My Roof Warranty: What Is It and What Does It Cover?

2/6/2017

Learn more about a roof warranty, including types of warranties, what they cover, and transfer detail.

Today’s manufacturing processes have high-quality standards that make it highly unlikely you’ll ever have any issues with your roofing shingles. Although issues are rare with most modern shingles, if you do experience problems, you’ll want a good understanding of what your roof warranty covers.

What do I need to know about roof warranties?

One of the most important things for homeowners to understand is that there will be two types of standard roofing warranty coverage:

1. The manufacturer’s warranty, or product warranty, which covers the product against any defects in the materials.
2. The roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty, or installation warranty, which covers any errors in workmanship by the installing roofing contractor.

The product warranty is set by the manufacturer, and it cannot be changed by anything of the contractor or homeowner does. It’s similar to workmanship warranties: the workmanship roof warranty your roofing contractor provides can’t be influenced or changed by the manufacturer.

You’ll always want to read both warranties and, if you have questions or concerns, follow up with the contractor or manufacturer about your coverage.

Are there differences in coverage against manufacturing defects?

Nearly all manufacturers provide a warranty against manufacturing defects in their roofing products, but your exact coverage will likely vary depending on the brand. Homeowners who choose CertainTeed roofing products, for example, have complete coverage against ALL manufacturer defects, which is different from some manufacturer warranties that only cover defects that cause leaks or affect performance.

Manufacturer warranties usually vary depending on your shingle type. Most architectural (multi-layer) shingles come with a “lifetime” or sometimes a “lifetime-limited” warranty which protects you against manufacturing defects. The fine print on this is that “lifetime” usually refers only to the original property owner at the time when the shingles are installed. “Limited” means the product was installed as intended by the manufacturer.

Many 3-tab shingles (single layer shingles, also known as “strip shingles”) usually have a 20 to 30-year limited warranty against manufacturing defects. Asking questions in the best way to understand the coverage on the shingles you are choosing.

Can I transfer my manufacturer warranty?

Many asphalt shingles do have a transferrable manufacturer warranty. CertainTeed asphalt shingles, for example, come with a limited transferrable warranty that (unlike other manufacturers) does not require a monetary fee to transfer. A CertainTeed warranty is only transferrable by the original homeowner to the first subsequent homeowner. After the warranty being transferred once, it’s no longer transferrable.

Where can I find more information on CertainTeed’s manufacturer roof warranty?

Yes, you can view warranties, register products, and much more at http://www.certainteed.com/warranty-information/