Shingle Warranties Explained

Experts in almost every industry have told us for years not to purchase extended warranties on things like appliances, TV’s, and other house hold goods, but what about your roof? With so many confusing terms such as lifetime shingle and labor warranties thrown around what can you really believe? Listed below is a quick reference guide and side-by-side breakdown of the industries most common warranties and what they actually cover.

Warranty Glossary Terms for the Layman

Lifetime Shingle Warranty
Unless a certified contractor that has used all of the correct accessory components has installed your roof, “lifetime” typically covers shingle defects and labor for a period of 10 years. However, if there is an installation error found during the time of inspection, the material and labor may not be covered.

Labor Warranty
Labor warranties from the manufacturer are ONLY valid if the material has failed. Labor warranties do not cover claims that have resulted from improper installation of the material.

Workmanship Warranty
Workmanship warranty claims make up more than 90% of roof related claims according to independent studies. This portion of your new roof warranty is usually only covered by the manufacturer if the contractor has achieved the highest level of certification and has also applied the extended warranty coverage to the project. In many cases a consumer will overlook this aspect of the warranty because they have been lead to believe they have purchased a “lifetime” product. Consumers should insist on a written workmanship warranty from the contractor before signing any legal documents.

Incidental Damage
Refers to any damage caused to the home or building as a direct result of product or workmanship failure. THESE DAMAGES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY MANUFACTURER OR WORKMANSHIP WARRANTIES UNLESS IT IS SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED IN THE CONTRACT!