Understanding Roofing Warranties

Similar to any kind of warranty, a roofing warranty provides coverage for items and/or workmanship defects. It guarantees that if the installation failed or wasn’t secure, your contractor or roofer will be responsible for fixing the issue. It can be noted, however, that warranties may vary depending on the situation. To give you a better understanding of each possible circumstance, here are a few of them:

1. Material Warranties:

This only covers the roofing materials’ quality and function during a repair, not the labor to install them or accessories used. A labor-only warranty covers the labor, but not the supplies required to repair your roof. A full-system warranty covers both labor and material as long as the damage falls within the warranty’s terms.

• Underlayment: Underlayment is a critical component of systems, and you can have it covered by a warranty. Typically, this can be warranted to protect your roof deck for about five decades. The warranty may be conditional, requiring a clean roof or manual installation over an additional base layer. 

• Installation: Material warranties have installation requirements. This means that the material should be installed properly; otherwise, it can be voided. A reliable roof replacement or repair contractor will stand behind the company’s work. Pros will likely be confident in offering a guarantee on their installation.

• Shingles: Asphalt shingle manufacturer warranties may range from two decades to a lifetime, depending on the grade of shingle used. Higher-quality laminated dimensional ones could be easily assured for the life of the roof. On the other hand, basic strip shingles may have a weaker and/or shorter warranty. This is one of the many reasons why homeowners should carefully review the warranty terms and conditions to have a better understanding of what these lifetime warranties actually entail.

• Vents.: Most ridge and intake vents are made from tough plastic and carry lifetime warranties. On the other hand, power vents may have limited warranties due to the risk of mechanical failure.

1. Manufacturers’ Warranties:

It’s likely that every roofing repair and other remodeling job will be covered, at least partially, by a manufacturer’s warranty. These guarantee materials against roofing issues caused by manufacturing defects. Hence, this normally covers the materials and their performance for the duration of the warranty, whereas a contractor warranty typically covers the installer’s workmanship, but not the materials’ quality. Take note, however, that manufacturers’ warranties do not cover the more common causes of premature roof failure in roofing, such as improper installation, poor maintenance and severe weather destruction. 

1. Workmanship Warranties:

A good warranty should also offer protection against installation errors on the part of your hired contractors. Their service or workmanship warranties offer you peace of mind knowing that your roofers will stand by their work and guarantee its performance for years to come.

Companies will often offer limited guarantees on their work. However, if you hire a different contractor later on or repair or make DIY fixes, you could void this warranty. Remember that this type of warranty is not a roof workmanship warranty and may not cover a roof replacement and repairs for installation errors.

1. Original Cost or Prorated Warranties:

An original cost warranty covers the roof up to the cost of installation, but a prorated warranty only covers an age-adjusted value. This basically means that the value of your roof decreases over time. For instance, the warrantor might only cover 50% of the associated costs of repair after a decade, even if the need for the fix is the company or the warrantor’s fault.

1. Extended Manufacturer Warranties
   It is worth noting that to aid people in getting lasting value for most roofing products, companies offer comprehensive coverage on new roofs installed by those certified to do so. A range of benefits for this option may include:

• Coverage for all system components, such as fasteners and wood decking.

• Continuous coverage for defective materials may also include labor costs for your solar roofing repairs or renewals that can be extended for over 30 years.

• Workmanship coverage against installation mishaps.

Types of Damage Covered Under a Typical Roof Warranty
As expected an ideal warranty covers common roof damage like roof leaks as long as the restrictions are met. It will not cover, however, the cost of leak repair if the issue was caused by the “Acts of God” like fire, lightning, extreme storms, high winds, earthquakes, vandalism or loss of integrity of the structure. 

While the damage caused by an external force, negligence or incorrect installation may be excluded from coverage, for an additional fee, extended coverage choices may be offered for the following:

• Hail – Hail damage isn’t often covered by standard warranties, although it’s usually an add-on.

• High winds – Winds of a specific speed or duration are covered by some warranties, but if you live in a high-wind area, you may need additional coverage.

• Puncture damage – A roof with a lot of foot activity can suffer from puncture damage.

Above all, for instances like this, being prepared and knowledgeable is vital. Should you notice there is damage to your home, contact your insurance company as soon as possible for an adjuster to come to and appraise the damage. Moreover, homeowners should never forget that during a disaster situation, someone may not come immediately.