By Corey A Thrush
It’s time for another addition in our blog series “What’s the Deal with Warranties?” In our previous blog, we discussed reading the fine print in seeing what is covered and what is not covered when it comes to roofing manufacturers’ warranties. I ended our last blog by mentioning roof flashings. I want to discuss that topic before moving on real quick.
This is a gray area when it comes to manufacturer warranties so be sure to read the fine print. Most manufacturers view this as a component of the roofing system but it is not a component that they have provided or manufactured. So in most cases, flashings are excluded from a roofing warranty because they view this as a workmanship defect not a defect of the roofing system itself. Now what this equates to is that a homeowner cannot simply file a warranty claim on their roof because the wall of chimney flashings have failed, but they can file if there is a defect such as the shingles not sealing properly. Now if a full replacement is warranted some warranties will pay for the replacement of all flashings while others still exclude flashing replacement and the homeowner has to pay for that out of pocket. That is why I cannot stress how important it is to read and understand the roofing warranty that your new roof is receiving.
Now let’s discuss seal failure. How many of you know what seal failure is and what exactly causes it? Have you ever seen a window that is fogged over or has areas of patchiness inside the window? Often times it appears as the window needs cleaned and people will scrub and scrub their windows to no avail. That is seal failure. The easiest way to describe this phenomenon is that the sealant around the insulated glass unit has weakened and failed, allowing the insulating gas to escape and moisture to creep its way in between the two panes of glass.
Now this is not an uncommon occurrence and there are many reasons why this can occur. Number one on this list is the age of the window. With all products, as they age they become more prone to failure. It’s as simple as that. Next up, Mother Nature! When we experience extreme temperature fluctuations, these products experience expansion and contraction which can then lead to failure. And last on the list is the most dreaded one… manufacturer defect! Let’s face it, it happens and we hate it! We all hope when purchasing a new product that everything is one hundred percent free of defect, but sometimes this isn’t the case but thank goodness we have warranties!
Now when it comes to selecting the window that you feel is best for you and your home, be sure to read over the glass warranty portion to see what is covered and what is not covered. Most window manufacturers will warrant against seal failure for ten years, some fifteen or twenty, and then others go a step further by providing a lifetime transferable warranty. But this is where we go back to reading the fine print, because in many cases glass breakage is not warranted or coverage can be purchased for an additional fee. This is why you want to discuss the warranty in-depth with the home improvement company that you are purchasing your new replacement windows in case a claim is needed.
That’s it for this time folks. In our next “What’s the Deal with Warranties?” blog, we’ll dig further into replacement window warranties and what to look for and what to understand? How long is the frame and sash warranted for? Moving parts? What about labor? These are all good topics that will discuss moving forward but until next time my friends, keep improving!
