Understanding Your Warranty
Three different warranties end up on your roof and they cover three different things. Here is what each one actually says.
Three Promises, Three Companies
Most warranty arguments in this industry come from one confusion: a homeowner asks the wrong company to pay for something. These three never overlap.
The manufacturer
Covers the products themselves — defects in the shingle, the underlayment, the ridge cap. Breakdowns for each manufacturer are below.
Pepla
Covers how the roof was installed. 25 years, non-prorated, no deductible, and it transfers once to the next owner for free.
Our workmanship warrantyYour insurance
Covers what the weather does — hail, a microburst that strips shingles, a tree through the roof. No manufacturer warranty covers storm damage.
Storm & insurance helpGAF Roofing System Limited Warranty
GAF's system warranty covers manufacturing defects in the shingles and the GAF accessories around them. It is not a warranty on the installation — that is ours — and it is not storm insurance. Knowing which of the three is which is most of what a homeowner needs.
Applies to GAF products installed after January 1, 2025.
Non-prorated for the first 10 years (GAF calls that the Smart Choice Protection Period). After that the payout is reduced for the use you have had.
Full reasonable labor cost during the Smart Choice period only. After year 10 GAF covers materials, not labor.
No maximum wind speed under WindProven, if you qualify. Otherwise 130 mph with the special nailing pattern, 110 mph without.
StainGuard Plus is 25 years, StainGuard Plus PRO is 30. Blue-green algae only.
What it covers
- Manufacturing defects in GAF shingles that cause leaks
- Manufacturing defects in GAF accessories — ridge cap, starter strip, leak barrier, roof deck protection, Cobra attic ventilation
- Shingles failing to seal, blowing off or suffering wind damage because of a manufacturing defect
- Pronounced blue-green algae discoloration on StainGuard-labeled shingles
- Full reasonable labor to repair or re-cover defective product — during the first 10 years only
What it does not
- Hail, fire, and wind above the rated speed — those are insurance claims, not warranty claims
- Inadequate ventilation, and damage caused by it
- Improper installation, where the installation caused the damage
- Foot traffic, impact, and anything blown onto the roof
- Tear-off and disposal costs — never covered, even in year one
- Underlayment that is not GAF, metal work and flashings
- Damage to the inside of the building, including mold
- Low-slope membranes and Master Flow ventilation — those carry their own separate warranties
You only get this warranty if the roof was built for it
This is the part that gets skipped at the kitchen table. The coverage above exists only when the system was installed to GAF's eligibility rules. Install the shingle on its own and you fall back to a much thinner warranty.
- GAF shingles carrying a Lifetime term, plus at least three qualifying GAF accessories
- For WindProven: LayerLock-labeled shingles plus four accessories — ridge cap, starter strip, roof deck protection, and either a leak barrier or attic ventilation
- The nailing pattern GAF specifies — four nails per shingle on LayerLock, six on other GAF shingles — with GAF starter strip at both eaves and rakes
- Proof of purchase showing the installation date, kept by you
Every product on a Pepla estimate is named by manufacturer, line and color, so you can check this against the eligibility list before you sign rather than after a claim is denied.
If you sell the house
Once, to one subsequent owner, who has to notify GAF in writing within a year of the sale. Transfer inside the first 10 years and the new owner gets the same coverage; transfer after and it drops to a two-year term.
Making a claim
Within 30 days from noticing the problem. Notice to your contractor is not notice to GAF — that is stated in the document. Do not repair or replace before GAF has evaluated the claim, or it can be denied.
- gaf.com/contact
- 1-800-458-1860
- warrantyclaims@gaf.com
What this means on a Phoenix roof
Ventilation is an exclusion, and this is Phoenix
GAF will not cover damage caused by inadequate ventilation. On a Valley roof running 150°F-plus deck temperatures through the afternoon, that is not a footnote. We size ventilation to code on every job and put the calculation in your file.
