They Tell ‘em, We Reveal ‘em

I was buying tires for my truck one day, and like so many others, one of the more important factors I considered was the warranty included with the tires. There’s a big difference between 30,000 miles and 100,000 miles and in case of a problem, it’s good to know I can get a tire replaced if needed. Or can I?

Before they will even consider replacing damaged tires, you must first present them with: the original receipt, an odometer reading, documentation for every tire rotation that was recommended, and usually your soul; among other things.

“Lies” Your Roofer Told You

The above “lies” go hand-in-hand with roofing, too. There are warranties that cover materials, usually offered by the manufacturer, and there are warranties offered for the actual work.

A manufacturer’s warranty may claim to protect you for 10-20 years, or even a lifetime; but these promises are often skewed. Much like the tires, there are several hoops you have to jump through to be able to successfully file such a claim.

Should you not be able to provide the required documentation, your warranty can then become void. There are usually enough caveats in the warranty process that allow manufacturers a way to avoid fulfilling it.

Most failures are due to substandard roofers and your warranty coverage probably doesn’t include that. Even if it is the materials that fail, and you’ve maintained your roof (and can prove it), your manufacturer’s warranty likely only covers the materials and not the labor itself.

Lifetime Warranties

Be wary of “lifetime” warranty guarantees. A “lifetime” doesn’t necessarily mean the period of time you may think it does. It doesn’t mean your lifetime, What does “lifetime” mean?

Usually it means that the warranty doesn’t take effect until the manufacturer’s warranty is up (2-10 years, usually). These generally aren’t even backed by the original manufacturer or even the selling dealer, but usually an anonymous third party, so read closely to see who is on the hook and under what conditions. Often times there is language that invalidates the warranty under certain conditions, such as if the value of the roof is less than the cost of repairs. Watch out for language that limits liability.

No Maintenance Guarantees

Same goes for “little or no” maintenance required guarantees. Sure, some materials or types of roofing may need less maintenance than others, but there is no such thing as a “no maintenance roof.” Would you believe a car salesman if they said your new car will never require maintenance?

Your roof – and all of the components that make it – battle the elements every day of the year. It’s not just the tiles or the shingles; the decking, underlayment, and fasteners all face wear, too. Even if the materials on the outside look fine, there could be potential problems underneath, not visible to you.

Waterproof Sealants/Nanotechnology

I have occasionally seen products that claim to 100% waterproof a shingle or tile roof. To date, nothing has been invented yet, that can actually do this. Though that hasn’t stopped businesses from selling a product that claims it does. What’s more painful is many of these products actually speed up the deterioration process, and can actually void your roof’s manufacturer’s warranty.

We Want to Believe

Magic products and useless warranties are smoke screens used to suck money from customers that may not have as much education about roofing under their belt as others. We frequently see these common “lies” and not only do they take advantage of you, the customer, but they also set up unrealistic expectations for honest contractors. We want to believe things that are too good to be true, but sometimes, common sense tells us otherwise and we need to listen to what it’s saying.

If you have questions about commonly spread roofing “lies”, give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to set the record straight.

Integrity, Trust, Pride, and Peace of Mind,
~Frank Istueta