Your shingle roof keeps your home protected year-round and is an important part of your home’s value. Perhaps you spent time browsing the many color and style options available before making your decision. You reviewed features and upgrades, sought HOA approval and were excited to see the finished product. Protecting your investment and enjoying life at home free from roofing leaks and other potential issues means you’ll want to familiarize yourself with your shingle roofing warranty and stay on top of recommended maintenance. Whether you are in the process of making a warranty decision or need help decoding your existing warranty, today’s post is for you.
Shingle Roofing Warranty Basics
A helpful Owens Corning article breaks down the three main types of shingle roofing warranties:
- The standard manufacturer’s warranty is limited to the products you purchase. This is the industry standard, and it’s important to note that the coverage is limited to manufacturer’s defects, not associated labor costs should defective materials need replacing. It’s critical to have a professional roofing team handle the initial installation, as issues with improper installation are not covered under this type of warranty.
- A contractor’s workmanship warranty demonstrates your professional roofing team stands behind the quality of their work and has confidence in their ability to properly install your roofing system. You’ll want to refer to your warranty to review what is covered (such as errors made by workers due to improper installation). You will often find that the list of issues not covered includes extreme weather damage, damage from fallen limbs and alterations made after installation, among other things.
- An optional extended manufacturer’s warranty may be available when your roofing is handled by an authorized contractor certified on the installation of your particular product. To receive this coverage, often additional steps are taken to increase the protection your roof provides (examples given by Owens Corning include ice and water barriers, underlayment, hip and ridge cap shingles, to name a few).
Areas to Note
The GAF website also provides a warranty comparison guide for their options. Here are a few areas you’ll want to note, regardless of the manufacturer:
- Eligibility Requirements. For example, the GAF limited warranty on shingles doesn’t have eligibility requirements but some of their other warranties require the roofing system to be installed by a GAF Master Elite Roofing Contractor (Bone Dry is proud to be a GAF Master Elite Roofing Contractor). Others call for additional qualifying accessory products, which makes sense as the accessories often strengthen the protection the roof provides.
- Shingles. You may find shingles are covered from manufacturer defects through a lifetime warranty, but it’s always a good idea to check. We reviewed shingle roofing warranties from other manufacturers and found CertainTeed also offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects on their shingles. TAMKO extends the same coverage on five of their six asphalt shingles listed. Eight of the nine shingles listed on the IKO website include lifetime coverage from manufacturer defects.
- Algae. Note how long this coverage is and for what types of shingles.
- Wind Warranty Term. How long will your wind coverage last, and under what conditions?
- Maximum Wind Speed. Is your roof covered up to a certain wind speed, and under what circumstances?
- Tearoff. Tearoff is the complete removal of an old roof, usually due to damage.
- Disposal. Disposal goes hand-in-hand with tearoff and may or may not be covered.
- Workmanship. Workmanship isn’t typically covered in a standard warranty but you may find it’s available when certified contractors are used. Read the fine print and work with the right team of professionals.
Make sure you partner with the best roofing company in your area. Bone Dry Roofing, locally owned and operated in Charleston, SC, Bone Dry Roofing, locally owned and operated in St. Simons, Bone Dry Roofing, locally owned and operated in Athens, GA. You can contact us today to talk about your shingle roofing warranty at 1-855-BONEDRY.
