Warranties & Roof Inspections

WARRANTIES

Royal Roofing Ltd. provides a 10 year warranty for workmanship. Material warranties are provided by the manufacturers. Since the majority of our work is done with Elevate Building Products and Building Products of Canada, we have displayed their warranties as shown below and also provided links to sample warranties:

ELEVATE WARRANTIES

Elevate Warranty stands alone among the competition. Among the many benefits of the Red Shield Warranty are material and labor coverage with comprehensive, no-dollar limit liability; “edge-to-edge” system coverage including membrane, insulation and metal; and, coverage that is transferable from owner-to-owner. Depending on the commercial roofing system, terms of the warranty can range from five years to a Platinum 30-year warranty. Red Shield Warranties are available for the following systems:

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

https://www.holcimelevate.com/us-en/resources/warranties

BUILDING PRODUCTS OF CANADA WARRANTIES

https://www.bpcan.com/CMS/Media/Preview_12537_53_en-CA_0_WarrantyUpgrade__eng__22fev2011.pdf

BP Limited Life Time Warranty Upgrade

> > > starting February 1, 2011

For more than 100 years, Building Products of Canada has been committed to providing top quality,
value-added products and services to retailers, contractors and homeowners across North America.
Furthering that commitment, we are pleased to announce that all BP laminate shingles sold in Canada and the United States are now covered by our new enhanced BP Lifetime Warranty.

LAMINATE SHINGLES

Here’s how this change affects each laminate shingle in the product line when installed on a single-family detached residence:

1. Standard Wind Warranty applies when shingles are installed using standard application.

2. High Wind Warranty applies when shingles are installed using high wind application.

3-TAB SHINGLES

BP Dakota 25-year, Yukon SB and Mirage GS 30-year shingles remain covered with the BP shingles warranty.
To help you inform your customers about their advantages, we have attached our BP Warranty Certificate and some relevant FAQs.

For further information, please visit our www.bpcan.com

THE CUSTOMER’S WARRANTY RESPONSIBILITIES

Customers are expected to read their warranties, but frequently fail to do so. Manufacturers’ roof warranties are “limited” warranties, and are generally limited to the repair of leaks due to only the manufacturers’ products. There are times when even leaks can be excluded under the terms and conditions of the warranty.

Warranties require that the roof be paid for in full before the warranty is valid. This means that if there is a dispute and the roofing contractor has not been paid, the warranty will not take effect. The manufacturer and contractor are to be “paid in full for all materials, supplies, services, approved written change orders, warranty costs and other costs which are included in, or incidental to, the system”.

Customers also often fail to understand that under manufacturers’ warranties, they are contractually responsible for “using reasonable care in maintaining the [roof] system”which also includes building envelope care and maintenance.This translates into regular maintenance of the roof, roof inspections at least twice a year, prompt repairs if defects are found, using a manufacturer-licensed contractor within a stipulated period, debris removal, proper maintenance of the roof drainage system to avoid water ponding, and maintenance of coatings where required. Accessories, equipment, supports and skylights must be maintained, and drains must be kept free-flowing and unclogged. On commercial and industrial roofs, there is also roof traffic to be considered. Roof traffic must be avoided or minimized, or suitable provision for traffic must be maintained. Good records of inspections and repairs must also be retained.

Regular roof maintenance is not only needed to keep the warranty intact, but it is, along with proper initial design and installation, one of the most important parts of keeping a roof in service for a long time.

Studies have shown that a properly maintained roof will last roughly double the time of a roof that is not maintained.

Warranties also require free access to the roof during regular business hours by the manufacturer or their representatives. Failure to provide this access can cost the customer. Damage to the system in order to expose it for inspection or repairs is also at the customer’s cost.

Exclusions
All warranties have exclusions. Some of these are natural disasters or “acts of God”, excessive high winds, conduct or omissions by any person (including failure to maintain the roof as noted above), terrorism, vandalism, acts of war, deterioration or failure of building components, improper selection of materials by the architect or designer, unauthorized additions or alterations to the roof system, or changes in building use or purpose extra period.

