Roof warranties, compared properly
Three GAF warranty systems, side by side. The difference is not the shingle — it is whether anyone covers the installation.
Nearly every roofer in the Metro East will tell you the roof comes with a lifetime warranty. That is usually true and it is usually not the point. A shingle warranty covers the shingle against a manufacturing defect. It does not cover the roof being fitted wrong, and fitting is where almost all roof problems come from.
GAF offers three levels above the basic cover. Here is what actually separates them.
System Plus, Silver Pledge and Golden Pledge
| Coverage | System PlusLimited Warranty | Silver PledgeLimited Warranty | StrongestGolden PledgeLimited Warranty — Master Elite only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is allowed to install it | GAF Certified, Certified Plus or Master Elite | GAF Certified Plus or Master Elite | GAF Master Elite onlyWe have been Master Elite for seven years. |
| Qualifying GAF accessories required | At least 3 | At least 4 | At least 5Starter strip, leak barrier, deck protection, ridge cap, ventilation. |
| Shingle & accessory defect coverage | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Period paid at 100%, nothing prorated | 50 years | 50 years | 50 yearsGAF calls this the Smart Choice® Protection Period. |
| Labor included in a defect claim | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workmanship — if the roof is fitted wrong | Not coveredThe shingle is covered. The installation is not. | 10 yearsBacked by GAF, not just by us. | Lifetime — 25 years non-proratedThe single biggest difference between these three. |
| Tearing the old roof off | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Hauling it away | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Wind | 15 yearsNo maximum wind speed with LayerLock® shingles and the four qualifying accessories. | 15 yearsNo maximum wind speed on a qualifying LayerLock® system. | 15 yearsNo maximum wind speed on a qualifying LayerLock® system. |
| Algae staining | 25 yearsStainGuard Plus™ shingles and ridge cap. 30 years on StainGuard Plus PRO™. | 25 yearsStainGuard Plus™. 30 years on StainGuard Plus PRO™. | 25 yearsStainGuard Plus™. 30 years on StainGuard Plus PRO™. |
| Transferable if you sell the house | Yes — within 20 years | Yes — within 20 years | Yes — within 20 yearsThe buyer makes the transfer with GAF. Free. |
Figures are GAF's own, from their published warranty comparison guide. Workmanship terms shown are for Timberline HDZ® and Timberline HDZ® RS, the Class 4 system we fit as standard — GAF allows longer workmanship terms on Timberline® AS II and Timberline UHDZ® (15 years on Silver Pledge, 30 years non-prorated on Golden Pledge). “Lifetime” means for as long as you own the property, on a single-family home. Every warranty has conditions and exclusions; read the full terms at gaf.com before you decide, and ask us anything that is not clear.
Read one row before any of the others
Workmanship. System Plus does not cover it. Silver Pledge covers it for ten years. Golden Pledge covers it for the lifetime of the roof, with the first twenty-five years paid without proration — and that coverage is provided and backed by GAF, not by us.
That last part is the whole argument. A workmanship guarantee from a contractor is worth exactly as much as the contractor still being in business in fifteen years. A workmanship warranty from GAF is not. We would rather you had the one that does not depend on us.
The words GAF uses, in plain English
- LifetimeFor as long as you own the property, on a single-family home. On other building types GAF caps it at 40 years.
- Non-proratedA claim is paid in full, with nothing deducted for the years of use you have had. All three enhanced warranties run non-prorated for 50 years.
- WorkmanshipMisapplication — the roof fitted incorrectly rather than a faulty product. This is the row that separates the three tiers.
- Tear-off & disposalOn a covered claim, stripping the old roof and hauling it away are included. On the basic warranty they are not.
Class 4 shingles and ridge cap, as standard
Impact resistance is measured by UL 2218. Class 4 is the top rating: a two-inch steel ball dropped from twenty feet without the shingle cracking. Class 3 uses a smaller ball from the same height.
We fit a Class 4 impact-resistant shingle and ridge cap as our standard system, not as an upsell. In a hail corridor that is a sensible default rather than a luxury.
Many insurance carriers offer a premium discount for Class 4 roofing. It is not universal and it differs by carrier, policy and state, so we are not going to promise you one — but it is worth a phone call to your agent, and we will give you the product documentation they ask for.
