Does Home Warranty Cover Roof Leaks

Getting A Roof Inspection

If you ever have a dispute over what is covered in your service contract and feel like the cost of repairing your roof should fall on the manufacturer or contractor, then you may want to get a roof inspection to verify your claim.

A roofing contractor can perform a roof inspection to determine what happened and if the roof damage falls within the conditions of the warranty. An experienced roofing contractor can identify problems with defective products or improper installation.

Is There A Service Fee

Yes, there is a trade service fee which is payable at the time of service. The amount of the fee is determined by the product available in your location. Trade call means each visit by an authorized repair contractor. The trade service fee applies to all approved costs, including service call charges. If multiple visits are required for the same repair, you will not be charged an additional trade service fee.

Do I Need A Home Inspection Before I Enroll

No. HSA Home Warranty does not require a home inspection in order to enroll for a home warranty. However, covered items must be properly installed, properly maintained and in good working condition at the time of application in order to qualify for coverage. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under the HSA Home Warranty plan.

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Maintain Your Roof To Minimize Repairs

If you have had a leak in your roof, it can be stressful to deal with until you have fully assessed and repaired any damage.

Your roof provides protection from the elements, and when your roof has defects or is faulty, your home and your bank account are at risk.

Proper maintenance, regular inspections and good workmanship can help protect your roof from damage and prolong the life expectancy of your home.

Follow these tips to keep your roof protected from an early demise:

• Repair and caulk your chimney and any connective spots to prevent leaks, and inspect periodically for any further caulking needs.
• Clear large tree branches that are dangling over your home, as this will limit the chances of major structural damage and also discourage animals from spending any time on your roof or nesting there.
• Monitor your roof for any missing or loose shingles seasonally as well as after any high winds.
• Remove snow and ice if there is any buildup.
• Clear your gutters and downspouts of leaves and debris, and if there is any moss or mold growing, address this as soon as possible.
• Check for any stains in your attic or ceiling that may indicate a roof leak. If you catch it early, you may be able to minimize structural damage.

If you identify any major issues with your roof, hiring a roofing contractor from a reputable roofing company to complete the work should also guarantee that your insurance policy stays intact.

Does Home Warranty Cover The Roof

Does the home warranty cover the roof? Well, first of all, you need to learn about the term of the home warranty. It cannot be denied that this is an attractive deal found by the homeowners.

Their main selling point is to protect the homeowner from unexpected expenses when a major system in the house gets down. But is it worth it? What should you expect? It will help if you read this article.

Commonly, the home warranty is included when a person buys a new home or transfers it to another homeowner. But does a home warranty cover the roof? You can agree, so the roof of your home will be included in the policy in the first place.

This article will show you things related to the home warranty, so you know what to expect and the actions needed to take beforehand.

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Are Roof Leaks Covered By A Home Warranty

A home warranty is a service contract that covers specific items, like home appliances and home systems, depending on the plan your purchase. The best home warranty providers cover issues that result from typical wear and tear and do not cover issues that arise if you use an appliance or system incorrectly.

When you have a home warranty and need a repair on a covered item, you call your home warranty company, who will arrange for a pre-screened service technician to come to your home. The technician will determine if the issue is covered, and if so, they will repair it if possible. All you will be charged for is the service call, a fee that generally ranges from $75-$125. Pricing is different for each provider, so check your service contact to know what your fees and monthly premiums will be.

Home warranties allow you to limit the cost of unexpected repairs because you only have to pay the service fee rather than the entire cost to repair or replace covered appliances or systems. With something like a roof leak, which is only going to get worse as time passes, its important to act as soon as you discover the leak. If knowing youll only have to pay a small service fee will prevent you from delaying the repair, home warranty roof leak coverage could easily pay for itself. A home warranty covers an array of major appliances and systems that a home buyer may be interested in having covered, but a roof leak warranty is typically optional add-on coverage to a basic plan.

Is Everything Covered Under The Warranty

There are some items and services that are not available for coverage. Non-mechanical items such as windows, walls and doors are not covered. HSA is not responsible for normal maintenance services such as replacing the filter in your furnace or periodically flushing the sediment build-up through your water heater. Failure to do these basic things will cause damage to your systems. If a system has not been maintained, HSA is not responsible for the repair. Improper installation and pre-existing conditions are also excluded. Some of these exclusions may be covered in the upgrade package. Please refer to your contract for coverage details. Also reference the Limitations of Liability section of the sample contract for complete details or call our customer service center at 1-800-367-1448. We are here to answer your questions!

