What is a roof warranty?
While everyone knows what a warranty means, not many people actually consider a roof warranty in Tampa, FL, even for how significant an investment it is and the level of protection your roof provides. If you are considering getting a new roof for your home or business, one of the leading factors you should consider is the level of roof warranty your contractor provides. A warranty can protect you in many ways, including both the workmanship and materials used on your new roof. If something were to happen and the materials or workmanship were the cause, your warranty will cover the costs of repairs and replacement so you won’t have to spend that kind of money again!
Understanding a roof warranty for materials
A problem some home and business owners face is that of faulty materials. While this is not common, there are a lot of separate pieces that go into your roof. Building a new roof means working on a complicated system, not just laying shingles. So, sometimes one of the hundreds or thousands of shingles may be defective. This warranty covers the cost of the repair or replacement of the material used to make your roof.
Understanding workmanship
Another issue that can affect your roof is the workmanship of the installation. This includes contractor defects or problems. And while extremely rare, it does happen. A warranty that covers workmanship will cover the cost of having the contractor return for the repairs. While this is always a great safety net to have, choosing a quality, trusted roofing contractor like Stay Dry Roofing, can add that extra level of peace-of-mind and protection to your investment and budget.
What about a lifetime roof warranty?
While this warranty may sound amazing, it’s often not what many home or business owners think it is. This does not mean a warranty for your roof for the length of YOUR lifetime, but rather for the lifetime the contractor or material company provides. This can be anywhere from a mere five years to upwards of 25 years. While still a great option, make sure you read into what a lifetime roof warranty counts as.
How to protect your roof warranty
Having a warranty is a great thing, especially for peace-of-mind during big storms. But if you are not careful to protect the warranty itself, you may find it being voided when you need it most. This happens when home or business owners take matters into their own hands. By not following the rules of the roof warranty, you may accidentally nullify it, causing you to have to pay out-of-pocket for your repairs! This can be avoided though by following these four steps to protecting your roof warranty:
Read the fine print
As with everything, there is always fine print. Make sure you read what your roof warranty covers, how long, what you need to do to make sure you uphold it, and everything else that might be hidden. This is often the area where a “lifetime warranty” will be identified as only a five year coverage. If you have any questions about what you find, contact your roofing contractor to ask.
Register your roof warranty
While many people believe that just because their paperwork says they have a warranty, they are covered. The truth is, you often need to register your warranty. This involves filling out paperwork and submitting proof of your roof and warranty coverage. Once registered, your roof will be covered. But if you neglect this step, you may find yourself without a warranty at all! For enhanced warranties, the process may even involve your roofing contractor submitting the warranty on your behalf.
Have routine roof inspections performed
It is ideal to have your roof inspected every few years or after every really big storm, like a hurricane or hailstorm. This ensures that little issues are addressed right away before they can become big issues. This is important for warranties because some require you have routine inspections performed.
Stick with your original contractor!
This is one of the biggest ways to void your warranty! If you have one roofing contractor install your roof, then if a problem occurs, you repair it yourself or have another contractor perform the repairs, proof of workmanship cannot be verified. It is very important that you stick with the same contractor who installed your roof, especially if you are looking to make a workmanship claim.
Choose a roofing contractor you can trust
At Stay Dry Roofing, we have been protecting home and business owners for over 30 years. We offer some of the best roof warranties in Tampa, FL, and work with high quality manufacturers like GAF. By being GAF certified, we are able to give you a 50 year warranty on materials depending on your roofing solution. Our goal is to always keep you safe and dry all year long, and if you are looking to install a new roof, we encourage you to contact our team today for an estimate!
