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Why Are Warranties
Important?
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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. |
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What Are The
Chances Of Having A Problem With My New GAF-Elk
Roof?
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Based on our state-of-the-art manufacturing
process, the odds of having a problem with a new GAF-Elk
roof is about 1 in 1000! On the other hand, while
serious problems with GAF-Elk roofing materials are
rare, if you were to have a problem, it can 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. |
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What About
Problems With
Installation?
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GAF-Elk’s 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. This is an
important distinction to keep in mind when deciding on
warranty coverage. |
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What Should
I Look For In A Roofing Warranty?
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Basically, there are two types of coverage
that you should ask your contractor about: coverage
against material defects and coverage against
workmanship errors. |
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Tell Me
About Coverage Against Material
Defects...
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To the best of our knowledge, 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, 30, 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! |
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What Is GAF-Elk’s “Smart Choice®
Protection Period”?
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GAF-Elk’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-Elk 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. |
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What Is The
GAF-Elk Weather Stopper® System Plus Ltd.
Warranty?
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The GAF-Elk Weather Stopper®
System Plus Ltd. Warranty provides coverage against
material defects for all major GAF-Elk components on
your roof (not just your shingles)—so you’ll have the
peace of mind of 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-Elk 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. |
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How Do I Get
Coverage Against Workmanship Errors?
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Many roofing contractors provide their own
warranty against errors in workmanship, sometimes for as
long as ten years or more. Obviously, that coverage is
only good for as long as the contractor remains in
business. Since roofing is a “high turnover” occupation,
the majority of roofing contractors are out of business
within five years—far less than the life of your new
roof—making the warranty worthless and leaving you with
nowhere to turn in the event that you have a workmanship
problem. |
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Are There Any Manufacturers Who Will
Cover The Contractor’s
Workmanship?
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Until relatively recently, there were no
manufacturers that provided warranty coverage against
errors in the contractors’ workmanship. Recognizing this
obvious need, GAF-Elk introduced the Golden
Pledge® Ltd. Warranty—the first manufacturer’s
warranty to cover both material defects and the
contractor’s workmanship (see
ltd. warranty for complete coverage and
restrictions). Whether or not your contractor
remains in business, GAF-Elk will stand behind his
workmanship up to 20 years! The Golden Pledge® Ltd.
Warranty is available only through GAF-Elk Master Elite™
Contractors, who are factory-certified by GAF-Elk. The
warranty even includes an inspection by GAF-Elk’s
independent inspectors after your new roof has been
completed to insure proper installation. It is the
strongest, safest warranty available in roofing today.
Your Master Elite Contractor can provide a price for the
warranty when he gives you a quote for your new roof. |
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How Do I File A Claim If I Have A
Material Defect On My GAF-Elk
Shingles?
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Before you proceed, if possible you should
locate a copy of your GAF-Elk warranty and a copy of the
contractor’s invoice, contract, or original estimate.
You will also need to provide the date applied, proof
that you were the owner when the shingles were installed
(or that the warranty was properly transferred to you),
and the number of squares applied (1 square = 100 square feet).
Then call our Warranty Service Department toll-free at
1-800-458-1860, and let us know the nature of your
complaint. |
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