Land Roofing OKC

As we discussed in our last blog post, many homeowners aren’t aware that their roofer can potentially void the manufacturer’s shingle warranty if they fail to follow installation specifications.

This is the second article in a two-part series on helping you protect the manufacturer’s warranty on your shingles. Today, we’re reviewing some questions you should be asking your roofer before you sign any contracts.

Manufacturer’s specifications

Shingle manufacturers require their shingles to be installed according to their performance specifications. Each manufacturer provides slightly different specifications, but all are the same in this regard: if the shingle isn’t installed according to specifications, it voids the warranty.

Some of the main things manufacturers require are the number of nails per shingle, the placement of each nail on the shingle, and ventilation. If your roofer fails to follow these specs, say goodbye to the financial protection of the warranty.

Screen your roofer

The scary thing is that many roofers do not install shingles according to the specifications, which could be from ignorance or negligence. Some who are new to the roofing industry may not even be aware of the importance of nail placement and ventilation. Others may be taking shortcuts to save time and budget.

Here are some questions to ask your roofer about their installation process.

• Have you been certified by the manufacturer of the shingles you’ll be installing on my roof?
• What other industry certifications do you have?
• Before I sign a contract, please review with me: (1) What are the manufacturer’s specifications for the ventilation, number of nails per shingle, and placement of the nails? (2) How do you enforce and check on your crews’ adherence to these specifications? (3) What quality control measures do you take?
• Do you register the warranty information with the manufacturer for us, or do we have to do it ourselves?
• Is the cost of the warranty covered by you, or do you build into the bill?

Covering all the bases

Proper installation preserves the integrity of the manufacturer’s warranty for you. This is critical, because if the roof is damaged due to a manufacturer’s defect in the shingles, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it. And if your roofer has done anything that nullifies the manufacturer’s warranty, then you’re on the hook to pay for the repair.

If you’d like to talk to us about how we install all shingles to meet the manufacturer’s standards and register the warranty on your behalf-without passing the cost of the warranty on to you-give us a call at 405-359-3951. We’d also be happy to inspect your roof for free and look for potential problem areas.

Did you know that how your roofer installs your shingles may affect their warranty?

This is the first article in a two-part series on helping you protect the manufacturer’s warranty on your shingles. We don’t want you to get stuck paying for repairs out of your own pocket. We’ll talk about shingles, the warranties that cover them, and how those warranties can be voided by the way your roofer installs the shingles.

But before we jump into that, it will be helpful to briefly discuss the difference between two methods that insurance companies use to calculate your loss: actual cash value versus replacement cost. It’s a comparison that sheds some light on shingle warranties and how they work.

Actual cash value versus replacement cost

Actual cash value is better for insurance companies and worse for you. It’s calculated by taking the replacement cost and subtracting the depreciation, which means you spend more out-of-pocket money to replace the item. Replacement cost, on the other hand, pays for what it costs to replace the item without figuring depreciation into the equation.

Shingle warranties

So, back to shingle warranties and how they relate to actual cash value and replacement cost. If the roofer installs your shingles properly, it’s like having replacement cost coverage on the shingles. In other words, if there’s a manufacturer’s defect in the shingle that leads to damage, you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket to repair and replace. That’s all on the manufacturer. You’re covered.

However, many roofers do not install shingles according to manufacturer specifications. The number of nails per shingle, the placement of each nail on the shingle, and ventilation all matter. If your roofer fails to follow these specs, it voids your warranty, which can leave you responsible for the cost to repair or replace.

In part two of this series, we’ll look at some questions you should be asking your roofer before you sign any contracts.