Warranties are a common topic when you’re dealing with high-value items, and particularly in the world of real estate. One home component that will often be covered by a warranty of some type is your roof, and knowing how roof warranties work and what’s covered under yours is typically very important.
At The Roof Doctor, we’re happy to discuss warranties and other forms of protection for any of our new roofing products, which include slate roofs, metal roofs and many other options. What are the different kinds of roof warranties that might be available to you, how do you understand which areas are covered within yours, and what else do you need to know here? Let’s have a look at this important area.
Roof Warranty Basics and Types
For those who are buying a new roof or having one installed, warranties typically come in two types. These are:
- Manufacturer’s Warranty – This warranty is provided by the company who manufactured your roofing material and is generally valid for around 10 to 20 years. It will cover any defects that occur as a result of the manufacturing process, such as issues with the materials used.
- Installation Warranty – This warranty is provided by the roofing contractor and will cover any issues that arise as a result of their installation processes. Generally, these warranties are in effect for up to one year post-installation and they’ll protect you from any issues or damage resulting from faulty workmanship on the part of the contractor.
What’s Covered?
When it comes to knowing what is and isn’t covered under your roof warranty, you’ll need to read through your specific contract carefully. For manufacturer warranties, some of the elements covered will typically include:
- All major components of the roof, including shingles, flashing and sealants
- Any manufacturer defects that may be present
- Water damage from faulty shingle installation
It’s vital to keep in mind that with many roof manufacturers, there will be strict conditions attached to their manufacturing warranties. For instance, they may only cover a product if a defect specifically results in a leak, plus if the installation was carried out exactly to manufacturer specifications. It’s very important to be sure you know these particulars for any warranty you receive from a manufacturer.
For installation warranties, the coverage will usually include:
- Any problems caused by faulty workmanship on the part of the contractor
- Malfunctioning parts due to improper installation
It’s important to remember that while these warranties will cover any of the issues above, they won’t typically cover things such as wear and tear or storm damage. If you’re looking for protection in those areas, you may need to look into getting an additional roof insurance policy.
Limited, Lifetime and Extended Warranties
You may see a few different terms used when it comes to roof warranties, such as limited, lifetime and extended warranties. A limited warranty is one that only covers certain elements of the installation or material for a set period of time. Lifetime warranties are usually reserved for higher-end materials, like metal roofs, and they cover those materials indefinitely against any manufacturer defects.
Finally, an extended warranty is an additional policy that can cover your roof beyond the terms of the original warranty. This is a good option for those who want extra protection and peace of mind.
The GAF Golden Pledge Warranty
At The Roof Doctor, we’re proud to offer one of the single best warranties in the entire roofing industry: The GAF Golden Pledge Warranty. This is a limited lifetime warranty, meaning you’ll always be covered in some way, and it is completely non-prorated for the first 50 years. Here are some of the elements that make the GAF Golden Pledge Warranty so valuable:
- 25-year workmanship warranty: Not only is this a very long period of time for any workmanship warranty, this warranty is relatively flexible. It covers even situations where a product was misapplied or improperly installed, unlike many others.
- Wind warranty: For those in windy areas, this warranty carries wind coverage up to 130 mph – the only exception here is the Timberline HDZ, which actually comes with an infinite wind warranty instead!
- Fully transferable: If you’re looking to sell your home or building in the near future, this warranty is easy to transfer.
- Fully backed by GAF: GAF, a leader in the roofing industry, backs this warranty in full. Even if the contractor you’re working with goes out of business or has some other issue, GAF will send a different Master Elite contractor and will cover the entire bill. In fact, at The Roof Doctor, we proudly serve as the first contractor GAF calls in the greater SLC area when there’s a problem with another contractor – this is due to our reliability and consistency.
Roof warranties are an important part of owning any property, but knowing exactly what is and isn’t covered and whether a warranty can be transferred is often the key to making sure you’re properly protected. Be sure to read through your specific contract carefully and ask any questions you may have of your roofing manufacturer and contractor before signing on the dotted line.
This will help ensure that you understand exactly what type of coverage you’re getting – and that you can trust it to protect your property for years to come.
For more here, or to learn about any of our roof installation or roof repair services, speak to our team at The Roof Doctor today.