You have a new roof and you’re excited that the contract has been fulfilled and the warranty is in place, but do you really know what you have signed up for and what your coverage will entail?

Many homeowners that are contemplating the installation of a new roof and providing for its future protection probably wonder, what is the average warranty for a new roof? They may think that the entire roof is good for 20 or 30 years but are unsure of what is included in the fine print of their warranty, and if a home has just been constructed, they may also be asking, how long is a roof warranty on a new home?

1. A manufacturer’s warranty, or a roof shingle warranty, is the most common type of roof warranty, which may include coverage from 20 to 50 years. This type of warranty only provides protection for defects in actual roofing materials that disintegrate or break down before they should, and the warranty can be in question if a homeowner cannot show that the roof has been maintained on an intermittent basis. Most shingle products included in a manufacturer’s warranty that covers shingles for up to 30 years.

2. A roof workmanship warranty is a contractor roof repair warranty, which means that the roofing contractor that completed the original installation will take responsibility for both material and labor issues. This type of warranty protects against defects in the installation process and offers coverage anywhere from 2 to 5 to 10 years, but the average differs among contractors, with 10 years being the more current average. Usually this type of warranty contains a clause that states that the warranty is invalid if the original contractor is not used with any warranty repair issues.

3. A full system warranty usually covers materials but also includes manufactured accessory type roofing materials, such as metal work, flashings, and anything related to the original installation. This type of warranty generally runs for 10 to 30 years and covers the full cost of any leaks as well as the labor to complete the repairs. Installation errors under this type of warranty may not be covered.

4. A roofing labor warranty simply means that only the labor necessary to address a roof issue is covered, and the cost of materials is not. A roof installer may offer this kind of warranty, but those services do not usually cover or include errors due to installation.

5. A roofing material only warranty only covers defects in manufacturing and unanticipated deterioration for the duration of the warranty. The roof membrane is the only material covered and other accessories like metal edging, flashing, adhesives and related materials are not included or covered. Also excluded are leak repair costs, labor or coverage for installation errors. This warranty is lower cost than a full system.