A new roof comes with two warranties, they are written by two different companies, and they cover two different things. Most of the disappointment we hear about roof warranties comes from people who thought they had one when they had the other. Here is the difference.
The manufacturer's warranty covers the material
The company that made the shingles stands behind the shingles. If they crack, blister, lose their granules or otherwise fail because of a defect in how they were made, within the warranty period, the manufacturer covers them. Terms typically run from 10 years to what the industry calls lifetime, which generally means as long as the original owner owns the house.
Read the details, because they matter. Many are prorated: full coverage for the first several years, then a declining share. Many cover the material only and not the labor to replace it. Most exclude damage from wind above a stated speed, from hail, from foot traffic, from ponding water and from poor ventilation. And nearly all of them require the shingles to have been installed according to the manufacturer's instructions, which brings us to the second warranty.
The workmanship warranty covers the installation
The roofer stands behind the work. If the roof leaks because a nail was driven through a shingle, a flashing was not lapped, a valley was cut wrong or a vent boot was not sealed, that is workmanship, and it is on the contractor, not the manufacturer. The manufacturer will, quite reasonably, point to the installation and decline.
Eveready's workmanship warranty is three years. In our experience that is the window in which an installation error shows itself: through a couple of winters, a couple of summers and a few good storms. A roof that is dry after three Long Island winters was installed right.
Why the second one is the one to ask about
Every roofer offers the manufacturer's warranty, because it comes in the bundle with the shingles. Not every roofer offers a workmanship warranty, and the ones who do are only as good as their likelihood of being in business when you call. A thirty-year warranty from a company that has been around for three is a piece of paper. Ask how long the company has been working in the area, and whether the people who gave the warranty will be the people who answer the phone.
What voids either one
- Someone else working on the roof: a satellite installer, a solar crew, a handyman patching a leak with tar. Get it in writing that they will not void anything, or have the roofer do it.
- Poor attic ventilation, which cooks shingles from underneath. Manufacturers specify it and inspect for it on a claim.
- Pressure washing, which strips granules.
- Installing over an existing layer when the manufacturer requires a tear-off for full coverage.
- Not registering the warranty when registration is required. Ask whether yours needs it, and keep the paperwork.
Extended and system warranties
Most manufacturers offer an upgraded warranty when a certified installer uses the full system, meaning their underlayment, starter, ridge cap and ventilation along with their shingles. These can add labor coverage and a longer non-prorated period, and they are worth asking about on a roof you plan to live under for decades. They are not free and they are not automatic.
What to keep
The estimate and the final invoice, which show the products used. The warranty registration if there was one. A few photographs of the finished roof. And the roofer's number. If you ever need to make a claim, those four things are what the conversation starts with.
