Home warranty roof leak coverage

Purchasing a home warranty is an excellent way to ensure that you will not face any unexpected repair costs. However, home warranties have limitations and you might want to check up on them before you make the purchase. For example, home warranty roof leak coverage is not usually included in a regular home warranty plan, but best home warranty plans sometimes include it in their basic form. As for the coverage itself, your home warranty will protect you from any leaks caused by regular wear and tear. In this article, we are going to assess the roof repair costs and explain exactly which repairs will the home warranty cost. We will also consider home warranty vs home insurance and provide you with a few tips on roof maintenance.

How much does it cost to repair a roof?

To decide whether purchasing a home warranty to protect you from roof leaks is worth the investment, we first need to figure out how much money is required to repair the roof. Your roof is one of the things on your home that requires regular repairs to be able to protect you from the weather (and wildlife in some cases). A roof leak can be potentially catastrophic, as it might invite a plethora of other problems. Furthermore, roof leaks can cause many other issues, and may require you to completely replace your roof.

Minor roof repairs usually range from $150 to $400, whereas major repairs may set you back up to $10,000! According to Forbes, the average cost of roof repairs in the U.S. is around $950. The price is also influenced by several other factors such as the size of your roof, materials used in the roof’s construction, and labor costs. Another thing to note is that whenever there is a labor shortage, as was the case when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, these prices may significantly go up.

Minor and major roof repairs

Minor roof repairs include patching small leaks, removing pooled water, flashing, gutter cleaning, puncture/hole fixing, and replacing any missing/cracked shingles. These repairs can be done by most handypeople, as they do not require specialized knowledge or expertise. Most of them can be done the DIY way but it is always recommended to hire a professional whenever the roof is concerned.

Major roof repairs, on the other hand, are much more complicated. These repairs include fixing extensive water damage, total replacement, chimney repair, fixing electrical wiring problems, etc. As mentioned previously, most of these repairs start at $1,500 and can go upwards of $10,000. This is where the home warranty roof leak coverage plan really shines, as you will avoid excessive costs.

As you can see, even a simple roof leak can incur considerable expenses. However, if you purchase a home warranty to go alongside your homeowner’s insurance, you can protect your home from water damage by being able to repair the roof whenever it needs repairing. That said, there are a few things to consider before making the purchase.

Home warranty and roof leak coverage

As mentioned previously, home warranties do not usually include roof coverage within their basic policy. To get your home warranty to cover the roof, you will need to purchase an add-on. Furthermore, your home warranty will only protect you if the damage to your roof occurs through regular wear and tear. Failure to maintain the roof properly will also void the home warranty coverage. As you can see, there are a lot of “ifs” and “buts” within the home warranty roof leak coverage. What you need to do is carefully examine the contract before signing it. This will ensure that you get exactly what you pay for. Some home warranty companies are notorious for putting “hidden” clauses in their contracts, clauses that you simply cannot see if you are not examining the document properly.

All that said, purchasing a roof coverage add-on for your home warranty plan has numerous merits. The benefits of home warranty plans include having peace of mind knowing that no matter what happens to your roof, you will be covered. Second, you will be able to avoid egregious roof repair costs and pay only for service fees. Speaking of which, you need to know that even if you do have home warranty coverage for your roof, you can expect to pay service fees out of your pocket. This is standard practice and every home warranty company decides its own service fees. When comparing home warranty companies, you will want to make sure that the service fees are not something that you can’t handle.

Home warranty vs homeowners insurance

You may wonder whether you need a home warranty in the first place since you already have homeowner’s insurance. While homeowners insurance will protect you from any roof damage caused by an external event (earthquake, heavy storm, fire, etc.), as well as theft or break-in, it will do nothing if your roof requires repairs due to regular wear and tear. That is where a home warranty “kicks in”.

The basic premise of a home warranty is that it covers all the things that homeowner’s insurance does not. Otherwise, there would be no point in purchasing it in the first place. It is one of the basic reasons why you need a home warranty plan in the first place. Furthermore, damage from wear and tear is usually much more likely to occur than a natural disaster. This means that you can usually get much more value from your home warranty than your homeowner’s insurance.

However, to get maximum coverage, you will be required to perform routine maintenance on all the items that are covered under the policy, including the roof. There’s some debate on what “proper” maintenance looks like, though. Every home warranty company has its own rules on the subject. Figuring out whether you can comply with the maintenance rules is one of the most important parts of selecting the best home warranty plan.

Should you purchase a home warranty just for home warranty roof leak coverage?

As stated before, your home warranty plan usually does not include roof coverage on its own. This means that you have to purchase a home warranty policy and add roof coverage to it. But this also means that all your other appliances will be protected as well. If you are planning on just protecting the roof, without requiring any other coverage, then a home warranty plan might not be for you. You would essentially be paying for the features you can’t use. It might be better to budget for home improvements and repairs on your own. But if you are looking to protect your entire household, roof included, then a home warranty plan might be the right fit. Just make sure to keep up on your maintenance and you should not have any coverage issues.

How to properly maintain your roof

Many people purchase a home warranty plan only to be denied coverage due to a lack of maintenance. Every single home warranty contract stipulates that unless the owner properly maintains their roof, coverage will be voided. But what does “properly maintaining the roof” mean?

To start with, you will want to make sure that you are not contributing to the roof’s damage. This means that you need to avoid walking on your roof as that may cause shingle damage. Cleaning the gutters is essential, and is something that you need to do at least twice a year. Furthermore, you will need to make sure that all the tree branches that are in close proximity to the roof are properly trimmed. If a branch causes damage to your roof, your home warranty provider will not cover the damage. Lastly, you may need to clean roof shingles at least once a year, removing any moss or mold that you may find.

The good thing about roof maintenance is that it is something that you need to do only a couple of times each year. The bad thing is that all these tasks require at least some know-how. Therefore, most people will pay professionals to do their roof maintenance for them. There’s also the fact that you may damage the roof when performing routine maintenance. If that happens, home warranty companies consider it to be external damage. And, of course, they will not cover it.

Purchasing a home warranty roof leak coverage add-on is a great way to protect yourself from overwhelming costs. You just need to make sure that your home warranty company has no reasons to deny you coverage. Remember, before signing anything, always read the contract in full. This simple piece of advice can potentially save you thousands of dollars.

For more information on home warranties and the best home warranty companies, you can always turn to Consumer Opinion Guide. We are there to ensure that you get the most out of your home warranty policy!