Are Roofers Responsible for Leaks?

So, you discovered a leak in your roof. The first thing you would probably do is clean up the mess, tell your family to avoid the affected area, and look for a temporary solution until you can fix the issue.

But, sooner or later, your mind starts filling up with questions. Who is responsible for this issue in the first place? Who should handle the fallout or pay the bills for getting the damages fixed?

Typically, if you hire a roofer for roof installation, the company often carries a two-year warranty and provides a longer manufacturer warranty. Within this two-year period, the roofer should be your first point of contract.

Outside these two years, the roof system’s manufacturer will usually carry the responsibility for the overall performance of the roof. These warranties from manufacturers normally run from 5 to 30 years. This depends on the specific installed as well as the purchased products. But, if you are unsure, your roofer is always a good place to start together with the original warranty of the system.

If your roof is still under either warranty, fixing a leak resulting from material or workmanship failure will be covered for you at no cost. The team of roofers and the manufacturer will also mean that the problem will be handled by people you know and work with and a company with all the necessary resources.

But, there are certain things that the warranty doesn’t cover. Not all roof leaks are the result of either material failure or issues with workmanship. A common point of misconception and confusion is the leaks that are the result of damages to the roof system. These damages might be due to different reasons. Mother Nature and certain trades are two of the most common causes. It means that if a customer contacts a roofer to investigate the leak in their roof, their team should first visit the area and identify the leak’s source before determining who is responsible for covering the expenses.

If no warranty covers the roof, perhaps due to the expiration of the time period covered, as the homeowner, you should still call a roofer to assess the issue or investigate the current condition of the roofing system. A roof inspection and assessment can help you determine the next steps you should take to keep your home in great shape.

There are roofers that offer reasonable service even after the warranty life of the roof with proper servicing and care. If the roof is already nearing the final stage of its actual service life, a roof inspection will help you budget for a future replacement.

As you prepare for roof repair or replacement, it will always be a wise move to decide in advance the length of your preferred warranty and specify this to your roofer early on. You also need to talk about the warranty process with your hired contractor so that a plan will be in place in case the material breaks down.

It is already stressful enough on its own to deal with a damaged or leaky roof and determining who should be held responsible must be the least of your concerns.

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