Five Easy Ways to Accidentally Void Your Roof Warranty

A new roof is not an insignificant investment in your home. For this reason, it’s important to take great care to protect that investment. Most people look for warranties as a means to protect the investments they’ve made in their roofs, however, it’s important to read the fine print and understand some of the many ways you can unintentionally void the warranty on your roof, like the five listed below.

1) Letting the Attic Get Too Hot.
This is common in homes that utilize spray foam insulation in attics or have inadequate ventilation in the attic of the home. A few vents along the ridges of home are no longer adequate.

Foam insulation prevents air from circulating properly and leaves no outlet for hot air to escape. An attic fan helps to draw cooler air into the attic while venting warmer air out into the world outside. The end result is that your roof isn’t baking and becoming brittle beneath the assault of the boiling summer sun.

2) Installing Solar Panels and/or Skylights.
While you think these might be good things for your home and the planet, the truth is they aren’t always good things for your roof and can lead to leaks and other damage – especially if not professionally installed.

3) Satellite Dishes and Antennas.
Depending on your warranty, these rooftop devices can either negate the warranty completely, or simply void the warranties coverage that specifically relates to leaks. This makes sense from the warranty’s point of view as installation often involves drilling holes into the roofs of homes.

4) Failing to Do Required Roof Maintenance.
Some warranties require you to perform specific routine roof maintenance tasks in order to maintain the terms of the warranty. You will be not only responsible for conducting the maintenance, but also for keeping records of repairs and inspections you have to prove compliance.

5) Hiring Unlicensed Roofers.
Hiring an unlicensed roofer is a huge risk from the get-go. It can lead to improperly installed shingles, failure to provide adequate ventilation, and even installing the new roof without getting rid of the existing roof – all of which cause big problems down the road for your new roof.

Ultimately you’ll need to discuss the terms of your warranty ahead of time so that you know, without a doubt, you’re not placing your warranty coverage at risk. After all, you want a roof that will truly cover your assets for many years to come.