The following is for informational purposes only - it is not legal advice and no client/attorney relationship has been created.

I don't have a lot of time right now to post everything that I normally do for people who post similar dilemmas. If the below doesn't make sense, I will come back tomorrow and check the post - so, let me know.

First, residential contractors/repairmen/service providers all put a one year warranty period in their contracts in order to make homeowners (like you) think that they have no recourse because an issue arises after the expiration of the 12 month period. An express warranty in a contract is only one recourse of action a homeowner has to deal with issues relate to renovations/repairs/services/etc. provided by a contractor/professional at their home.

In fact, most actions filed against someone related to faulty/negligent/unfinished work done on a home are not filed as breach of warranty claims - typically, they are filed as breach of contract, a negligence action and/or pursuant to a statute enacted in their state that specifically addresses these types of issues for residential properties.

Every state that I have looked for a statute of this type, there has been one that was enacted by the state legislature in order to protect homeowners. There may be a state(s) that doesn't have one (I haven't researched this issue in every state) - but my guess is that every state has enacted a statute that addresses residential renovations/services/repairs/etc.

In my jurisidction, the statute of llimitations for breach of a written contract is FIVE years. An action for negligence must be filed within two years after the homeower has discovered (or should have discovered) that a contractor/repairman/service provider has been negligent.

The residential renovation/services statute requires that all work done by a contractor must be completed in a good and workmanlike manner. This language has been interpreted by the courts to require that all work must be completed in accordance with laws (codes/regulations/ordinances, etc.) + industry standards used by contractors in the geographical area (for example, that language would require a tile installer in my jurisdiction to follow manufacturer's specifications + the TCNA handbook covering tile installation, in addition to all laws).

Okay - I have to run - I hope the above makes sense. You are NOT screwed because it's been 16 months - you still have remediation rights against your contractor requiring him/her to address the issue (unless you've caused the issue).

Any advice?

Discuss with your contractor/installer/door store.

I’m confused- a wood interior door or exterior? You describe it as an interior door but then you say it’s between a sunroom and the garage and you feel a draft. Wood doors are particularly finicky when exposed to temp and moisture fluctuations which is why exterior wood doors are thicker. Garage doors typically have to be fire rated so in most cases aren’t wood. So I’m just confused but not helpful.

Pictures? Has the door been sealed all SIX sides? Exposure? Strom door? Was it purchased as a door only and hung by the installer or purchased as a prehung unit? Before anyone can answer questions about anything you really need to answer the above questions, including mine.

I think I would want a metal fireproof door from the garage to any interior space. And I would expect wood to be particularly vulnerable to high heat and humidity. I do hope you can get some satisfaction with this, tho, That's a lot of money to be replacing after such a short time. What happened to the previous door in that spot?

When I replaced a door between my kitchen and garage it had to be fire-rated -- interior doors used in the rest of the house didn't meet code. Perhaps that's the problem.

Thank you everyone very much for your replies and input. Dani, I will look into consumer protection information for NC for my situation. That gives me hope that we have some kind of recourse beyond the 1 year warranty. Thank you!

Hallett & Co and others, thank you for asking about the door's fire rating. I had forgotten all about that. Yes, this door is supposed to have a fire-rating as it opens from an interior room into our garage. The door was purchased and installed by a professional company in Raleigh. Millworkman, yes indeed we are now wondering if the door was properly treated/sealed on all 6 sides, thank you for bringing that up. Olychick, the old door we replaced was wood too, probably 15 years old and fit fine (it never warped!), it was just old fashioned looking and we wanted to update.

Ultimately we will need to discuss with the installer, as PPF said! It always comes down to that. But uggg I am not looking forward to that part as we had to haggle with them over another one of the doors they replaced. I hope it turns out the door wasn't treated properly--that can be fixed. My fingers are crossed.

Wood doors typically have a considerably longer than 1 year warranty (product warranty, not install as the manufacturer of the door has nothing to do with this). That being said many times in the past (when I sold residential) I have that a warranty was not honored for the door as it was not finished all 6 sides.

Millworkman, I just looked at the top of the door and it does appear unfinished. It actually looks raw. Very smooth, but raw. Here's a pic and you can see the rest of the door is painted a white-ish shade. The top of course looks nothing like this white! There is a label on top side (not pictured) which includes the abbreviation "FD" which I'm guessing means "fire door." Makes sense the door would start warping at top where not sealed/finished. I anticipate the installer/seller and manufacturer will both say it's the other's responsibility!

