If you are new to the world of roofing warranties, you have a lot to learn, including the difference between standard warranties, extended warranties, and workmanship warranties for roofs.
When purchasing a roof, you might be carried away with trying to find the best roofing materials, most aesthetically pleasing, and most cost-effective. However, you shouldn’t focus only on the type of roofing material and forget about important factors such as warranties. You ought to ensure that you get the best protection and warranty for that roof of your choice.
Navigating roofing warranties can be quite confusing if you’re not an expert, but not to worry because this post will help you navigate warranties and tell you all you need to know about the entire process.
An Introduction To Roofing Warranties
First, it is important to get familiar with the three types of roofing warranties, which are the standard manufacturer’s warranty that comes with the product you purchase, the extended manufacturer’s warranty that is a combination of the contractor workmanship and products, as well as the workmanship warranty that comes from the contractor and covers the roof installation.
Standard Manufacturer’s Warranty
This is the most common warranty and most of the roofing shingles have this basic limited lifetime warranty in line with industry standards. The general definition of a lifetime warranty is that for as long as you own the home, your warranty is in place. However, the ‘limited’ in the name is dependent on how the manufacturer defines it.
For most manufacturers, the warranty only covers the cost of the damaged or defective materials, meaning you are responsible for all charges connected to the removal and replacement of the damaged shingles.
For some other manufacturers, they will cover the cost of replacing defective shingles for a given number of years, after which they will only offer a prorated warranty. What this means is that for every shingle that gets damaged in the first few years, the shingles will be replaced without cost. This replacement will also cover the labor and installation cost, meaning you won’t spend a dime for the repair and installation. However, you would need to handle the cost associated with tearing off and disposing of the damaged shingle. When the protracted period begins, you will only receive a part of the cost for the new shingles while you will have to make up for the rest.
Throughout the roofing industry, you find that standard manufacturer warranties only cover factory defective materials and not shingles that are damaged during installation, usage, or other resulting issues after installation. The warranty won’t cover things such as ventilation products, flashing, water and ice shield, as well as underlayment. However, it might be possible to get individual warranties for these components, depending on the manufacturers.
Contractor Workmanship Warranties
One reason we always advise that you work with an experienced contractor is that the installation of your roof plays a major role in the lifespan and performance of your roof. Reputable installation contractors offer workmanship warranties, but what these warranties cover will depend on the contractor you are working with.
While some contractors offer lifetime coverage, others focus on possible material failures that could happen during the process of installation.
The average contractor workmanship warranties cover material and labor costs, as well as all materials that will be needed to carry out repairs on the roof. It might even go on to cover damages that might have occurred in the home due to a mistake or problem with the installation.
Most contractor warranties won’t cover issues that can affect the roof after their installation has been done, such as water and ice damage, storm and wind damage, damage caused by foot traffic, subsequent alteration to the roof, as well as leaks caused by debris or tree limbs.
When considering the warranties of the construction company you want to work with, you also need to be sure about other things such as the experience levels of the company, the quality of work they deliver, and how many satisfied customers they have had over the years. An unproblematic installation and a lasting roof trump every claim.
Extended Manufacturer Warranties
Most of the best manufacturers in the roofing industry have come to terms with the relationship between the quality of installation and the lifespan of their roofing materials. As a result, they offer an extended warranty that doesn’t only cover the roofing product but also covers the installation, provided the roofs are installed by experienced and certified contractors, and provided they follow all the installation guides and requirements spelt out by the manufacturer.
With a little more money, you can get extended warranties. But, they are only available if you are getting a complete roof installation that goes along with components like underlayment, starter and field shingle, barriers against ice and water, soffit and ridge vents, as well as hip and ridge cap shingles.
Here’s what the comprehensive extended warranties offered by industry-leading manufacturers look like:
- Roof System Component Coverage
This coverage covers everything except the likes of wood decking, flashing, and fasteners.
- Lengthy, continuous coverage for defective materials (non-prorated)
This coverage covers the cost of replacements and repairs for a stated period that can be extended to reach 50 years.
- Workmanship coverage against roofing system installation errors
This warranty could last for a lifetime, but prorating begins after some years as stated. It includes the cost of tear-off, labor, and disposal.
Pro Tip: Pay Attention to Warranty Registration
After understanding everything that you should, selecting the brand of roofing material, as well as the contractor you want to work with for the installation, as well as the warranty option you prefer, the next thing to do is to go through the requirements to register your warranty and ensure that you meet them.
If the warranty is being handled by your roofing contractor, you need to ensure that they register with the manufacturer when they should. You should take time to look over all that they have done and ensure that they have met all requirements so that you don’t face any issues when you want to file for warranty claims if something were to happen down the line.