It’s crucial to hire highly qualified contractors for any kind of commercial roofing services your business requires. Their hardworking, honest workers and current knowledge of manufacturer materials will save you trouble down the road. Otherwise, you may be out several thousand dollars from a new commercial roof that doesn’t function properly due to faulty parts or poor workmanship. Thankfully, a trustworthy roofing contractor will offer commercial roofing warranties to ensure you are financially protected.
However, just because you have a top-notch roof warranty doesn’t mean it will be effective under all circumstances. Most roofing warranties include the following stipulations, which may render the warranty null if ignored.
Unapproved Modifications
It’s a good idea to check your warranty first before you get any post-installation work done on the roof. It doesn’t necessarily have to be roof-related construction either. For instance, you may think that installing a rooftop AC system or ventilation system would be harmless. Unfortunately, any machinery that must puncture the roofing system can cause severe damage if installed improperly. Make sure your roofing warranty allows the modification you wish to implement before moving forward with the project.
Negligent Workmanship
While the roofing warranty is designed to protect your investment against labor errors on the part of the roofing contractor, it doesn’t protect your roof in the case of other kinds of contractors. Let’s say you decide to get that HVAC unit up top, and your warranty even allows this kind of modification. Next, you will need to vet your contractors before hiring them to get a sense of their general level of expertise, in addition to how much they know about roofing health. It’s a good sign if they know how to install roof flashing around any vulnerable leakage points and are committed to cleaning up after their work is done. Tools, nails, chemicals, and machinery parts must never be left on the roof because they can cause damage that your roofing warranty won’t cover.
Inclement Weather Damage
Does your region tend to get a lot of thunderstorms, hurricanes or tornadoes? How about snow, high winds, or hailstorms? If so, you’ll want to pay attention to your roof around those peak storm seasons. Walk your roof after every major weather event to take photos of everything, whether damaged or not. Oftentimes, the damage may or may not be apparent immediately after the storm. Since it may take months or years to develop, it’s a smart move to keep those photo records. As long as you can show proof that the damage resulted from a storm, your insurance should at least cover it. Don’t make the mistake of relying on your warranty to cover all such “acts of God” — it may or may not.
Lack of Regular Maintenance
After you walk the roof to take note of storm damages, you should immediately enlist your roofing contractor to perform repairs. Likewise, you should also send for your contractor to complete any recommended maintenance from your biannual roofing inspections. Don’t wait for the damage to grow more and more critical until you find yourself in a desperate situation. A lack of regular maintenance could lead to dire issues such as water leakage, mold growth, pest infestations, structural damage, ponded water, ruined insulation and more. Proper and regular maintenance can extend your roof’s lifespan by five to eight years and simultaneously ensures the warranty remains intact.
While roofing warranties will vary from one to the next, these are the most common ways you might inadvertently void one. That said, you should always read your roofing warranty thoroughly so that you will be aware of any significantly different points in yours. After all, a warranty is a type of contract. As a facility manager or business owner, awareness of your legal obligations empowers you to achieve success and longevity for your business.
