hub.