A roof is one of the most significant investments a homeowner makes for their residential property. It is a one-time initial outlay that the homeowner does not expect to have to undergo for a good number of years. However, if the installation is done incorrectly or the roofing materials are defective, the financial resources that you spent on your roof will be rendered useless.

Thus, as a wise homeowner, it is crucial that you invest in a roof that not only serves its primary purpose of offering protection from the elements but can also stand the test of time. The only way you can ensure the latter is by having a reliable and trusted roofing contractor in Calgary work on your roof.

But the question is, how do you know whether a roofing company is actually as reliable as their advertisements and team claim to be? This is where roofing warranties come into play. To many, a warranty might just be a type of assurance that a particular product will efficiently serve its purpose for a certain period of time. In truth, a warranty serves a far broader purpose.

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In this blog post, we will discuss what a warranty encompasses, its types, and why it is important for residential roofing systems in particular.

Roofing Warranties – An Overview

Simply put, a warranty is a guarantee or a promise made by a manufacturer or a seller about the quality and performance of a product or service that protects the buyer from financial loss. As a result, if a problem or defect arises in the product or service within a specified period of time, the manufacturer or seller will take full responsibility and repair or replace the product on behalf of the owner.

In the context of residential roofs, warranties will either cover material/product quality or workmanship (during installation, replacement, or repair). Like any other warranty, a roofing warranty also lasts for a specified period, ranging between 10 and up to 50 years. In short, a warranty is a way for a manufacturer to show confidence in their product and for a roofing contractor to show confidence in their installation services. In the end, homeowners enjoy the peace of mind that their roofing investments are worth the while.

From the discussion above, we can deduce that there are two main types of roofing warranties. Let us briefly discuss them below:

Manufacturer’s Warranty

Shingle manufacturers offer standard Limited Lifetime warranties with a minimum term length and non-proration period. Typically these standard warranties are limited to the homeowner while they are the owner of the building. No registration is required, and in the event of a claim, the receipt is the proof of purchase to enact investigation and action is warranted.

An enhanced manufacturer’s warranty is special. This kind of warranty demonstrates faith in the manufacturer’s products and the manufacturer’s faith in the installer and serves to gain homeowners’ well-earned trust. Typically, it covers any defect in roofing materials, including fading, cracking, peeling, etc. for a longer term, with a longer non-proration period, and often covers labour and disposal fees in addition to product costs.

In the event that your roof shows such signs of defectiveness in the roofing material, the manufacturer will be fully responsible for the repair or replacement and will bear further financial burden.

Given the high reputational stake involved, shingle manufacturers do not allow every roofing contractor that comes their way to register for these enhanced warranties for their clients. These manufacturers offer the said enhanced warranties to only the most reputed contractors as part of a lengthy and strict certification program.

Thus, you must always work with a contractor that offers warranty-backed residential roofing services.

Workmanship Warranty

In contrast, a workmanship warranty protects homeowners against incorrect or erroneous roofing installations. For this reason, this warranty is typically offered directly by a roofing contractor and not the manufacturer. Roofing contractors choose the length of term they are willing to stand behind their work. If you see a quote without a workmanship warranty, that should raise an alarm. Companies that are willing to stand behind their installations for 10 years are confident in their work, their business, and are willing to bear any costs incurred in the event of misapplication.

When a roofing contractor has high level certification with a manufacturer, the manufacturer is willing to stand behind the certified contractor’s work and carry the workmanship/misapplication warranty. This forms part of specific enhanced warranties that range from 10-25 years of misapplication coverage by the shingle manufacturer.

It also means that there are strict installation standards and strict guidelines of the entire roofing system being installed, including brand-specific underlayments, starters, and capping. Broadly, this warranty covers issues such as incorrect installation of the roofing system and/or leaks resulting from these issues. It’s a sure sign of a trustworthy contractor when a manufacturer is willing to stand behind a certified contractor’s application of their product.

If you experience any misapplication problems with your roof after its installation, the roofing contractor will repair the affected area for you at no cost.

However, you must understand that not every roofing contractor carries these warranties. Thus, it is always crucial to ask a roofing contractor beforehand about the various manufacturers and workmanship warranties they can register for on your behalf.

In order to ensure a comprehensive shield of protection against any mishap, it is imperative that your roofing company carries both manufacturer and workmanship warranties. As a homeowner in Calgary, this is exactly what you should look for.

Given the current prevalence of roofing scams in Canada, an accredited contractor boasting numerous warranties is your ideal line of defence.

In the end, work with a roofing firm that can provide you as a homeowner with the following benefits:

• Financial protection
• Quality assurance
• Prompt and professional repairs
• Convenience and peace of mind

Akron Roofing proudly offers the following manufacturer’s enhanced warranties:

GAF – Akron is proud of its status as a GAF Master Elite® certified contractor, as only 3% of contractors qualify for it. GAF’s enhanced warranties for single-family residential homes include:

• System Plus Warranty (50 years non-prorating material warranty)
• Silver Pledge Warranty (50 years non-prorating material warranty with a 10 year Workmanship Warranty covered by GAF)
• Golden Pledge Warranty (50 years non-prorating material warranty with a 25 year Workmanship Warranty covered by GAF)

CertainTeed – AKRoN is a CertainTeed Select ShingleMaster and can offer the following enhanced warranties for single-family residential homes:

• 4-Star Protection (50 years non-prorating material warranty)
• 5-Star 10 Protection (50 years non-prorating material warranty with a 10- year Workmanship Warranty covered by CertainTeed)
• 5-Star 25 Protection (50 years non-prorating material warranty with a 25- year Workmanship Warranty covered by CertainTeed)

For all other warranties on Euroshield, Malarkey and F-Wave roof installations, AKRoN Roofing has been providing 10 year Workmanship Warranties to our customers since we established AKRoN Roofing in 2011.

About Akron Roofing

We offer roofing services with an edge in terms of quality and care. Our team abides by the philosophy that homeowners can and should love their roofs. Boasting a long list of accreditations and acknowledgements, our aim is to provide homeowners in Calgary and area with a professional and individualized service with attention to every detail. Learn more about Akron Roofing.

Need esidential roofing services? Contact us now.