How to check appliance warranty windows and get repairs in time.

Most manufacturer warranties run one year from purchase. Extended warranties from retailers often add five or even ten years. The start date is the purchase date, which means losing the receipt makes proving the warranty window difficult.

Snap the warranty paper and the receipt together in Kigen and the purchase date plus warranty length get logged.

Some repairs go through the manufacturer directly; extended warranties usually route via the retailer. Knowing which path applies before something breaks saves a frantic phone search later.

• Note model number and serial on the warranty paper
• Photograph the extended warranty membership number
• Write a one-line summary of the failure when calling

Setting a reminder six months before warranty expiry creates the moment when you go around the house and notice the small intermittent issues you've been ignoring. Kigen pings before warranty expiry so 'check the appliance once before warranty ends' becomes habitual.

Repair requests almost always ask for the serial and model. Refrigerators and washing machines are awkward to move, so the serial is often behind or underneath. Photographing it at install time and storing in Kigen saves a real headache later.

When the buyer of an appliance is the only one who knows where the warranty paper is, the household searches together when something breaks. A family-shared appliance shelf in Kigen makes 'where's that paperwork' a non-question.