Roof Warranties – Is yours Void?

Roof Warranties – Into the Void(ed)

So, you’re looking into a new roof and of course you’re paying extra attention to the expected lifespan of the product, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to know how long their roof is expected to last when it’s going to be a significant expense that typically is in the thousands of dollars.

It’s just a smart approach to know what you’re getting for your hard-earned money, and with the product itself, comes a lovely sounding “lifetime warranty”. This is where most homeowners unknowingly walk into a problem, and that is mostly due to the misleading names given to roof warranties while omitting their rather broad limitations.

Lifetime? Limited? Limited Lifetime? Wait, this one says Golden?

That’s right, there are many different types of roof warranties that promise a “lifetime” of protection, however, most of them, whether they’re “lifetime” warranties or not, have limitations.

For most homeowners, this is where the fine print becomes a large enough issue to cause your warranty to be worthless within seconds of that new roof being installed, without the homeowner knowing until it’s too late.

Let’s take a step back for a second to unravel what’s going on here.

Roof Product Manufacturer’s and Class Action Lawsuits

Over the years, roof manufacturers like GAF and Owens Corning, have been boasting lifetime warranties, because they know their products are good and will stand the test of time…under the right circumstances.

Since many homeowners had taken their warranties at face, or rather, named value, expecting them to cover their roof issues for a lifetime, it was not expected that these same big companies would deny them a claim when their roofs began to fail due to various reasons.

Of course, a number of homeowners decided to take action and brought these companies into the legal arena to settle the dispute.

Here is an example: GAF Timberline Shingles Class Action Settlement

Ultimately, the roof manufacturers did settle the claims, however, they still maintained their position of backing their products quality and longevity (and, rightfully so, as the product itself was not solely at fault).

Just to be clear, we see both sides of the situation, and GAF’s product is one of the best there is at this time. However, we also understand the situation that homeowners are in, which is why we take a path of educating our customers to help everyone get the best experience possible.

The catch with these warranties is that it’s not just the roof product that has the potential to fail, but rather, what is going on inside the home that will ultimately cause roof products to fail. It’s those very same issues that we at Leak Stoppers Inc. have spent decades resolving in order to protect our customers investment. However, if those issues are left unresolved, they will justify companies like GAF and Owens Corning to deny related warranty claims.

What Issues? My House Is Fine!

To the untrained eye (contractors included), most homes might appear to be fine, whether they’re up to “code” or just not having obvious evidence of deeper structural issues. However, in our experience, up to 90% of the homes we inspect have some kind of issue that causes a direct conflict with their roof warranty.

These issues commonly include:

• Attic Acclimation / Insulation (or lack thereof)
• Moisture (from basement to attic)
• Improper venting of bathroom fans
• Soffit venting issues
• and much more…

To understand how these issues can instantly void a “lifetime” warranty, it takes years of working with roofing products and homes of all kinds to see the impacts of each of these issues on a roof. We’re talking years of silent moisture and condensation buildup, leading to product degradation from underneath the roof, or another common situation, ice damming that is a direct result of extreme temperature variations between the surface of the roof and an attic.

These issues within the home can quickly cause big problems in that brand new roof, while voiding the warranty almost instantly, leaving the homeowner with a hefty expense that sometimes can result in the need to rip off an entire brand-new roof and do it all over again.

But wait… there’s more…

Roof warranties also include key components that further leave a financial burden of repairs on a homeowner, which can include:

• Improper installation of the roof products
• Acts of Nature
• Use of non-qualified components in the roof system
• Alterations to the roof without approval of the manufacturer
• Failure to provide maintenance to the roof
• Failure to register the warranty within the specified time

It doesn’t end there either, as threats to the roof also involve flawed work from multiple trades that can include HVAC, interior carpentry, electricians, and more.

As you can see, the list goes on when it comes to the scenarios where a roof product manufacturer can send a homeowner into their own personal funds to resolve issues with their roof.

All these situations are exactly why Leak Stoppers Inc. excels beyond other contractors or roofing companies that go as far as installing roofs but then don’t offer all the advanced services related to repairs and warranty coverages that we do. We’re here to identify and resolve all these potential issues in the work of other contractors to make sure our customers get the most reliable and long-lasting results.

It doesn’t stop there either, because we don’t install a roof and disappear into the night, in fact, we’ve been here for over 26 years and have no intention of going anywhere. We’ve proudly had the same licenses and corporation the entire time we’ve been in business, unlike much of the competition that hides previous customer complaints by getting a new license to start over with.

We’re a dedicated partner that’s here to make sure our customers get the most value out of the investment into their home that a roof represents. We also take it even further by putting our money where our mouth is and offering additional guarantees that complement the existing manufacturer warranty to ensure the roof remains solid and leak-free for a true lifetime.

Limitation Eradication – Unlimiting the Limited

After decades of working with these situations and seeing too many people get fooled (intentionally or not) by “general contractors” and “roofers” who know how to install a roof but don’t understand all these intricate situations, we at Leak Stoppers Inc. take our customers the extra mile to ensure that these issues are resolved before a roof is installed.

By carefully inspecting the home, using advanced techniques like Thermal Imaging and Drone Inspections, we uncover the secret threats to your roofs warranty, and then we resolve the issues to eliminate those threats. This allows all of our customers to truly benefit from a lifetime warranty that can be used if ever needed to ensure the home stays protected and energy-efficient year-round.

Limitation Eradication isn’t just limited to those who need a full roof replacement either. If a home has an existing roof that is still in good condition, Leak Stoppers Inc. can perform a full inspection of a home and further resolve any issues found, leading to a virtually limitation-free warranty without the costs of installing an entirely new roof.

Unlimit Your Warranty Before It’s Too Late

We never know what kind of weather or conditions may be coming to impact the roofs of the world, but we do know, it’s never a good idea to wait and find out.

If you have issues with your roof, or, just want to make sure your roof’s warranty is in good standing, contact Leak Stoppers Inc. today at 631-669-1570 or click here to use our online contact form to schedule a consultation or inspection.

Our expert team will provide you with a much better understanding of not only your roofs warranty and condition, but also the situation throughout your home that affects energy-efficiency, air quality, and more.

It’s not uncommon for us to find and resolve issues that result in thousands of dollars in savings over the long term, so don’t wait, contact us today and let Leak Stoppers Inc. get your home set for a lifetime to come.