Any roofing company can offer a limited manufacturer material warranty, but only select companies can offer a manufacturer backed labor and material warranty. A roofing warrant that covers both labor and materials must be backed by the manufacturer to be of any value. The manufacturers of roofing products do not allow any company to offer these warranties.
What is so special about a labor and material warranty? Obviously the costs involved are much more substantial when you have to be compensated for labor costs as well as material costs.
What that means is that if the membrane or shingles were to fail during the life of the warranty, you will be covered for all costs associated with replacing the shingles or membrane materials. Limited material warranties – even manufacturer’s warranties of this type – will cover only the cost of the material.
A roof is said to “fail” when it no longer does the job it is intended to do, or starts to deteriorate due to defective materials or improper installation. Roof failure can be brought on by external factors such as wind or hail, but is usually the result of poor installation.
How they are handled before and during an installation has an effect on the serviceability of asphalt shingles. If they are not stored according to the manufacturer’s specifications they may not adhere properly or lie flat. Improper nailing or flashing can also cause an asphalt roof to fail.
Tell tale signs of an inadequate roofing job are thermal splitting, cracking, blistering or staining of shingles. Shingles can also curl or cup if they are not handled or installed correctly. The condition called “fishmouthing” is not the same as cupping or curling brought on by normal aging. Fishmouthing is usually caused by poor attic venting leading to moisture building up beneath the shingles.
Roofing firms that are authorized to offer the manufacturer’s labor and material warranties have demonstrated a proven track record of installing the manufacturer’s roofing product in accordance with very high installation standards. For example, GAF – the largest shingle manufacturer in North America – has three different Master Elite Excellence Awards that can be awarded to roofing companies: Consumer Protection, Training, and Installation, and only the very best roofing companies receive these designations.
The leading cause of roof failure is improper installation. So consumers are given considerable confidence when they deal with a company that is certified to offer a full labor and material warranty for the products they are using. It also means that every installation is inspected by a representative of the manufacturer as the installation is being done. The roof must receive a 100% compliance score from the manufacturer. If deficiencies or defects are found they must be fixed before the manufacturer will certify the job as satisfactory.
Nick Messe is president of The Lead Frog LLC. Northern Virginia Roofing has been doing NW DC residential roofing and commercial roofing projects in the DC metro area for more than 40 years! Northern Virginia Roofing is the only 6 time national award winner in the DC metro area. We can offer a 20 year labor warranty held by the manufacturer – http://www.nvroofs.com
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