Murphy's Law applies more than ever to owning a home. As much as we'd like our home and everything in it to last forever, something is always breaking down or wearing out.

Homebuyers need to be especially aware of the quality of their new home and the products that go into it.

“Be sure to look carefully at builders and the warranties they offer before choosing one that really stands behind the home,” says Richard Roll, president of American Homeowners Association (AHA). “By keeping an eye on the construction warranty and the life cycle of various parts of your home, you'll be protected and better prepared to deal with a problem.” For more information, go to http://www.ahahome.com

Homebuilders vary widely in the quality of building materials or products they use. Quality lumber, for example, is hard to find in many areas of the country. When a warped or green timber starts to dry, nails can pop out or a door can stick to the jamb.

That's why a warranty can be critical. It pays to research a builder's reputation and their warranties carefully for what they do and do not cover.

A typical new home warranty covers mechanical items such as plumbing, electricity, and heating and cooling systems for two years. Some builders offer a ten-year warranty against construction defects and repairs.

But the real test is not the warranty but the builder's reputation for following up on problems and fixing them to the customer's satisfaction. For example, concrete is supposed to last for 50 years but not if improperly mixed or formed. If the sidewalk breaks or the house foundation settles and cracks, is the builder going to stand behind the home or hide behind excuses?

The time to find out is before you buy. Ask for at least three customer references and call them, and check with state and local consumer affairs agencies for complaints.

Remember that no warranty is perfect or idiot-proof. A builder definitely should fix cracks in the sidewalk caused by settling. On the other hand, if you poured rock salt all over it and chipped it with your shovel while clearing the ice, whose fault is that?

For more information on any aspect of buying a home, go to http://www.ahahome.com, the web site for American Homeowners Association.