Roofing Warranties, What to Know –
Installing a new roof is a large investment for most homeowners. The roof replacement process is quick and efficient, but sometimes the expenses can make it something we naturally hesitate to act on as homeowners.
To top it off, many homeowners are not well versed when it comes to shingles, their options as it pertains to replacing their roof, and what to know about the contractor they hire. Things like prices, products, and roofing warranties matter.
Here at Legacy Roofing of the Boise, ID, and surrounding areas, we do our best to constantly keep homeowners informed as far as it pertains to their home’s roof. Today, we will help you become an informed homeowner as we discuss roofing warranties and everything they entail!
Enjoy!
Roofing Warranties 101
We stated it already, but roofing costs can be expensive. That is why knowing what the costs entail is important when you replace your roof and this often starts with the your shingle selection, followed by your roofing warranty. Sometimes a “Cheap” roof has little to no warranty.
At first glance, saving a few dollars sounds great, but it actually might cost more in the long run! The last thing you want to do is shell out a bunch of money for a cheaper roof, only to find yourself in the same position a few years later.
Typically, roofing warranties include these items that you should make sure you are educated about:
- Labor warranty
- Shingle warranty
- Roofing system warranty (once roof is installed)
- Wind warranty
- Algea protection warranties
- Maximum wind speed
Lets take a close look at the labor warranty, followed by the single warranty.
Labor Roofing Warranty
The standard warranty through GAF – our preferred shingle supplier – is a 10 year, non-prorated labor warranty. This means if for some reason your new roofing system was compromised as detailed in GAF’s roof warranty information here, you would not have to pay for the labor or material to correct the rare issue.
After 10 years, the labor aspect of the warranty is pro-rated simply meaning that in th event the labor is required, the cost is pro-rated and adjusted for the age of the roof. The labor guarantee is 10 years, with a pro-rated labor warranty years 11+. This is comforting to know if you’re considering replacing your existing roof with a new roof simply because most homeowners stay in one home for 4-8 years on average.
But don’t worry, in case you were wondering about the product warranty – you’re good for a lifetime!
Shingle Roofing Warranty
What really matters when it comes to your roofing warranty is the shingle warranty. If you were to simply buy shingles, just the act of doing so gets you a 15 year warranty right of the top. However, when a GAF roofing system is installed by us, you now have the System Plus Limited Warranty which we will detail below.
GAF offers a few warranties starting with the Shingle and Accessory warranty and then one of four possible system warranties. The manufacturer’s System Plus Limited Warranty is the warranty we offer and below are the details. For specifics and a warranty sample, tap here.
GAF System Plus Limited Warranty
- Shingles: Lifetime Protection
- Smart Choice Protection: 50 Year Warranty
- Wind: GAF’s Timberline HDZ Shingle is first ever to come out with an unlimited wind warranty if it is installed to their specifications (four nails, layer lock). This means that there is no wind cap for MPH for wind protection. So if you live in an area with large amounts of heavy wind that might somehow reach over 130mph, this is your warranty!
- Algae: 10 year stainguard
- Must be installed as a system by a Master Elite roofing contractor and include three GAF products. For example, you couldn’t just use GAF shingles on an old roof, you would need to also use their under payment deck protection and starter shingles. See more here.
FAQ Roffing Warranties:
How does the GAF roofing warranty compare to the Certainteed roofing warranty?
If you go through Certainteed’s warranty information and GAF’s warranties you will realize they are pretty much the same in terms of lifetime shingle warranties and what they offer. One thing that you will notice is that GAF’s Timberline HDZ Shingle is first ever to come out with an unlimited wind warranty if it is installed to their specifications. Meaning, in most cases their are wind limits, such as 100 or 130 mph, but not for the GAF Timberline HDZ. These shingles have no limit to their wind warranty!
What do I do if I suspect I need to make a warranty claim for my roof?
In the event you need to make a claim for your warranty, you can reach out to the installer of your new roof or email GAF directly at warrantyclaims@gaf.com or call their warranty hotline at 1-800-458-1860.
Do I need to register my roof to qualify for a warranty?
While we can’t speak for all companies, but when you use Legacy Roofing of Idaho, we handle any warranty paperwork and you as the customer do not have to register your product. In fact, Neither the GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty nor the GAF Roofing System Limited Warranty requires registration.
