Every product comes with a warranty, and that includes your roof.
But every warranty also comes with fine print, pages upon pages of disclaimers written by the manufacturer that provide “outs” – reasons why the company does not have to repair or replace a particular item. Manufacturers place the responsibility on you, the product owner, to follow the terms outlined in the warranty.
What is one of the top reasons roof warranties are invalidated?
A property owner neglected preventative maintenance.
Buried within the fine print are clauses that require property owners to provide documentation that their roof has been properly inspected and maintained by a roofing professional. It’s equivalent to driving a car for 25,000 miles and never changing the oil, then trying to file a claim once the engine fails. Your bumper-to-bumper warranty won’t cover the vehicle repair, just like your roof warranty won’t cover a roof repair or replacement if you neglect to have it serviced on a regular basis.
Manufacturer warranties are filled with exclusions, including the following:
- Maintenance: Failure by the Owner to use reasonable care in maintaining the roof, said maintenance to include, but not limited to, items listed in the manufacturer’s annual care and maintenance checklist.
- Weather: Damage caused by hurricanes or hail would fall under your homeowner’s policy rather than the roof warranty.
- Alterations: The installation of solar panels, skylights and communication systems, or even foot traffic, can damage a roof structure.
- Timeliness: Property owners or managers often are required to immediately report leaks or deficiencies to warrantors within a prescribed period of time, which can be as short as a few days.
There are many types of warranties, including manufacturer warranties that cover roofing material defects only, contractor workmanship warranties that cover the proper installation of the roof, and powerful non-prorated No Dollar Limit warranties that cover all labor and material defects for extended periods of time, often over 20, 25 or 30 years.
Target Roofing offers preventative maintenance plans that have saved customers tens of thousands of dollars. Our GAF Certified Maintenance Professionals offer comprehensive inspections and written reports that contain photo documentation of routine maintenance performed, proposals for recommended proactive repair work and estimates of a roof’s remaining lifespan to help with future budgeting. Inspectors also submit our maintenance reports to manufacturers to ensure warranty compliance.
Signing a maintenance plan is the best way to protect a roof, both now and in the future, while ensuring that your warranty remains valid.
To learn about our plans, call us today at 239-332-5707.
READ MORE
Preventative maintenance extends the life of a roof, validates warranties
Why property managers and contractors love working with Target Roofing