"I have that a warranty was not honored for the door as it was not finished all 6 sides."

https://www.woodshopnews.com/columns-blogs/finishing-both-sides-is-warped-thinking#:~:text=It's%20a%20widespread%20myth%20among,the%20likelihood%20of%20future%20problems.

That stinks. Hard to think that much moisture can move through one rail, but depending on environment...I suppose it can.

The installer and seller may blame each other, but unless it was sold with a factory finish on all sides and unmodified by the installer, it would be their responsibilty to either finish or inform you that further finishing was needed.

I'm curious about the $800 price. I haven't seen an answer yet as to whether this was a slab only or a prehung door? Did that price include installation? .... Given the fact that fire rated door assembly of any material (wood, steel, fg) should cost at least a few grand installed by a legitimate, reputable company, I'll assume that you purchased a slab only for $800 and paid someone to install? I'm not trying to add insult to injury, but this is a bad arrangement in terms of protecting your investment and the likely result will be that you have to replace this at your own expense.

I do hope that I'm worng and you have some recourse here.

I'll agree with the sentiments of the other pros in terms of the cause, likely some moisture caused this due to incomplete or improper finishing, and perhaps some installation issues as well.

The issue with wood? They can absorb moisture and warp. That doesnt have anything to do with an installation ( usually ). Perhaps the door wasnt "finished" properly by the manufacturer? Who knows.

@William Rossman, it was established that the top edge of the door is unfinished.

Regarding a possible installation concern, its not uncommon for a homeowner to perceive a door as "warped", when in reality the slab itslef is perfectly straight, but improperly installed causing a corner to sit proud of the frame as pictured.

@Suzanne S. , did your husband put a straight edge on the door slab itself to verify that there is indeed real warpage?

William Rossman:

Please read the posts in front of yours. I've debunked the unevenly finished wood warping myth.

So we've contacted our installer, left a message and have not yet heard back. No surprise there. Given my previous interactions with our person there I will not be surprised if they try to avoid us or claim it's our problem because one year has passed since installation. Again I am grateful to Dani :) for the info on state consumer protections and I am now looking into that. The installer we worked with is well-known and advertises heavily in local home improvement mailers, they are the local outlet of a national franchise. They installed 8 doors for us including this one.

Homesealed, Yes, my husband put a straight edge on the door and also checked surrounding walls, floors, trim, etc. The door goes from sunroom with AC to garage which is insulated but still hot and humid in our NC summer.

Ultra Windows, our installer also finished the doors (as opposed to a painter after installation.). Well they were supposed to, anyway!

I will share an update later. Maybe this can help others if they happen to fall into the same boat. Thank you everybody for responding and helping me sort through this!

We spoke with the door installer today and he told us it's an industry-wide practice to NOT finish the top side of doors (even fire-rated doors). That seems to run against the comments here. He also said that since one year has passed since installation he doesn't have to do anything. He also said that, normally, he would visit a customer and replace the door, but in this case he wouldn't even come look at it unless I first take down a poor review. (Background: I did indeed post a negative review because they did a poor job installing yet a different door, he to hire a 3rd party contractor to repair damage they did to door frame and wall; then he accused us of forcing him to sell us that door.) Now that we've notified him of the warped door, it is a pity he didn't adopt a more customer-minded approach and say to himself "I will absolutely fix that warped door and show the customer I am worth working with so they will be glad change their review from bad to good based on giving them good results."

Husband also contacted the door manufacturer, Jeld-Wen, who says they always finish all 6 sides of the door.

If a door installer is shaving down the top of a door after it has been finished by the factory, doesn't that void the product warranty?

What a mess.

" Husband also contacted the door manufacturer, Jeld-Wen, who says they always finish all 6 sides of the door."

Ugh, Jeld-Wen? Wood Fire Door, flush I presume?

Shoulda bought a better quality door. It's not surprising that it's warping. You needed a steel fire door to the garage. Never wood.

" You needed a steel fire door to the garage. Never wood. "

Absolutely nothing wrong with wood fire doors, not inexpensive but in a quality product they are perfectly fine.