As a homeowner, you make many investments to keep your home safe, comfortable and appealing. None are perhaps as important as the investment you’ll make in your new or replacement roof’s materials and installation. Yet many homeowners don’t read the fine print when it comes to their roof warranty.
That oversight can end up being a costly mistake down the road. A manufacturer or contractor’s roofing warranty is an assurance that if issues arise due to defects in either materials or installation during a specified period of time after installation, those issues will be addressed and resolved at no extra cost.
Learning all you can about what kind of warranty comes with your new residential roof , what it protects against and for how long will help ensure that you’re covered for everything you should be covered for — before any work begins.
What Is a Roof Warranty?
A roof warranty is essentially a guarantee from either the manufacturer of your roofing materials or the roofing contractor that installed them, that your roof will be free from certain defects or other issues for a given period of time. In short, it’s an insurance policy for your investment and will help protect you if your roof runs into any issues because of faulty materials or bad craftsmanship.
There are generally two different kinds of warranties that come with a new roof:
- Manufacturer’s Warranty – This type of protection applies to the actual components of your roof that were used in construction. So if you have an asphalt shingle roof, your warranty will protect against any defects with the shingles themselves or any other part of the roofing system like ice and water shields, flashings, etc. If a manufacturing issue with a component causes it to fail or function improperly (ex: cracking, curling, fading), this aspect of your warranty kicks in and provides coverage.
- Workmanship Warranty – This type of warranty covers any issues that arise due to errors made by the contractor during installation. Scenario: You hire a new series LLC contractor to install a new rubber membrane flat roof on one of your commercial office buildings. The contractor fails to seal around an HVAC unit penetration on the roof deck prior to covering it with a membrane causing weeks’ worth of water damage inside your building as water leaks from around the HVAC unit into your ceiling and onto various parts of an occupied floor below. That’s when you’ll want full coverage under this portion.
Why a Roof Warranty Is So Important
It’s a big investment, and whether you’re installing a new roof or replacing an old one, it’s not cheap. So why does the warranty matter? Here are some reasons you should care about your roof warranty, and how to keep it intact.
1. Protect Your Investment
Your roof is built to be durable and long-lasting, but even the best roofs can still sustain damage. A warranty guarantees that if your roof becomes damaged due to faulty materials or workmanship, you’ll be able to have it repaired without having to pay out of pocket.
2. Protection Against Unexpected Expenses
Life happens and sometimes things don’t go as planned. Storms can cause damage, or even worse, a product can fail due to manufacturing defects. A strong warranty means you won’t be left to fend for yourself in these situations. If your roof deteriorates prematurely or if a storm causes major damage, your warranty will ensure the burden of repair costs doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders.
3. Your Home Will Be Worth More Money
A transferable roof warranty can also be seen as a form of guarantee for the quality of workmanship offered by the roofing contractor. By offering such a warranty, it means that the roofing contractor or manufacturer has high confidence in their own work and the materials they used, and would not hesitate to repair any defects if any were found within the specific periods mentioned in the warranty.
A good workmanship warranty on the roof replacement is an indication that the roofing contractor is confident in their ability to do everything right and they back the work they do by guaranteeing that if there is any installation issue pops up during the warranty period, they will fix it.
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What to Look for in a Roof Warranty
1. Warranty Length
Most roof warranties are in effect for a period of 10 to 50 years, but the length of a warranty can also be misleading. Manufacturer’s warranties on asphalt shingles, for instance, tend to range from 20 to 30 years, while metal roofing can offer warranty coverage upwards of 40 to 50 years and beyond.
2. Coverage Details
Take a close look at what exactly is covered under your warranty. A good warranty should cover the following things:
Materials defects: This can include issues like shingle warping, cracking, or color fading.
Leaks or water damage: If poor workmanship or faulty materials are the cause of your leaks, your warranty should cover any repairs you may need to stop the leak and fix the damage.
Weather damage: Some warranties include protection against weather-related damage like wind, hail, or heavy snow. Check to see if your warranty will cover the most likely issues you could see with your system in your area.
Be sure to get an explanation of what is and isn’t covered by a warranty in writing—and make sure it’s plain English! Some warranties may not cover certain types of damage (e.g., cosmetic) or only apply under certain conditions.
3. Transferability
If you decide to sell your home down the road, a transferable roof warranty will give you an advantage as a seller. A transferable warranty allows the new homeowner to benefit from the coverage, adding even more security for them and possibly more value to your house.
4. Maintenance Requirements
Most warranties will have maintenance requirements that you must meet to keep the warranty in effect. For instance, some manufacturers may require that you get regular roof inspections or that you repair any damage in a timely manner. If these conditions aren’t met, your warranty could be null and void.
5. Warranty Activation
Some warranties have to be activated before they’ll work. For example, you might need to mail proof that the roof was installed or fill out some forms within a certain window of time. Find out what’s required to activate the warranty and if there’s a deadline so you don’t inadvertently void your coverage.
How to Maintain Your Roof’s Warranty
To keep your roof warranty in place, you need to do regular maintenance. These are some things to do to ensure your roof stays in great shape and under warranty.
Schedule yearly inspections- Hire a professional roofing company (such as Dimensional Pro Construction) to come out and inspect your roof once a year. This will help catch any small problems before they turn into expensive repairs.
Regularly clean out your gutters: Water damage and the extra weight of debris can put strain on your roof, so make sure you have someone clean them out regularly.
If there’s a leak, fix it immediately: This should be obvious but any sign of leaking or damage to your roof means that something isn’t working properly somewhere. Get it fixed ASAP. Don’t wait until it gets worse and certainly don’t void a warranty either.
Conclusion:
Your roof is a big expense, and the right warranty can keep it protected for many years to come. Before you decide on your roofer or roofing material, read through the warranty and make sure you know what is covered, how long you are covered for, and what will be required of you in order to keep that coverage.
We back all of our high-quality roofing services at Dimensional Pro Construction with warranties that give our customers complete peace of mind. From installations to repairs and replacements, we have you and your roof covered!
