LIMITED ROOFING WARRANTIES
Warranties Do Not Indicate either Durability or Quality

   There are only two categories of roofing materials - "Permanent" roofing materials and "Temporary" materials.
   In the past, the permanent roofing materials (slate, tile, metal) came with 50 year or lifetime product warranties  
   and "temporary" materials (asphalt and cedar) normally came with 15 year to 25 year warranties.  In the past,
   buyers could use roofing warranties as a tool in the product selection process because, generally speaking, the
   warranties covered the "service life" of products and, therefore, provided indication of both quality and durability.

   Those days are gone.  Modern roofing warranties are simply "marketing tools" strategically designed to sell product.
   Modern warranties are "Limited" in coverage and, generally speaking, DO NOT cover the "Service Life" of products.

WARRANTIES ON ASPHALT SHINGLES

   Asphalt manufacturers have been able to market shingles with warranties that greatly exceed the expected lifespan...
   because the "limitations" in the warranty eliminate potential (seller) liabilities for EXPECTED premature failures.  The
   modern "fiberglass" asphalt shingles have a long history of premature failure, but the traditional 15 year and 20 year
   warranty periods have been "inflated" to 30 years, 40 years, 50 years and (wait for it)... Lifetime Warranties.

Asphalt composition shingles are normally sold with 30 to 50 year "limited" warranties.
And inexperienced shoppers usually assume this indicates product durability.
Yet the functional lifespan for most (modern) shingles is less than 20 years.

HOW CAN THEY DO THAT?

Composition warranties exclude coverage/liability for product durability.
Warranties only cover "manufacturing defects" - Not failure from normal exposure.
Manufacturers have openly joked of providing 150 year warranties to sell more product.

   Asphalt warranties that don't guarantee Durability / Lifespan / Service Life of shingles have no value to consumers
   attempting to determine the durability or the quality of products.  Unfortunately, modern asphalt warranties are only
   marketing tools - strategically designed to sell more shingles - without covering the shingle durability or service life.*
   See:  Asphalt Warranties do NOT cover shingle Service Life   and see:  Warranties are Deceptive Marketing Tools

WHAT ABOUT THE ROOFER'S GUARANTEE?

   In the past most asphalt roofers guaranteed installations for the period indicated on the manufacturer's warranty.
   Since most asphalt shingles had manufacturer warranties of 15 years or 20 years, asphalt contractors would also
   guaranteed the installation would remain "serviceable" for that indicated warranty period - they could only do this
   because it was expected, based on a long and proven history, that shingle life would exceed the warranty period.

   When manufacturers lowered shingle quality (and durability) most asphalt roofers were concerned about the financial
   liability involved with installing fiberglass shingles which were known to be defective.  Contractor associations started
   to advise members on strategies to eliminate financial liability for selling shingles they expected to fail prematurely.

   Today, consumers only receive a "workmanship" (labor only) guarantee from their roofing contractors.  After the
   premature failure of modern asphalt shingles because common knowledge in the industry (see: History of Asphalt)
   contractors started using a Standard Disclaimer Form to eliminate financial liability for selling defective shingles.

                     * Based on product design and proven performance, there are only a couple of conventional
                     fiberglass shingles that we find ANY evidence of possible durability beyond 20 years.  These
                     shingles are NOT popular products (in the Seattle area) as most roofers don't tell consumers
                     about the history of premature failures for asphalt.  See: Selling Defective Shingles in Seattle

Do you want to get the BEST VALUE on your roofing project?
You will need Full Disclosure and Unbiased Information.
Contact us for Specific Advice on your Project.
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Seattle Roof Brokers

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