Algae coverage is worth very little here
StainGuard covers blue-green algae, which needs humidity to grow. It is a real benefit in Florida. In Phoenix it is close to irrelevant, and it is not a reason to choose one shingle over another.
Monsoon damage is usually an insurance claim
Wind above the rated speed and hail are both excluded. A microburst that strips shingles is a claim against your homeowner's policy, not against GAF.
Labor stops at year ten. Ours does not
GAF pays labor for the first ten years and materials after that. Our own workmanship warranty runs the full term — so from year eleven, if the problem is how the roof was installed, you are still covered by us.
Owens Corning Standard Product Limited Lifetime Warranty
Owens Corning's standard warranty works the same way GAF's does — it covers manufacturing defects in their own products, not the installation and not storm damage. Two things set it apart: the components rule that decides whether your accessories are covered at all, and a non-prorated window Owens Corning calls TRU PROtection.
Applies to Owens Corning shingles purchased after August 1, 2026.
Lifetime only on a single-family detached home the owner lives in. Any other structure — a rental, a condo, an HOA building, a church, a school — is a 40-year term with a 5-year TRU PROtection period.
The non-prorated window. Inside it Owens Corning pays for the replacement product plus the labor directly required. After it, payment is materials only, prorated — a year-15 claim on a Limited Lifetime shingle pays 72 percent of the original product cost.
15-year wind period. Duration Series rises to 160 mph with the Enhanced Wind application, which has its own component and fastening requirements. Oakridge is 110 mph on a 4-nail application and 130 with 6 nails plus starter at eaves and rakes.
Only on shingles labeled Algae Resistant, and only with a qualifying Owens Corning hip and ridge. Without one it drops to 10 years with a 1-year non-prorated period.
What it covers
- Manufacturing defects in Owens Corning shingles
- Owens Corning hip and ridge shingles, which always match the shingle term
- Other Owens Corning components — starter, underlayment, ice and water barrier, VentSure ventilation — but only if three of the five component categories are installed
- Blow-offs and wind damage after the shingles have thermally sealed, up to the rated wind speed
- Brown-black staining from Gloeocapsa magma on Algae Resistant shingles
- Labor directly required to repair, replace or re-cover defective product — during the TRU PROtection period only
What it does not
- Hail, strong storms and wind above the rated speed — those are insurance claims
- Blow-offs before the shingles have thermally sealed, which in cool weather can take until the season turns
- Removal and disposal of the old roof, and removal or replacement of solar panels and rooftop equipment
- Non-Owens Corning products — flashing, fasteners, pipe boots, metal work, wood decking
- Improper or inadequate ventilation, unvented attics, and any damage caused by them
- Foot traffic, falling branches, and damage from power washing, painting or coatings applied later
- Pre-existing conditions and failures in the structure beneath — cracked chimney mortar, faulty counterflashing, bad gutters
- VentSure off-ridge exhaust vents, which are named as excluded
- Any cost Owens Corning did not authorize in advance
You only get this warranty if the roof was built for it
This is the part that gets skipped at the kitchen table. The coverage above exists only when the system was installed to Owens Corning's eligibility rules. Install the shingle on its own and you fall back to a much thinner warranty.
- Owens Corning shingles, bought new by the homeowner — not the contractor — for a property in the US or Canada
- Three or more of these five component categories, or the components are not covered under this warranty at all: hip and ridge; VentSure intake or exhaust ventilation; Owens Corning, RhinoRoof U20 or Titanium synthetic underlayment; Owens Corning starter shingle; WeatherLock, Titanium or RhinoRoof self-adhered ice and water barrier
- A self-adhered ice and water barrier over the entire deck counts for two of the five on its own
- Hip and ridge is the exception — DecoRidge, DuraRidge, ImpactRidge, ProEdge and RIZERidge match the shingle term automatically
- For the 160 mph Enhanced Wind coverage: Duration Series shingles, Owens Corning starter at eaves and rakes, qualifying hip and ridge, qualifying underlayment, and either an ice and water barrier or VentSure ventilation — installed strictly to the Enhanced Wind instructions
- Proof of purchase showing the installation date, kept by you
Every product on a Pepla estimate is named by manufacturer, line and color, so you can check this against the eligibility list before you sign rather than after a claim is denied.
