UPDATED FOR 2025
Your Roof Warranty Might Be Worthless (And Your Contractor Knows It)
Welcome to County Roofing’s “Roofing Industry Scams Uncovered”, a series designed to shine a light on untrustworthy practices within the roofing industry.
This series is designed to empower consumers by increasing awareness of unlawful or wrongful practices we’ve seen throughout our 35 years serving Long Island and the greater New York area with roofing services based on integrity and trust.
Key Takeaways:
- Standard warranties create a dangerous gap where manufacturers blame installation and contractors’ coverage expires early.
- Uncertified contractors void your warranty before installation even starts—you won’t find out until filing a claim years later.
- Enhanced warranties from GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed cover both materials and workmanship under one manufacturer-backed plan.
- You can only access enhanced warranties through elite-certified contractors who meet strict training requirements.
- NRCA training proves actual competency, not just manufacturer sales relationships.
Your new roof just cost you $15,000.
The salesperson promised a “lifetime warranty” that would protect your investment for decades.
But here’s what they didn’t mention: that warranty could be void before your first check clears.
Most homeowners don’t realize their roof warranty is only as good as the contractor who installed it—and the fine print buried in their contract. Below, we’ll break down how warranty scams work and what you need to know to protect yourself.
The Warranty Gap That Leaves You Unprotected
Here’s the problem with standard roof warranties.
You actually get two separate warranties when you install a new roof—and they don’t work together the way you think they do.
The Manufacturer’s Warranty
This covers defects in the shingles themselves.
If your GAF or Owens Corning shingles fail because of a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer replaces the materials. That sounds great until you read the fine print: they won’t cover the labor to remove and reinstall those shingles.
Oh, and they definitely won’t cover failures caused by “improper installation.”
The Workmanship Warranty
This one comes from your contractor.
It protects you from installation errors—faulty flashing, incorrect nail patterns, missing underlayment, that sort of thing. The problem? Most contractors only offer 1-2 years of coverage.
Some claim to offer longer. Many are out of business before the warranty period ends.
Now here’s where it gets interesting.
Three years after your installation, you notice a leak. You call the manufacturer, but they deny the claim—it was caused by improper installation, they say. You call your contractor, but their workmanship warranty expired last year.
You’re stuck paying for the repair yourself.
This is called the “warranty gap,” and it happens more often than you’d think.
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How Uncertified Contractors Void Your Warranty Before Installation
Most manufacturers require certified contractors to install their products.
Without certification, your material warranty might never have been valid in the first place.
The Certification Requirement
GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster—these aren’t just marketing badges. They’re prerequisites for the best manufacturer warranties.
These certifications require contractors to:
- Meet strict training requirements
- Maintain proper licensing and insurance
- Follow exact installation specifications
- Pass regular quality audits
Here’s what happens when you hire someone without these credentials.
You get a roof that looks fine from the ground. But that contractor took shortcuts—used 4 nails per shingle instead of 6, skipped the Ice & Water Shield in critical areas, didn’t install proper ventilation.
The manufacturer finds out during your claim inspection.
Denied.
The Installation Mistakes That Void Coverage
Even certified contractors can make mistakes that kill your warranty.
Manufacturers have specific requirements for everything—nail types, nail patterns, underlayment overlap, flashing details, ventilation ratios. One deviation voids the warranty entirely.
Common problems include:
- Incorrect nail length or placement
- Mixing products from different manufacturers
- Improper ventilation causing heat buildup
- DIY modifications after installation
- Pressure washing that damages shingle granules
You won’t know about these problems until you file a claim years later.
The Difference Between Standard and Enhanced Warranties
In 2026, many roofing companies still offer standard warranties—50-year materials, 2-year workmanship.
But there’s a better option most homeowners don’t know exists.
What Enhanced Warranties Actually Cover
The best manufacturers now offer “system warranties” that solve the warranty gap problem.
These warranties cover:
- The entire roofing system (shingles, underlayment, accessories)
- Both materials and workmanship
- Non-prorated coverage for 25-50 years
- 100% of material, labor, and disposal costs
Owens Corning’s Platinum Protection Warranty was the first in the industry to offer lifetime workmanship coverage backed by the manufacturer.