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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Damage

A homeowners insurance policy may cover roof damage if the problem resulted from an unavoidable event. For example, if someone vandalized your roof, your insurance should pay for the costs to fix it. If lightning hits the roof and damages it, your policy should also help cover the repair costs.

Another example is if your roof gets damaged by a tornado or a hurricane. In this case, your homeowners insurance may also help cover the costs to repair your roof.

How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cost

Youll pay an average of $1,083 annually, or approximately $90 a month for homeowners insurance, according to Value Penguin, but this number can vary pretty widely. How much you pay for homeowners insurance will depend on a number of factors, including where you live, the condition of your home, your deductible, and the amount of coverage you choose.

The average cost of homeowners insurance, by city

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Maintaining A Healthy Roof

Your roof is the first line of defense for your home. It protects your home against storms, keeping you dry and warm. But even as your roof protects you and your home, your roof needs protection, too. Its up to home owners to practice preventive maintenance in order to take care of roofs and identify small leaks before they become big problems. Keep your roof in tip top shape by following these roof maintenance tips:

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Wind And Hail Damage To My Roof

Homeowners policies usually provide protection for roof damages caused by tornadoes and hurricanes. For example, a hurricane ripped off shingles from your roof. In this case, your insurance policy should help pay to repair your roof.

Homeowners insurance policies, however, may not cover damages caused by wind or hail alone. If wind alone damages your roof, your policy may not help pay for its repairs.

Also, some insurers may not cover damages that are purely cosmetic. Cosmetic damages are those that only affect the appearance of the roof. These issues usually dont have an impact on the function or the integrity of the roof.

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How To Find Roof Leaks

The fastest way to find where a roof leak is coming from is to work upwards from any damp or mold-covered patch of the ceiling indoors. Though this is not always so simple. Locating the leak becomes difficult when the path of the water is not immediately apparent.

If the leak is hard to find, pour water over some likely areas and ask someone to call out when there is a visible drip in the home. Cracks inside the wall can also be conduits for water, leading it in unexpected directions.

Shingled roofs offer challenges to a simple upward path to the source of the leak, but they also come with handy clues to it. Just as mold and mildew gather at the ceiling leak, so do they at the source, often under the shingles in that spot.

If mold has not yet formed, there should be a trail of water formed by the slope of the roof leading you to the source.

No, American Home Shield Home Warranty does not cover roof leaks but you can review a host of the top companies on Home Warranty Reviews that cover roofs. Some of the companies include Choice Home Warranty.

Signs And Causes Of Roof Damage

Roof damage may be subtle like a bedbug hitching a ride on a suitcase or may hit you on the face like a sledgehammer. Its good to keep an eye out for them so that you arent saddled with colossal reconstruction costs when youre least expecting it.

• Leaks you may have water dripping into the home or seepage through the walls, the latter being harder to spot initially.
• Wet spots on the drywalls, stained ceilings
• Mold or moss growth on the roof or inside the house
• Missing or cracked shingles
• Asphalt granules in roof gutters
• Rusted flashing

Based on the kind of roof you have, the problems could materialize differently.

Shingle roof leaks could be due to curled shingles, missing ones, cracked shingles, or where they are butting. If the flashing and caulking have been damaged, the water can percolate through. You can DIY some minor repairs but call in the professionals if you see a whole row of damaged asphalt shingles.

Its better to call in expert help when you see a single damaged slate tile because the water percolating can damage the roof deck. If the slate roof leaks are not due to corroded flashing, its likely to be broken shingles or improperly driven nails.

Wooden shingles happen to be thinner than shakes. By nature, wood is more susceptible to moisture than other materials. Hence, these roofs must be given a chance to dry properly by removing overhanging tree branches and other coverings.

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What Items Arent Covered By A Home Warranty

Home warranties dont usually cover problems that are discovered during a home inspection or that resulted from improper maintenance. In addition to these factors, there are several uncovered items that may surprise you. Before taking out a home warranty, pay attention to these ten things that might not be included.