If you sell the house
Once, to one subsequent owner, who has to contact Owens Corning within 60 days of the sale with proof of purchase and the installation date. Transfer inside the TRU PROtection period and the new owner gets the balance of coverage; transfer after it and the defect coverage drops to two years from the sale. Wind and algae coverage transfer in full either way.
Making a claim
Within 30 days from noticing the problem. Do not repair or replace before Owens Corning has made a determination — the document says the claim may be denied if you do. They may ask you to pay for photographs or shingle samples, and they have the right to inspect the roof. Nothing is reimbursed unless it was approved in advance.
- owenscorning.com/roofing — Manage Your Warranty
- Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC, One Owens Corning Parkway, Toledo, OH 43659
What this means on a Phoenix roof
Thermal sealing is not usually our problem here
Shingles have to bake in direct sun to seal, and until they do, wind damage is not covered. In most of the country that is a real winter risk. In the Valley a roof installed in any month seals quickly — one of the few places the climate works in your favor on a warranty.
Ventilation is an exclusion, and the sun here is not
Owens Corning will not cover damage from improper or inadequate ventilation, unvented attics or enclosed rafter assemblies. On a Phoenix roof that is the single most likely way to void coverage without knowing it. We size ventilation to code and keep the calculation in your file.
Algae coverage buys you almost nothing in Phoenix
The 25-year algae warranty covers one organism that needs humidity to grow. It is a genuine benefit on the Gulf Coast. Here it is close to irrelevant, and the hip and ridge requirement behind it is not a reason to pick a shingle.
Three components, or your accessories are not covered
This is the part worth reading twice. Install Owens Corning shingles with two accessories and the accessories fall back to their own short individual warranties. Our scopes name every component by manufacturer and line, so you can count them yourself before you sign.
Monsoon wind above the rating is an insurance claim
130 mph standard, 160 with the Enhanced Wind application. Above that — and hail at any speed — is a claim against your homeowner's policy, not against Owens Corning. The National Weather Service record for your county is what settles it.
After year ten it is materials only. Ours is not
Once TRU PROtection ends, Owens Corning pays a prorated share of the product and no labor. Our own workmanship warranty runs its full term, so if the problem is how the roof was installed, you are still covered by us long after the manufacturer stops paying anyone to climb up there.
TAMKO SA Roofing System Limited Warranty
This one is for flat roofs, not shingles. TAMKO's self-adhering Base and Cap sheets are a low-slope membrane system, and plenty of Valley homes have one over a patio, an addition or the whole house. It is a shorter and much narrower warranty than the shingle warranties above, and it is worth knowing that before you assume a flat roof is covered the same way a pitched one is.
Applies to TAMKO SA products sold on or after June 1, 2017. Covers the United States except Hawaii and Alaska.
Read the full warrantyPDF · 97 KB · opens in a new tab180 months, running from the date the material was bought — not from the day the roof was finished.
One year. Inside it, TAMKO replaces the defective material or pays the dollar value per square with no reduction.
Months left divided by 180. TAMKO's own example: 60 months remaining pays one third of the material. The rest is yours.
Material only, for the whole 15 years. TAMKO does not pay to remove the old membrane, install the new one, or dispose of anything.
