Warranty Coverage

What’s Covered by Your Roofing Warranty

A roof is one of the largest investments you will make on your home, and if something goes wrong years later, the warranty paperwork is what protects it. Below we go over what comes with an On Tops Roofing replacement and how manufacturer and workmanship warranties work, plus what the fine print means in practice.

The Two Warranties

Every roof we install is covered two ways

One warranty covers the materials and the other covers the work. They come from different parties and protect against different problems, and every On Tops customer gets both in writing on the day the job closes out.

Workmanship

On Tops Roofing

Up to a 10-year workmanship warranty

If there is any installation defect on the roof we built, we correct it at no charge for up to ten years. That covers the labor side of the job: nail placement, flashing details, valley installation, vent boots, ridge cap, and anything else that ties back to how the roof was put on your home.

  • Covered for up to 10 years from installation date
  • Transferable once to the next homeowner
  • No deductible, no shared cost on covered work
  • Backed by an established NC company since 1991

Materials & algae

Lifetime limited material warranty

The shingle manufacturer covers the materials for the lifetime of the original homeowner. That protects the shingles, underlayment, and accessory components from defects, and qualifying shingles come with long-term algae protection as well.

  • Lifetime limited coverage on shingles and accessories
  • Algae protection on qualifying GAF and CertainTeed shingles
  • Coverage prorates after the first 50 years on most products
  • Manufacturer registers the warranty after installation

Manufacturer Warranties

What a manufacturer warranty actually covers

Every major asphalt shingle comes with a manufacturer warranty against material defects, usually for 20 to 50 years. People throw the word “lifetime” around a lot, but what you are really covered for is spelled out in two parts of the document most people never read: the non-prorated period and the list of exclusions.

“Lifetime” means original owner

Lifetime lasts as long as the original owner owns the home the shingles were installed on. It does not mean forever, and the coverage does not automatically follow the property to the next owner. Most manufacturers allow a one-time transfer to a second owner if it is filed within a defined window after the sale.

The non-prorated period is what matters

If there is a valid material defect in the first 10 to 50 years (depending on the shingle and warranty tier), the manufacturer typically covers the full replacement cost of the affected shingles. Once that period ends, the coverage prorates, and its dollar value goes down as the roof ages.

Material is covered, not labor

A standard shingle warranty pays for the material itself. It does not pay for the labor to remove the old shingles, dispose of them, or install the replacements. System-level warranties like the GAF Golden Pledge include labor and disposal in the coverage, and that is the single biggest difference between a basic and a system warranty.

Signs of a real material defect

Manufacturer-side defects show up as excessive blistering, cracking, or spotting. Pronounced curling or bald spots count too, and so do granule loss far beyond normal weathering and unexpected algae streaks on shingles sold with algae protection. Anything else is usually traced back to weather, age, or installation.

Workmanship Warranties

What a workmanship warranty actually covers

Your workmanship warranty comes from the roofing contractor. The manufacturer does not issue it. It covers the install itself: how the shingles, flashings, vents, and accessories were put together on your home. Most workmanship warranties in North Carolina run between five and fifteen years, and ours runs up to ten.

60%

of roof problems trace back to installation, not the shingles themselves

Manufacturer field data on warranty claims

Why this matters more than most homeowners realize

More than half of the issues that show up on a roof in the first decade are workmanship issues, not material defects. It might be a loose nail in the wrong spot, a flashing detail done in a rush, or a vent boot installed at the wrong angle. A workmanship warranty exists to make those things right, and the manufacturer will not pay for them.

That is also why you should ask to read the written workmanship warranty before you sign a contract. You can hold a contractor to the signed warranty document, and you cannot hold them to what was said at the kitchen table.

Optional Upgrade

The GAF Golden Pledge system warranty

A system warranty combines the manufacturer’s material coverage with extended workmanship coverage, and the manufacturer backs it directly. The GAF Golden Pledge is the strongest version available on a residential roof in the United States. Only GAF Master Elite contractors can offer it, and we are one of them.

25 yr

Workmanship coverage backed directly by GAF

50 yr

Non-prorated coverage on the full GAF system

100%

No depreciation on covered material costs

To qualify for a system warranty, the install has to use a defined number of GAF components and a Master Elite contractor, and the contractor pays a registration fee. Because GAF stands behind the workmanship coverage, it stays in place even if On Tops were ever to close.

