In an article written by Attorney Ingrid Jensen of Law Weathers & Richardson, Ms. Jensen compares the roof company, Thermal-Tec MR Multi-Ply? with Granules Leak-proof Guarantee to the Roofing System Limited Warranty and the Roofing Membrane Limited Warranty provided by Firestone Building Products Company, a rubber roof system. The following is a summary of her findings.
Within the Firestone’s Roofing Systems Limited Warranty, it pledges to repair any roof leaks within its system. What it does not clearly state are the many exclusions that are not covered under their warranty. The Firestone warranty covers only the material installed by Firestone technicians. If a customer calls with a leaking roof, Firestone will send out an investigator prior to providing coverage. If the investigator reveals that the leaks in the metal roofs are excluded under the warranty, the owner must pay Firestone for the cost of having an investigator come for their warranty to remain effective.
As stated earlier, there are several exclusions under the warranty. Some of those exclusions include things such as leaks or damages to the roofs metal caused by chemicals, physical reactions, acids or oil that come into contact with the system and damage or impair it. The warranty does not cover leaks or damage caused by condensation or infiltration of moisture in, through, or around the walls or other roof structures. Finally, it was found on the backside of the warranty under “Firestone Roofing Care and Maintenance” that if an owner fails to provide proof of the roof maintenance of the system and damages or leaks do occur, they are excluded.
Firestone roofing company also provides its customers with a Roofing Membrane Limited Warranty, which is similar to their Roofing System Limited Warranty. Their roofing membrane warranty provides replacement membrane materials only to areas on the steel roofs that leak as a result of ordinary exposure to the environment or due to any manufacturing defects of the membrane. Similar to their other warranty, if a roof leak does occur, an investigator will determine whether it was caused by exposure to elements or a defect in the membrane. If they find roof repairs are needed due to other reasons, the owners are responsible to pay the costs of the investigation or lose their warranty coverage. Additionally, the membrane warranty carries the same exclusions including exclusions against leaks or damages caused by condensation, moisture, or exposure to harmful chemicals.
When a customer purchases a Thermal-Tec MR Multi-Ply? roofing system they are also receiving a 10-year leak-proof guarantee that covers material and labor costs. In Ms. Jensen comparison of Firestone’s warranties and Thermal-Tec’s Leak-proof Guarantee, she stated, “ The MR Multi-Ply? with Granules Guarantee appears to provide broader coverage subject to less exclusions than the Firestone warranties.” Under Thermal-Tec’s guarantee, they agree to pay all costs to repair roofing areas that are damaged or leaking as well as any flashings to correct leaks that were caused by defects in the material or workmanship. Thermal-Tec’s leak-proof guarantee also covers leaks due to the roof systems being exposed to chemicals or condensation unlike Firestone’s warranties. Unlike Firestone, Thermal-Tec does not charge its customers for a roofing specialist to inspect their roof. Furthermore, the Thermal-Tec guarantee covers the cost of the roofing repairs and labor unlike Firestone’s warranty that only covers the material being replaced. So, let’s get real on warranties…your best industry warranty will be with roofing services of Thermal-Tec and their MR Multi-Ply? roofing system.