One honest caveat: the UL class describes how a shingle performed in a laboratory test. It is not a guarantee that a roof will never be damaged by hail.
Wind
The wind warranty runs for fifteen years across all three tiers. What changes is the ceiling. Built as a qualifying system — LayerLock-labeled shingles, four nails per shingle, and four qualifying accessories including starter strip at the eaves and rakes, ridge cap and deck protection — GAF places no maximum wind speed limitation on it under their WindProven warranty. Built any other way, the ceiling is 130 mph with special installation, or 110 mph without.
To be clear about what that is and is not: it is GAF's warranty against the shingles blowing off, on GAF's terms. It is a strong warranty and it is not a replacement for your homeowner's insurance.
Which one you should take
If you are staying in the house, take Golden Pledge. The lifetime workmanship coverage is the only part of any roofing warranty that reliably gets used, and it is the part that stops mattering who we are in twenty years.
If you are selling inside five years, Silver Pledge transfers just as well and the ten years of workmanship cover will outlast your ownership.
Either way we will quote it both ways so you can see the number rather than take our word for which is better. Call (618) 641-9533 and ask us to price the upgrade.
If you serve or have served
We put service members and veterans on the Silver Pledge system at no additional cost, and that upgrade is also what unlocks GAF's own $250 Roofs for Troops rebate. Details are on our military and first responder page.
Common questions
What is the difference between System Plus, Silver Pledge and Golden Pledge?
All three cover the GAF products for a lifetime, with the first 50 years paid at 100% with nothing prorated. The real difference is workmanship — what happens if the roof is fitted incorrectly. System Plus does not cover workmanship at all. Silver Pledge covers it for 10 years. Golden Pledge covers it for the lifetime of the roof with the first 25 years non-prorated, and only a GAF Master Elite contractor is permitted to offer it.
Why does workmanship coverage matter more than the shingle warranty?
Because most roof problems are not defective shingles. They are installation errors — nails in the wrong place, flashing done badly, ventilation missed. A shingle-only warranty does not pay for any of that. Workmanship coverage backed by GAF does, and it keeps paying even if the contractor who fitted the roof is no longer in business.
Can any roofer offer the Golden Pledge warranty?
No. GAF only allows the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty on a roof installed by a Master Elite contractor, using a qualifying Timberline shingle plus at least five qualifying GAF accessories. Silver Pledge requires Certified Plus or Master Elite. We have held Master Elite for seven years, so we can offer all three.
Is the warranty transferable if I sell my house?
Yes. All three of these warranties can be transferred once, within 20 years of installation, and GAF does not charge for the transfer. The new owner makes the transfer with GAF and will need proof of the date the property changed hands. It is a genuine selling point when you come to list the house.
What does Class 4 impact resistance mean?
Class 4 is the highest rating in the UL 2218 impact test, where a two-inch steel ball is dropped onto the shingle from twenty feet without cracking it. Class 3 uses a smaller ball. We fit a Class 4 impact-resistant shingle and ridge cap as standard. Many insurance carriers offer a premium discount for Class 4 roofing, though it varies by carrier and by policy, so ask your agent — we will give you the product documentation they need.
How much wind does the warranty cover?
The wind warranty runs for 15 years. On a qualifying system using LayerLock-labeled shingles with four qualifying accessories, GAF places no maximum wind speed limitation on it at all. On other installations the maximum is 130 mph with special installation, or 110 mph without. This is a manufacturer warranty against shingles blowing off on GAF terms — it is not a substitute for your insurance.
Does the better warranty cost me more?
There is a cost to the enhanced warranties, and it is usually small relative to the roof. Tell us which level you want and we will price it both ways so you can see the difference rather than guess at it. Service members and veterans get the Silver Pledge upgrade from us at no cost.
Ask us to price the warranty upgrade
Free inspection across Belleville, O'Fallon, Shiloh, Swansea and the surrounding Metro East. We will show you what each warranty level costs on your roof, in writing.
Call (618) 641-9533Request an inspectionWarranty terms shown are GAF's and are summarized here for comparison. GAF may change them. Full terms, conditions and exclusions are published by GAF.