A residential roof warranty is a formal written agreement in relation to the integrity of the residential roof and the responsibility of the roofing manufacturer to replace or repair the roof if defective. It is extremely important for all homeowners to get a roof warranty as it is one of the most important aspects of the home, and one of the most expensive if it gets damaged. However, a warranty does not provide all inclusive coverage for all problems, so it is important to understand what a residential roof warranty covers and does not cover.

If a problem occurs with the roof, such as a leak and the homeowner adheres to the terms of the warranty, the warranty will provide the necessary remedy, including fixing the leak or replacing an entire section of the roof. The objective of a residential roof warranty is to guarantee the overall quality of the roof installation and that it will provide the home with long term performance. A long term warranty will improve the total performance and quality of the roof. If there is a problem, a warranty will often dictate that an inspection occurs to locate the damage and see if it is covered under the warranty.

Because residential roof warranties do not offer blanket coverage, it is extremely important to understand the residential roof warranty. Many warranties differ depending on the manufacturer as well as the contractor. It is essential to always read over the fine print of a residential roofing warranty. The fine print will outline all coverage exclusions, which often include pounding water, natural disasters, excessive traffic, building component failure, metal work failure, and wind.

Make certain that the exclusions are specific. For example, when discussing weather or natural disasters, the warranty should state that it will not cover damage done by a hurricane and associated wind speeds that were a certain number of miles per hour or higher than a certain number of feet off the ground. Wind also needs to be specifically defined in a residential roofing warranty as well. The more specific the warranty is, the easier it is to understand what is covered.

When reading over the residential roofing warranty to understand it, individuals will also notice a number of omissions whereby the warranty will be considered null and void. If a homeowner decides to make any modifications, alterations, or repairs to their roof without notifying the manufacturer and receiving written authorization to do so, the warranty could be voided. Doing repairs with an unqualified, non licensed contractor may also lead to the cancellation of the warranty. If the homeowner does not take reasonable care of maintaining their roof, the warranty may be voided as well. One last act that is a common way to get a warranty canceled is by placing equipment, fixtures, utilities, or structures on the roof with no prior written authorization.

Residential roofing warranties contain a number of notification requirements, including the amount of time a homeowner has to notify the manufacturer of a problem. Most require maximum 30 days notification. This is to protect the manufacturer from unreported prolonged roof leaks that cause greater, more expensive damage that would have been prevented if the homeowner reported it earlier on.