Something which many building owners are not aware of is that warranties also exclude any “consequential” (resultant), special, or other damages, including loss of profits, damages to the building, or its contents. Consequential damages are usually far more costly than the damage to the roof, and customers should be properly insured for any such losses and damages.

Notification
Notification requirements can also cause a warranty to be null and void. Most warranties require notification in writing to the manufacturer within 30 days of discovering a leak. In most cases, it is the sole judgment of the manufacturer as to what action will be taken. In some cases, it also means that if the manufacturer decides that it is not liable for a leak, the owner will have to pay for the cost of the inspection.

Warranty Benefits
If the building owner adheres to the terms of the warranty, it can provide repairs for leaks at no cost. The terms of the warranty dictate the manufacturer’s obligation.
Finally, if the warranty is transferable, it can be used as a selling point in marketing the building. If the roof is still under warranty, the implication is that it is in good condition and therefore not likely to need replacing in the near future.

Although a warranty can offer benefits, the best option is simply to have a properly designed and installed roof to begin with and then maintain it like any other asset in the building. If that is done, the roof will outlast any warranty.

ROOF INSPECTIONS

WHY REGULAR ROOF INSPECTIONS ARE NECESSARY

The most important reason for regular roof inspections is to ensure that you do not void your roof warranty.  Manufacturers generally require customers to show evidence that their roofs have been inspected at least twice a year by a qualified inspector.  Additional reasons are to ensure that you are:

• Reducing the likelihood of catastrophic property loss and possible business interruption:
• Identifying corrections or repairs to newer roof installation by scheduling warranty inspections;
• Reducing the frequency and severity of leaks;
• Reducing the frequency of emergency repairs and associated inefficiencies and thereby reducing operational costs;
• Extending the overall life of the roof and reducing overall ownership costs;
• Improving responses from roofing contractors in the event of needed repairs.

INSPECTION REPORTS

In addition to weathering, roofs are subject to hail damage, wind damage, manufacturer’s defects, and installation defects. Therefore all roofs should be inspected at least once a year, and preferably twice a year.We can provide you with an objective inspection report through our network of qualified inspectors at a very reasonable cost. When an inspection report calls for repairs or replacement, we will provide you with an outstanding quotation.

WEATHERING

(Information on weathering from https://www.nachi.org)
“Weathering” is a general term used to describe the effects on shingles of long-term exposure to the elements. Weathered shingles aren’t necessarily damaged shingles, although weathering will eventually damage shingles. Weathering is a natural process that causes shingles to deteriorate over time. The rate at which shingles weather can be affected by a number of things.

Shingle Quality
Low-quality shingles will fail before high-quality shingles. Quality can vary widely among manufacturers, and even within a single manufacturer’s product line.

Structure Orientation
South-facing roof slopes have shorter lifespans due to increased thermal cycling and UV exposure. Some portions of the roof are affected by prevailing winds more than others.

Degree of Roof Slope
Flatter roofs have shorter lifespans because they shed moisture more slowly and are more directly exposed to UV radiation than roofs with steeper pitches.

Climate
Harsh climates shorten roof lifespans. Wind, moisture and thermal cycling all contribute to deterioration of roofing materials.

Thermal Cycling
Climates with large daily temperature swings shorten roof lifespans because they cause greater amounts of expansion and contraction. This increases the roof’s rate of deterioration.

Roof Color
Darker roofs absorb more heat, which shortens shingle lifespan by accelerating the loss of volatiles and increasing thermal cycling.

Elevation
Homes at higher elevations are exposed to more UV radiation, which deteriorates most roof-covering materials, including asphalt shingles.

Roof Structure Ventilation
Poor ventilation of the roof structure shortens shingle lifespan by failing to keep shingles cool, resulting in accelerated loss of volatiles and greater amounts of thermal cycling.

Quality of Maintenance
Failure to repair damage and keep roofs clean can result in damage and deterioration from moisture intrusion and wind.