Siding Warranties and What They Cover
What You’ll Learn
What’s the difference between a manufacturer’s warranty and a workmanship warranty?
A manufacturer’s warranty protects your siding if it arrives with a fault or fails prematurely due to a defect.
A workmanship warranty protects your siding after it has been installed, related to any damage from an improper installation.
Using these two in tandem gives you full coverage.
In This Post:
You’re signing the contract with the perfect company to replace your siding.
There’s only one worry you have left: warranties.
You can still remember the disastrous process your neighbor went through when their warranty didn’t cover what they thought it did.
It’s important for you to learn the ins and outs so you can read your own warranty with confidence and know how you’re covered going forward.
The Manufacturer’s Warranty: Protecting the Material
Think of the Manufacturer’s Warranty as a promise that the product itself is built to last.
If the siding arrives defective or fails prematurely due to how it was made, the manufacturer is on the hook.
What’s typically covered:
- Manufacturing Defects: This includes cracking, chipping, peeling, or warping that happens under normal conditions.
- Excessive Fading: Most high-end manufacturers use “Delta E” standards to measure color change. If your siding fades more than a specific number of units, it may be covered.
- Weather Resistance: Many warranties specify protection against hail damage or wind speeds (often up to 110 mph or more).
The Catch: Prorated vs. Non-Prorated
This is a detail that often surprises homeowners.
A non-prorated warranty covers 100% of the material cost for the duration of the term.
A prorated warranty means your coverage “shrinks” as the siding gets older.
If your siding fails in year 15 of a 20-year prorated warranty, the manufacturer might only cover 25% of the cost.
Pro Tip: Most manufacturer warranties cover the materials only. They will send you new siding, but they won’t pay the crew to take the old stuff off and put the new stuff on. That’s where the second half of your protection comes in.
The Workmanship Warranty: Protecting the Installation
Even the most expensive siding in the world will fail if it’s installed incorrectly.
Vinyl siding, for example, needs to “float” to allow for expansion and contraction. If a contractor nails it too tight, it will warp and buckle within a year.
The Workmanship Warranty is provided by your roofing or siding contractor. It covers errors made during the actual installation process.
What’s typically covered:
- Improper Attachment: Loose panels or incorrect spacing.
- Poor Sealing: Issues with caulking or flashing that lead to drafts or moisture leaks.
- Alignment Issues: Siding that isn’t level or looks “off” visually.
These typically range from 1 to 10 years. While it’s shorter than the material warranty, most installation errors reveal themselves within the first two seasons of extreme weather.
Unlike the manufacturer, a workmanship warranty usually covers the labor costs to fix the mistake.
Pro Tip: While your warranties do work together, pay attention to their cutoff dates. If your manufacturer’s warranty covers a shipment of new siding for your home but your workmanship warranty is over, the labor required to replace the siding will not be covered.
Three Warranty Details To Pay Attention To
To ensure you aren’t left with “more problems than solutions,” you should keep an eye on these three critical factors:
1. Transferability
Are you planning to stay in your home for years to come, or is there a chance you’ll sell in five years?
A transferable warranty is a massive selling point. It allows the new homeowner to take over the remaining coverage, which supplies the buyer with confidence in their new house’s well-being.
Check if there is a fee or a deadline to transfer the paperwork after the sale.
2. Maintenance Requirements
Some warranties are conditional.
To keep them valid, you might be required to perform basic maintenance, such as annual cleaning or professional inspections.
If you neglect the siding and mold causes damage, the manufacturer may deny your claim based on “improper care.”
3. Common Exclusions
No warranty covers everything.
“Acts of God” (extraordinary natural disasters like tornadoes), accidental damage (like a rogue baseball or a grill placed too close to the house), and unauthorized alterations are almost always excluded.
Trust Your Home to the Right Team
You shouldn’t hand your home’s well-being over to just anyone.
At GP Martini Roofing, we use our decades of experience to set our customers up for long-term success. Our transparency with warrants gives you confidence in the future well-being of your home.
Contact us today for a free siding consultation.
FAQs
What is the difference between a siding material warranty and a workmanship warranty?
A manufacturer’s warranty covers defects in the siding itself, such as warping, peeling, or fading.
In contrast, a workmanship warranty covers errors made by the contractor during installation, such as improper nailing or poor sealing.
You need both to ensure you aren’t paying out of pocket for someone else’s mistake.
What does it mean if my siding warranty is prorated?
A prorated warranty means your coverage decreases as your siding ages.
While it might cover 100% of costs in the first few years, that percentage drops over time.
For long-term protection of your investment, look for “non-prorated” periods which offer full material replacement for a set number of years.
Can I transfer my siding warranty to a new homeowner?
Many premium warranties are transferable, but they often require action within 30 days of a home sale.
Having a transferable warranty is a major advantage for curb appeal and resale value, as it gives the next buyer peace of mind that the home’s exterior is still protected.
Does my siding warranty cover storm or hail damage?
Most manufacturer warranties cover specific wind speeds or hail impact, but they typically exclude extreme weather events like tornadoes or large floods.
In those cases, you would likely need to file a claim through your homeowners insurance rather than the siding manufacturer or the installation contractor.
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