A new roof is a big investment, typically involving thousands of your hard-earned dollars and lasting 25, 30, 40 years or more. As with any big investment, knowing in advance what your warranty covers could save you thousands in the event that problems arise with your roof.

Based on GAF’s state-of-the-art manufacturing process, the odds of having a problem with a new GAF roof is about 1 in 1,000! On the other hand, while serious problems with GAF roofing materials are rare, if you were to have a problem, it could be as expensive to fix as your roof originally cost. So, while the risk of having a problem is low, the cost if you do have a serious problem can be high.

Studies indicate that more than two-thirds of the problems that people experience with their new roofs are due to the contractor’s workmanship, not the roofing materials. That’s why you should trust a GAF certified contractor like Redemption Roofing with the installation.

Basically, there are two types of coverage that you should ask your contractor about: coverage against material defects and coverage against workmanship errors. Make sure you get both in writing.

Almost all roofing products come with a warranty against material defects, although your exact coverage will vary depending on the brand. For example, a typical shingle warranty will cover material defects for a period of 20-40 years or more. The warranty on the other components of your roofing system can vary from as little as a few months to several years. It is important to remember that coverage against material defects is provided by the manufacturer, so you should select a brand from a manufacturer who is financially strong and therefore more likely to be in business for as long as you own your roof—which could be several decades!

GAF’s warranties come with a special provision called the Smart Choice® Protection Period that covers you against material defects during the critical early years of your new roof. During this period, in the event that you experience a material defect on covered components, GAF will provide you with 100% replacement materials and the reasonable cost of labor to install them. This is important because some roofing warranties may only provide replacement materials, but not the labor to install them.

The GAF Weather Stopper® System Plus Ltd. Warranty provides coverage against material defects for all major GAF components on your roof – not just your shingles – so you’ll have peace of mind knowing that if any covered roofing component fails, it will be covered by the warranty (see ltd. warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). The warranty is available through GAF certified contractors, and is a low-cost way to get up to 50 years of non-prorated coverage against material defects on your new roofing system.

The GAF Golden Pledge® Ltd. Warranty, is the first manufacturer’s warranty to cover both material defects and the contractor’s workmanship (see warranty for complete coverage and restrictions). GAF will stand behind our workmanship up to 20 years! The Golden Pledge Ltd. Warranty is available only through GAF factory-certified Master Elite Contractors. The warranty even includes an inspection by GAF’s independent inspectors after your new roof has been completed to ensure proper installation. It is the strongest, safest warranty available in roofing today. To verify if your contractor is a Master Elite Contractor, click here