Roofs wear out. Usually prematurely, if not damaged by hail first. They can fail sooner than expected if the roof is not properly ventilated or leak if not properly installed. The setbacks can be tremendous. Damage to the ceilings, insulation, roof deck, electrical system, furniture, computers, and so on. Usually it leaks on your wife's side of the bed and you now need either a marriage counselor or a Realtor and divorce attorney, besides water remediation services and a new bed. She might not want the bed but she's not letting you keep it. It is exhibit "A."
The Golden Pledge, which is a System Plus Warranty with a 20 year leak guarantee, can pay for itself within the first ten years, sometimes many times over. The System Plus transforms the normal warranty by removing the small print. The warranty becomes transferable, adds labor to the coverage, and removes the pro ration for twenty to fifty years, depending on what product you have. The lifetime GAF products are covered for 50 years under this policy. I call it that because it's just like an extended insurance policy. All other products carry a 100% coverage for 20 years.
The twenty year leak protection plan under the Golden Pledge is more than paper. It is all the accessories GAF has to offer to make a full and complete roof system designed to withstand every type of rain even Mother Nature can throw at the roof except for storms with names like Katrina or Genghis Khan. Nobody warrants those mama jammas, not even da gubbamint. First, all the valleys and eaves are covered with leak barrier, the ridge must be heavy duty, the roof vented according to strict intake/exhaust ratios that protect the system, and the entire roof surface must have a superior felt. And you have to start right by using a superior started that protects against blow off and idiots with a ladders leaned against the roof edge.
Besides saving money on air conditioning, which could easily be at least $500.00 a year or more, saving at least one roof leak repair and resulting interior damage costing around a total minimum of $1000.00 and a roof color mismatch, repeated exterior painting ( see my blog on ventilation ) which cost usually around $2000.00 from my experience, and added HVAC servicing due to longer running times on the machinery setting you back another $500.00 minimum per year, there is one hugely great tremendous expense looming: replacing the roof for the new owners when you sell your home after the bed wetting incident.
That new roof alone in fifteen years could cost $25,000.00 or more. A $5000.00 roof in 2003 cost about $8000.00 in 2009. I doubt we'll see that type of inflation again soon but roofs will certainly have a slow steady rise in cost over the years as asphalt becomes more scare in the market. This cost alone might end that marriage that survived the mildewed box springs and hot summer days with a broken air conditioning system. Now the ex brides hate turns to anger, not a good thing. Aristotle says that the difference between hate and anger is that a man that hates you will avoid you while an angry man will throw himself at you with disregard for his own well being. Now put that on a wet wife. RUN!!! You can now guess what I studied in college.
And while you're trying to sell your in this difficult market you know the next series of roof leaks are on there way. You start to look in all the closets and under that wet bed for more water.
Think about it. Today when you buy a home you pay good money for a thorough inspection for the entire structure. If the roof shows any wear there is a good chance that mortgage won't loan the money because when you walk away from the house after the divorce it will need to roof it to sell it and the insurance company will decline coverage because older roofs are more easily hail damaged.
Roof contractors who are not authorized to offer this extended roof policy argue that hail will damage the roof before the policy expires. I say bring it on. The insurance is required to put the roof like it is and that would be with a brand new 20 year leak coverage. But if the insurance says their is no hail damage (imagine that), if there are marks, cracking, fading, or granule loss, then someone is buying you a new roof. And it's not you. You are covered against such things.
That new roof, after 15 years of marital bliss, plus the other costs of about $7500.00 in cooling costs, and $3000.00 in repairs, adds up to $35,500.00 plus a roof permit. And that fee, which didn't exist in the near past, will have gone up too.
Here in the Dallas Fort Worth roofing market many roofs are hail damaged but many are not. Just ask your local Realtor or real estate company if roofing is more often than not one of the headaches they encounter in the emotional negotiations of selling a home.
The warranty costs less than a buck and change per day. I bet the divorce attorney charges more than that. My second marriage lasted less than three years but my attorney cost over $250,00.00, but I got to keep the roof and the kid. My people told me not to discuss that sad event but here was my chance.
Now I'm not saying that a bad roof will ruin a strong marriage but it might keep your kids from going to the college of their choice. Just what does two years of college cost right now.
www.jonwrightroofing.com
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