GAF’s Golden Pledge offers workmanship protection as well, while CertainTeed’s SureStart PLUS gives full system coverage.
The Catch: Certification Required
These enhanced warranties aren’t available to everyone.
You can only get them through elite-certified contractors who meet strict requirements. The manufacturer inspects the job, verifies proper installation, and backs both the materials and the work.
That’s the difference between a warranty you can actually use and one that’s worthless when you need it.
How County Roofing Systems Protects Your Investment
County Roofing Systems holds elite certifications from all three major manufacturers.
That means we can offer you enhanced warranties other contractors simply can’t provide.
Our Certification Advantages
As a GAF Master Elite contractor, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, we give you access to:
- Lifetime warranties on qualifying systems
- Manufacturer-backed workmanship coverage
- Non-prorated protection
- Full system coverage including labor
But certifications alone aren’t enough.
NRCA Training and Documentation
Our team completes training through the National Roofing Contractors Association.
That’s hands-on, competency-based training—not just watching a video and taking a test. We install roofs to exact manufacturer specifications because we’ve been trained to do it right the first time.
We also document everything.
From your free inspection through final completion, we photograph the installation process, maintain detailed records, and keep you informed every step of the way. If you ever need to file a warranty claim, you’ll have the documentation manufacturers require.
What This Means For You
When you work with County Roofing, you get:
- Valid manufacturer warranties from day one
- Enhanced coverage options standard contractors can’t offer
- Proper installation that won’t void your warranty
- Documentation to support future claims
- A local team that’s been serving Long Island and Westchester for over 35 years
We’re not going anywhere.
If something goes wrong with your roof in 10 or 20 years, we’ll still be here to help.
LIFETIME MATERIAL, LIFETIME WORKMANSHIP WARRANTY
Get Industry-Leading Protection
CertainTeed’s lifetime-limited transferable warranty is a true industry standout. Whereas other manufacturers only warrant against defects that cause leaks, CertainTeed protects your investment against all manufacturing defects, including aesthetic defects.
County Roofing Systems can offer you the longest warranties available because we’re a CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, a certification only 1% of contractors qualify for.
We have over 35 years of experience living up to CertainTeed’s tough standards. That means CertainTeed trusts our home improvement work enough to stand behind it with their best guarantees.
To learn more about the industry-leading LIFETIME material, LIFETIME workmanship warranty, click the button below to call us today:
What To Ask Before You Sign
Don’t trust a warranty until you verify it.
Ask your contractor these questions before you agree to anything:
What certifications do you hold?
Make them name the specific certifications (GAF Master Elite, etc.) and verify them on the manufacturer’s website.
Can I see your certification credentials?
Real certifications can be verified online. If they claim to be certified but can’t prove it, walk away.
What warranty are you actually offering?
Get the specific warranty name and terms in writing. “Lifetime warranty” could mean anything—or nothing.
Will you register my warranty?
Many warranties require registration within 60 days. Make sure your contractor handles this or walks you through the process.
Can I see examples of your documentation process?
Contractors who properly document installations should be happy to show you examples.
Protect Your Investment With The Right Contractor
Your roof warranty is only as good as the contractor who installs it.
Standard warranties with uncertified contractors leave you exposed to the warranty gap. One installation mistake, one missing component, one shortcut—and you’re paying for expensive repairs out of pocket.
County Roofing Systems offers something better.
Elite certifications from GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed. Enhanced warranties that actually protect your investment. NRCA-trained crews who install every roof to exact specifications. Complete documentation from start to finish.
We’ve been Long Island and Westchester’s premier roofing contractor for over 35 years because we do the job right.
Don’t trust your roof to just anyone.
Call County Roofing today at (631) 400-7663 for a free estimate—and get the warranty protection you deserve.
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With County Roofing, you can get fast approvals with as low as 0% financing on new roofing projects for up to 15 years, with payments as low as $149:
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