What Does a Lifetime Warranty on Shingles Really Mean?

In this article, you will learn:
1. What Does a Lifetime Warranty on Shingles Really Mean?
2. GAF Enhanced Warranty Comparison Guide
3. Which Roofing Warranty is Best For Your Home?

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When preparing for a roofing project, it’s important to consider potential warranty options to help prevent costly issues down the road in the event of manufacturing defects, storm damage, installation errors or other problems covered under the terms of an enhanced warranty plan.

However, one of the most common questions we get from our customers is how to determine which type of roofing warranty is best for them.

What does a lifetime warranty on shingles really mean, anyway? Are roof warranties worth it?

At T. Simpson Roofing Ltd, we offer the largest GAF-certified roof replacement services in Canada, with reliable lifetime warranties on all GAF Lifetime shingles and qualifying GAF accessories.

To help you better understand your roofing warranty options, the following article will explain the meaning of a lifetime warranty on roofing shingles, provide a comparison guide of our GAF enhanced warranty options and help you to determine which roofing warranty is best for your home.

What Does a Lifetime Warranty on Shingles Really Mean?

In a lifetime shingle warranty, the term “lifetime” applies for as long as the shingled property belongs to the original property owner, or has been transferred to a second owner within the manufacturer’s specified timeframe.

While lifetime warranties can only apply to single-family detached properties, they are only available to residential homeowners and not corporations and/or businesses.

For any other type of property ownership (such as government buildings, offices, religious facilities, schools, apartments and/or condos), the total length of the shingle warranty is 40 years.

Transferability of GAF Shingle Warranties

After replacing your roof with brand new shingles, it is important to note that a lifetime shingle warranty can only be transferred once.

If you are buying or selling a home under GAF shingle warranty, the second owner must notify GAF (in writing) within 60 days of transferring the property for continued warranty coverage to apply.

When a transfer takes place within the first 20 years of a roofing installation, the second owner is entitled to the same coverage details as the original property owner. For transfers that take place after the 20 year period, the length of the warranty would reduce to a two-year period following the ownership changes.

GAF Enhanced Warranty Comparison Guide

While all manufacturers provide warranty against any possible manufacturing defects, the exact coverage can vary from brand to brand.

While GAF Lifetime shingles are covered under warranty for as long as the first (or in some cases, second) property owner is in ownership of the residence, other 3-tab shingles may be limited to 20-30 year warranty durations.

It is also important to note that different components of your roofing system may also vary in warranty coverage, meaning that even if your shingles are covered under lifetime warranty, the other important roofing structures may still be at risk.

In the event that any underlying structures become damaged, the lifetime warranty on the shingles would not transfer to the damaged areas, causing increased expenses in the long run.

Although our GAF Lifetime shingles and accessories automatically come with a Lifetime Ltd. warranty, it is not uncommon for homeowners to prefer coverage options that will further protect the entirety of their GAF roofing systems.

As a result, GAF offers three types of warranties to better protect your roof replacement for many decades to come:

  System Plus
Limited Warranty
Silver Pledge
 Limited Warranty
Golden Pledge
Limited Warranty
Eligibility Requirements Installation of GAF Shingles + At Least 3 Qualifying Accessory Products Installation of GAF Shingles + At Least 4 Qualifying Accessory Products Installation of GAF Shingles + At Least 5 Qualifying Accessory Products
Warranty Term for GAF Shingles Lifetime Lifetime Lifetime
Smart Choice Protection Periods 50 Years 50 Years 50 Years
Algae Warranty Term 10 Years for StainGuard-Labeled Shingles or Ridge Cap Shingles 10 Years for StainGuard-Labeled Shingles or Ridge Cap Shingles 10 Years for StainGuard-Labeled Shingles or Ridge Cap Shingles
Wind Warranty Term 15 Years 15 Years 15 Years
Tear-Off Covered (when necessary) Covered (when necessary) Covered (when necessary)
Disposal Not Covered Covered (when necessary) Covered (when necessary)
Workmanship 2 Years 10 Years 25 Years
Transferable? Yes Yes Yes
Free to  Transfer? Yes Yes Yes

While there are a variety of basic warranty options available, it is important to note that these are the only options that will cover a wider variety of roofing structures, providing more thorough coverage for your roof.

Which Roofing Warranty is Best For Your Home?

A new roof is a huge investment, but also a very important one.

From shelter and security to energy-efficiency and increased property value, protecting your home with a reliable roof is essential to maintaining a safe and secure property for you and your family.

Unfortunately, the risk of roof damage and/or installation errors can cause a number of even bigger problems, with repairs sometimes costing as much as a whole new roof replacement.

While each warranty has its own specific terms and conditions, it is important to understand the major differences between them so that your home is properly protected against any possible risks in the future.


Here are our top 3 warranty recommendations when it comes to protecting your new roof replacement:

#1:  Golden Pledge Limited Warranty

The Golden Pledge warranty from GAF is the top choice for homeowners seeking the highest quality coverage from a reputable company against potential leaks, repairs or replacements down the road.

Eligibility: Installation of GAF shingles and at least 5 qualifying accessory products by a GAF Master Elite Roofing Contractor.

GAF’s Golden Pledge Limited Warranty was the first manufacturer’s warranty to cover both manufacturing defects and contractor’s workmanship under one warranty.

With workmanship coverage available in 20, 25 and 30 year options (depending on the type of shingles installed), the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty will always ensure that your property is well taken-care of, regardless of whether or not your installation contractor remains in business.

From lifetime shingle coverage and a 50-year Smart Choice Protection Period to coverage for any needed tear-off and/or disposal services, the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty is the most all-inclusive option to protect you and your home from any potential risks.



For more information, see Golden Pledge Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.

#2: Silver Pledge Limited Warranty

Eligibility:  Installation of GAF shingles and at least 4 qualifying accessory products by a GAF Master Elite Roofing Contractor.

Similar to the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty, the Silver Pledge Limited Warranty provides all of the same coverage available in the System Plus Limited Warranty, but also offers 10 years of workmanship coverage when necessary.

The second most all-inclusive warranty option on the market, the Silver Pledge warranty package will also provide any tear-off or disposal coverage as needed.

For more information, see Silver Pledge Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.

#3: System Plus Limited Warranty

Eligibility:  Installation of GAF shingles and at least 3 qualifying accessory products by a GAF Certified or Master Elite Roofing Contractor.

Ranking third on the list of most-effective all-inclusive roofing warranty options, our System Plus Limited Warranty plan provides all of the same coverage available through the basic GAF Roofing Limited Warranty. The biggest upgrade is that the Smart Choice Protection Period is extended from 10 years to 50 years, similar to the Gold and Silver Pledge Limited Warranties.

In this warranty plan however, disposal will not be covered and workmanship coverage is limited to 2 years (in Canada).

For more information, see System Plus Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.

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While warranty options ultimately depend upon your overall budget and comfort level, we highly recommend upgrading from a basic manufacturer’s warranty to an enhanced warranty option that will cover the entirety of your roofing structure.

While upgraded warranties come at a higher upfront cost, they help avoid potentially much larger repair/replacement fees down the road protecting your home and family for many years to come.

If you are interested in learning more about your roof warranty options, we offer the largest GAF Certified Roof Replacement Services in Canada!

Click here or call 1-800-925-3044 for more information.

T. Simpson

Originally founded by a 16-year-old Tony Simpson as a way of acquiring funds to help pay his way through university, T. Simpson Roofing, propelled by Tony’s strong work ethic and commitment to delivering quality work and unbeatable customer service, quickly grew into a thriving business.

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