Honest take: a system warranty is a real upgrade in coverage if you plan to stay in your home long-term, but it does not make sense for every homeowner. At the estimate we will go over whether it fits your situation.

GAF Golden Pledge Warranty badge

What’s Not Covered

What roofing warranties do not cover

You need to know the exclusions as well as you know the coverage. The list below shows where the warranty stops and where insurance, maintenance, or a separate repair takes over.

  • Storm damage

    Hail, falling trees, and wind events above the shingle’s rated wind speed are insurance claims. Both the manufacturer and the contractor will send you to your homeowner’s policy.

  • Inadequate attic ventilation

    Most manufacturer warranties require a specified ratio of intake to exhaust ventilation, and a roof that bakes itself from below voids the material warranty. On every install, we size the ventilation correctly.

  • Modifications by other trades

    When a solar installer, satellite tech, or HVAC contractor walks on your roof and cuts into it, that can void coverage if their work damages the system. Before you let another trade up there, call us.

  • Pressure washing

    Pressure washing strips granules off asphalt shingles, and it is one of the fastest ways to void a manufacturer warranty. If the roof really does need a clean, there are soft-wash methods for moss and algae.

  • Mixing system components

    A GAF or CertainTeed system warranty requires their components throughout, so pairing in off-brand underlayment, ridge cap, or starter strip can drop the coverage tier.

  • Normal cosmetic wear

    Color fading, superficial weathering, and minor curling at the shingle edges in extreme heat are normal aging. They are not warranty events.

Filing a Claim

How to file a warranty claim

If something on your roof needs attention, start with us. The process is the same for a workmanship issue and for a manufacturer defect.

  1. 1

    Call On Tops first

    Call (919) 639-4981 or email the office, and we will pull your job file with the install date, the materials used, and the warranty registration.

  2. 2

    We inspect and document

    A project manager comes out to walk the roof and take photos. If it is a workmanship issue, we schedule the fix, and if it is a manufacturer defect, we put the documentation together for you.

  3. 3

    We file with the manufacturer

    For valid material claims, we submit to GAF or CertainTeed on your behalf and handle the paperwork, so most homeowners never need to contact the manufacturer directly.

  4. 4

    For storm damage, call your insurer first

    Storm damage does not go through the warranty. File with your homeowner’s insurance, then call us to handle the inspection and repair scope alongside your adjuster.

Warranty questions we hear every week

Storm damage is a homeowner's insurance claim. It is not a warranty claim. Hail, falling trees, and wind events above the shingle's rated wind speed all fall under insurance. We can still inspect the damage, document it for your adjuster, and handle the repair scope, but the warranty itself does not pay for storm damage.

"Lifetime" is the warranty coverage period for the original homeowner of a single-family home. Coverage is full for the first decades and prorates after that. The lifetime label also tells you something about quality, because lifetime-rated shingles are heavier and have stronger granule adhesion than older 25-year shingles.

Yes. The On Tops workmanship warranty is transferable one time to the next owner. Manufacturer warranties from GAF and CertainTeed can be transferred too, and each program has its own specific rules. To keep the full Golden Pledge coverage in place, a transfer form has to be filed within 60 days of the sale.

The things that most often void a warranty are inadequate attic ventilation, modifications by other trades after install (solar, HVAC, satellite mounts done poorly), pressure washing, and pairing non-system components with a manufacturer system warranty. We size attic ventilation correctly on every install. And before you let any other trade walk on your roof, we strongly recommend calling us.

No. We register the manufacturer warranty for you in the days after install. The manufacturer sends the warranty certificate straight to you by mail and email, and we keep a copy on file at our office in case yours ever gets lost. There is nothing you need to do to activate coverage.

What the Golden Pledge costs depends on the size of the roof and the GAF system you choose, because it requires a full GAF system install (shingles, underlayment, ridge cap, starter, attic ventilation). On a typical replacement, most homeowners add it for a few hundred dollars. When you schedule your estimate, ask about Golden Pledge eligibility.

Want a Quote with the Warranty Options Spelled Out

Bring all your warranty questions to the estimate. We will go over which coverage tier fits your roof and whether the Golden Pledge is worth adding, along with what each option covers. You get all of it in writing before you sign anything, and the estimate itself is free with no obligation.

Get a Free EstimateCall (919) 639-4981