Commercial roofing warranty 101 with TeamCraft Roofing

By Lane Farrell, TeamCraft.  

Ensuring your roof's longevity.

Understanding your new commercial roof warranty is crucial to protecting your investment and ensuring a long lifespan for your roof. TeamCraft’s guide delves into the two primary types of warranties—contractor and manufacturer—highlighting key aspects and providing essential tips for maintaining these warranties. Also explore common exclusions and offer solutions to help you manage your warranty effectively. 

Understanding your new commercial roof warranty 

Investing in a new roof for your commercial property is a significant decision. Like any major purchase, it comes with warranties to protect your investment. This guide explains the different types of warranties and how to maintain them to ensure a long roof lifespan. 

There are two primary types of roofing warranties 

Contractor warranty: Typically covers workmanship for two years. It's crucial to discuss the specifics with your contractor and request biannual inspections during this period. 

Manufacturer warranty: Varies depending on the warranty type. 

NDL (no dollar limit) warranty (15+ years): This is the preferred warranty. It covers defects in materials and installation for the warranty term, excluding leaks caused by maintenance issues, natural disasters or other trades' work. Maintaining this warranty usually requires biannual inspections by a certified installer of the manufacturer. 

Material warranty (10 years): This limited warranty only covers material failures and excludes installation issues. 

Maintaining your warranties 

Schedule biannual inspections: Regular inspections by a certified professional are crucial for maintaining both contractor and manufacturer warranties. These inspections help identify and address minor problems before they become major issues. 

Keep records: Maintain detailed records of all inspections and maintenance performed on your roof. This documentation will be necessary when filing a warranty claim.  

We offer Sheltercare as a one stop product to make sure you are compliant with these requirements and recordkeeping items. In addition to your detailed photo inspection, we also do light debris removal, caulking and gutter cleaning on these visits. 

Understanding warranty exclusions 

It's important to understand what your warranties don't cover. Common exclusions include: 

Normal wear and tear: All roofs experience wear and tear over time. 

Acts of god: Damage caused by severe weather events like hail, tornadoes or hurricanes. 

Lack of maintenance: Failing to perform regular inspections and maintenance can void your warranty. 

Damage caused by other trades: If plumbers, electricians or other contractors damage your roof during work, it likely won't be covered under your roofing warranty.  

Another thing to note is that a long-term warranty will not replace your roof. Most warranties specifically state that they will repair leaks. For example, it will not replace wet insulation caused by the leak or damage in the building that result. The best prevention is timely inspections, which are solely the building owner’s responsibility! 

TeamCraft Roofing: Your trusted industrial roofing partner 

TeamCraft Roofing is a licensed installer for all major roofing manufacturers. We offer a comprehensive range of services to ensure your roof reaches its full lifespan, including: 

• Sheltercare for your biannual preventative maintenance inspections 
• Emergency leak response 
• Roof repairs 
• Re-roofing 

Our goal is to leverage our expertise to help you get the most out of your existing roof and develop cost-effective long-term solutions for all your roofing needs. 

Contact us today 

Let TeamCraft Roofing's experienced team create a customized preventative maintenance plan for your commercial property, regardless of the roof's age. 

Original article and photo source: Teamcraft Roofing