b"ROOFING WARRANTIES Do you own a roof? Have you specified a roof system to be installed?DoDo you manufacture roofing materials?you apply roofing materials? IfYES to any of the above, this bulletin is AIMED at YOU!Our purpose is to provide accurate information you answer concerning roofing warranties, and thereby, hopefully, narrow the gulf between perceptions and reality. Is a roof warranty an INSURANCE POLICY?Absolutely not, but some perceive it so. Is a roofranty a SALES TOOL?It is used by some in such manner, but it shouldn't be. warIs LONGER BETTER?Many perceive itbut perceptions are often deceiving. so, What is a roofing warranty?Why issue a roofing warranty?What will a roofing warranty do for you?The answers to these questions depend upon your point ofiew. v From the perspective of A BUILDING OWNER . You expect your new roofing system to remain watertight for a reasonable period ofofng time. The purposea roofiwarranty is to furnish you with a commitment by the roofing materials manufacturer and/or the roofing applicator that if the roofing system does not perform as represented because of defects in materials or workmanship, appropriate repairs will be made at no charge to you. The roofing warranty is always for a specified time period and always contains specific exclusions as to coverage. The roofing warranty is not an INSURANCE POLICY. As a building owner, you cannot simply forget about your newly installed roof, once you have a roofing warranty in your possession. Most roofing warranties impose a burden on you to furnish notice to the roofing materials manufacturer or the roofing applicator of any premature deterio- ,t/j. ration or defects in the roofing system. And, it is appropriate that roofing warranties impose upon you, as the owner, some simple roof maintenance obligations, as for example, periodically inspecting the roofing system and periodi-cally cleaning debris from the roof, as required, including the cleaning of drains, valleys and gutters. From your standpoint, should the length ofbe a decisive factor in the selection of the roofing warranty offeredthe roofing system to be applied?All other things being equal, longer is better from your standpoint. However, roofing warranties are frequently used as sales tools, particularly by manufacturers of new roof systems seeking entry into the market. You may be better protected and better served by selecting a proven roofing system with a good track record, even if its roofing warranty is of shorter duration.From the perspective of A SPECIFIER OF ROOFING SYSTEMS . The length of roofing warranties offered by competing roofing system manufacturers should be influential in your the system to specify onlyall other factors are equal. The length selection ofifof the warranty should be realistic, and the warranty's terms should be understood for what they are and are not. We suggest that your client is best served by yourofa system which has been properly tested and with adequate specificationa proven roofing system field experience. A good system properly applied by a qualified and experienced applicator should afford your client better protection than a long-term manufacturer's warranty. Should you specify a warranty from the roofing applicator greater than two years duration?We think the two-year warranty term for applicators is appropriate because itforannual weather cycles any defects tests workmanshiptwo in workmanship should appear during this period ofto the forces ofIfwarranty of exposureweather.you specify a more than two years duration from the applicator, you are most likely to attract contractors with the least experience risk. and the highest tolerance ofWell informed and established contractorsthe applicators with the most experience and trainingmay decline to bid. Is this a desirable result for your client?"