Commercial roofing warranties may vary between roofing types, manufacturers and roofing companies, but they are fundamentally similar. Here’s a quick guide on the basics of commercial roofing warranties.

Types of Warranties

Commercial roofing warranties include warranties from manufacturers and warranties from contractors or installers. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the same categories apply to residential roofing. They’re sometimes referred to as factory and workmanship warranties.

Manufacturer Warranty

Manufacturer warranties apply to roofing materials or the complete roofing system. It typically covers roofing problems caused by a factory defect or manufacturing error. There are 4 types of manufacturer warranty:

1. No dollar limit (NDL) warranty – This means the manufacturer will cover material defects regardless of the cost of replacement materials. NDL warranties typically do not cover labor costs or problems caused by installation errors.

2. Manufacturer’s material warranty – Some commercial roofs are made using materials from different manufacturers. With this type of warranty, the manufacturer will cover just the materials that they’ve manufactured.

3. Manufacturer’s labor and material warranty – This covers both materials as well as labor up to a certain dollar limit. This means the larger the roof, the faster that dollar limit can be reached.

4. Manufacturer’s roof system warranty – This is often referred to as “membrane only” warranty because the only part covered is the main roofing material.

Roofing Contractor Warranties

This provides coverage for problems caused by installation errors. This type of warranty is as important as material warranty; a roofing system made of the best materials can still fail if not installed properly. Roofing contractor warranties are generally shorter than manufacturer warranties because problems caused by installations usually become apparent in the first few years after installation.

What Roofing Warranties Don’t Cover

Many property owners make the mistake of neglecting their insurance just because they have warranty coverage. As a property owner or manager, it’s important for you to read and understand warranty exceptions, which should be clearly stated in the warranty paperwork. For example, damage caused by storms or a tree falling on the roof is not covered by warranties, but may be covered by insurance. Also, it’s important to make sure that you keep up with the roof’s scheduled maintenance: not doing so may void its warranty coverage.as.

Exterior Building Solutions is your leading provider of commercial roofing maintenance services. Give us a call at (314) 470-8783, or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Arnold and nearby areas in Missouri.