What it covers
- Manufacturing defects in TAMKO SA Base and Cap sheets that directly cause leaks
- Replacement material, as a certificate redeemable at a TAMKO distributor, or the cash value per square at TAMKO's option
- Full value of the defective material during the first year, with no proration
What it does not
- Standing water — ponding on a flat roof is specifically excluded
- Inadequate deck slope or drainage, and any leak that comes from it
- Faulty installation, and anything not applied strictly to TAMKO's published instructions
- Acts of God — wind, hail, storm, lightning, ice — and impact from objects
- Damage from rooftop equipment, named in the document: air conditioners, heating units, antennas, solar
- Foot traffic on the roof
- Tear-off, removal and disposal of any material, including in year one
- Flashings and metal work that are not TAMKO SA products
- Damage to the building inside or out, and to anything in it
- Chemicals, solvents, paints and salt exposure, and any membrane painted or altered after it left the factory
- Moss, algae, mildew and other growth, and debris from overhanging trees
- Repairs attempted by anyone other than TAMKO or its authorized representative
You only get this warranty if the roof was built for it
This is the part that gets skipped at the kitchen table. The coverage above exists only when the system was installed to TAMKO's eligibility rules. Install the shingle on its own and you fall back to a much thinner warranty.
- TAMKO SA Base and Cap sheets installed together as a system, strictly to TAMKO's published application instructions
- Used as a normal roof application — anything else is sold as is, with no warranty of any kind
- Documentary proof of purchase, which you have to produce when you file
- The warranty form filled in and kept — owner name, address, application date, contractor and where the material was bought
Every product on a Pepla estimate is named by manufacturer, line and color, so you can check this against the eligibility list before you sign rather than after a claim is denied.
If you sell the house
It does not transfer. The document is explicit: this warranty is personal to the original owner and is not assignable or transferable under any circumstances. Selling the building ends it. That is a real difference from the shingle warranties above, both of which transfer once.
Making a claim
Within 30 days from discovering the problem. Notice to your contractor, dealer or builder is not notice to TAMKO — the document says so directly. Send proof of purchase with the notice. TAMKO can require a questionnaire, photographs and material samples at your expense, and can inspect the roof. Repair or replace before they have resolved the claim and it may be denied.
- 1-800-441-7190
- Certified mail: TAMKO Building Products, P.O. Box 1404, Joplin, MO 64802-1404
What this means on a Phoenix roof
Ponding water is excluded, and this is a monsoon town
Standing water is named in the exclusions, and so is inadequate slope or drainage. After a July storm, water that sits on a flat roof is the single most common low-slope complaint in the Valley — and it is not a TAMKO claim. Slope, drains and scuppers are a design and installation question, which is to say ours.
Your A/C sits on that roof
Damage caused by installing, maintaining or using rooftop equipment is excluded by name, air conditioners included. On a Phoenix flat roof that is not hypothetical — it is the most-trafficked square footage up there. Walk pads and proper curbing at the unit are worth insisting on, and they are a workmanship item, not a warranty one.
This one does not follow the house
The shingle warranties above transfer once to the next owner. This one ends at the sale, full stop. If you are putting a flat roof on a rental or a house you expect to sell, that matters, and it is a reason to pay attention to who stands behind the installation.
Most of the value is in year one
After twelve months it is a prorated material credit and nothing else — no labor, no tear-off, no disposal. A valid claim in year eight pays for roughly half the membrane and none of the work. Our workmanship warranty is what is actually standing behind that roof for the rest of its life.
Another Brand On Your Roof?
These three are broken down here because they are the manufacturers we most often put on Valley roofs. They are not the only ones we install — CertainTeed, IKO, Atlas, Eagle, Westlake and Brava all turn up on Phoenix homes, and every one of them writes its warranty differently.
If yours is not on this page, ask. We will pull the exact document for the product on your roof — the version in force on the day it was installed, which is the one that governs a claim — and walk you through it the same way. No charge, and you do not have to be a customer.
These summaries are ours, written to be read. The manufacturer's document is the one that governs a claim, it is attached above, and the version in force is the one current on the day your roof was installed. Where our summary and the document disagree, the document wins.
Not Sure What You Have?
Send us the paperwork from your last roof, or let us get up there and look. We will tell you which warranty you actually hold and whether the roof was built to qualify for it. Free either way.