Having a new roof installed on your home is an investment. A warranty is designed to protect your investment. It’s important to read the warranty for your residential roof in full prior to hiring the contract and the installation of your roof.
Residential roof warranties generally have two parts, a set time for the guaranty on the workmanship and a separate time for the warranty on the shingles. Not every roof is going to have the same warranty. The warranty will be dependent on the grade and type of shingles you purchase.
Here’s what you need to know:
Workmanship
The workmanship portion of residential roof warranties covers you for problems that may occur due to poor installation techniques. This period depends on the contractor that performs the installation. Warranties can range from three to five years or more.
If your roof fails after this warranty period, while the shingles are under warranty, you would pay for labor involved in replacing your roof, but not the shingles. Much of the quality of your roof depends on professional installation techniques. Do choose a licensed, reliable contractor for the longest lasting roof.
Shingles
The lowest grade or quality of shingles will normally come with a ten to 15 year warranty. Mid-grade shingles average 20 to 25 years. Newer roofing technology is offering residential roof warranties that guarantee shingles for 30 to 50 years and may sometimes be referred to as lifetime warranties.
Other Points to Understand
Other materials involved in your project, felt, replacement wood and nails, may have separate guarantees. Ask your contractor what coverage is included for these items.
Some shingles manufacturer offer transferable residential roofing warranties. These often must be transferred by the original owner. You may be able to purchase an extended warranty that provides you with longer coverage, or coverage for additional portions of the roof work.
Investing in quality shingles is really your best choice. A large portion of the cost of a new roof is in the labor. Purchase the highest quality shingles and with quality installation you should not experience any problems for many years.
