The most expensive misunderstanding in this product category is the belief that warranty coverage ends at five years.
The terms, stated precisely
The manufacturer publishes three layers of coverage on its full-size refrigeration.
Two years, full, parts and labor. Everything in the appliance.
Five years, full, on the sealed system. That is the compressor, the evaporators, the condenser and the connecting tubing, with parts and labor both covered.
Twelve years, limited, on the sealed system. Parts only.
That third layer is where this page lives, and it is the one people do not know about because the word “limited” does a lot of work and because nobody reads a warranty document seven years after installation.
What “parts only” actually allows
In years six through twelve, if a covered sealed-system component fails, the part is still supplied. The homeowner pays for labor.
The part is obtained from the manufacturer directly. And — this is the point — the homeowner may have an independent shop perform the work.
That is not a loophole we are exploiting. It is how the coverage is structured, and it exists precisely so that owners are not stranded on a cabinet that is out of full warranty but still has a covered component fail.
We are an independent company. We are not authorized by, affiliated with, or endorsed by any manufacturer, and we do not claim to be. What we can do is perform the labor on a covered part that you obtain, and tell you honestly when that is the route worth taking.
Why this decides repair or replace
A built-in refrigerator is a substantial appliance and replacing one is rarely just an appliance purchase. The custom panels frequently do not transfer. The opening dimensions may not match a current model. In an older kitchen the work involves a carpenter.
Against that, a sealed-system repair — a compressor or an evaporator on one of the two circuits — is a significant labor job but a comparatively modest one if the part itself is supplied.
So the arithmetic changes completely depending on the cabinet’s age. A cabinet in year nine with a failed compressor is usually worth repairing. The same cabinet in year fourteen, outside every layer of coverage, is a genuinely open question, and we will price it and then leave the decision to you.
What we need to tell you which one you have
The model number and the serial number from the plate, and the installation date if you have it. Original owners often have the paperwork; second owners frequently do not, in which case the serial is the starting point.
We ask for this on the first call, before the visit. It takes a minute and it can change a quote by thousands.
The rest of the cabinet
The twelve-year limited layer covers the sealed system only. Evaporator fan motors, defrost heaters and thermostats, control assemblies, gaskets, hinges, ice makers, water valves and lighting are not sealed-system components and are not covered by it.
That is worth saying clearly because it cuts both ways. It is also why the diagnosis matters: a warm fresh-food compartment can be an uncovered fan motor or a covered compressor, and telling those apart is the job. On a dual-refrigeration cabinet with two of everything, guessing is expensive in both directions.
Our own coverage
Separately from anything the manufacturer offers, our work carries 90 days on labor and 365 days on parts. We fit genuine OEM parts and we do not substitute aftermarket components on sealed-system or control work.
The diagnostic is $80, flat, credited toward the repair, and no part is ordered before you have a written estimate.