Is Water Damage Covered

In a word, yes! A standard homeowners insurance policy will cover water damage and roof leaks unless theyre the result of gross negligence on your part. Even if the roof leak is caused by a windstorm or a tree crashing through the shingles, youre covered.

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Roof leaks are typically covered if a windstorm damages a home and creates an opening in the roof, says Stacey A. Giulianti, a lawyer in Boca Raton, FL. Homeowners insurance doesnt cover any preventable damage to a property, so the key here is determining if the leak is caused by a sudden and unexpected event. For example, rain that drips in through a pre-existing hole is generally not a covered loss, because the insurance company would likely say you should have fixed the hole.

If a broken or frozen pipe turns your basement into a swimming pool, you can file a claim with your homeowners insurance and the policy will cover damages. Of course, each policys terms may include specific coverages and exclusions, so always read the fine print.

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Tips For Maintaining Your Roof

Proper maintenance of covered items is an essential condition in a service contract. When it comes to roofs, preventive maintenance is especially important because the structural integrity of your very house depends on it. Here are some things you should do to maintain your roof:

Does A Home Warranty Cover Roof: Why Roof Leaks Are A Concern

Roof leaks are cause for concern no matter where you live – regardless of climate. The major common causes of roof leaks are hail, storms and mold.

You can’t afford to neglect a roof leak. Delayed roof repairs can lead to mold in your ceiling and walls. Not only can this be harmful to your health and wallet, it can also impact a home inspection and cause costly delays when selling your home.

Further, minor damage can be exacerbated by major storms, including lightning, wind, rain, and snow. Personal property inside your home can be damaged.

The age of a roof is also a major factor. A roof only lasts half as long as estimated, according to ARCHITECT Magazine. And leaks are a major reason for faster deterioration. In fact, water intrusion is a leading cause of all building-related issues.

The good news? There are easy solutions to mitigate roof risk — from proper roof upkeep to complete roof protection via a home warranty.

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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Damage

It depends on what caused the tree to fall.

When tree damage is covered

Like other things, tree damaged is covered if the cause is sudden and accidental. So if a windstorm causes a healthy tree in your backyard to topple, your homeowners insurance will cover the costs to get you out of this jam.

Bonus: If that same tree was in your neighbors backyard, not yours, your homeowners insurance will still cover you.

When tree damage isnt covered

Lets say a tree in your backyard wasnt looking so good. You knew it was rotting, but didnt do anything about it. Then, a windstorm came about, and totally knocked the tree over, damaging your house. In this scenario, homeowners insurance may not have your back.

Why? Even though windstorm is a covered peril, this situation could have been prevented since the trees been rotting for quite a while.

And if the tree falls due to an earthquake , youre not covered. Reminder: You can purchase separate earthquake insurance to be covered during situations like these.

What Does Roof Coverage Exclude

As you may have gathered from the above details, home warranty companies offer limited roof leak coverage. They dont cover the kind of roofs that require highly specialized servicing, like green roofs with plant life atop or metallic roofs.

Choice Home Warranty excludes skylights, porches, masonite shingles, patios, cracked or missing material, foam/tar/gravel/metal roofs, flat roofs, gutters, decks, solar equipment, and chimneys. Causes of damage like improper construction, acts of God, etc. are not covered.

American Home Shield excludes properties with shared roofs since they cant determine which specific one the roof leak is attributable to. They dont cover roof-mounted installations, gutters and downspouts, skylights, chimneys and vents, and solar panels.

ServicePlus Home Warranty does not cover leaks over patios, porches, decks, metal roofs, foam roofs, shingles, cemwood shakes, cracked and/or missing material, tiles, tar and gravel, flat or built-up roofs, structural leaks, asphalt, gutters, downspouts, skylights, flashing, patio covers, solar components, attic vents, roof jacks, satellite components, antennae chimney components, partial roof replacement, and preventative maintenance.

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Get To Know The Components On Your Homes Roof:

• The physical wooden structure surface of your roof.
• Drip edge: Material affixed along the edge of the roof to prevent rainfall/melting ice to accumulate in turn, alleviating the addition of water weight on your roof.
• Underlayment: A physical barrier installed under the shingles to keep the deck dry.
• Flashing: Is a strong tar like substance painted on the roof which will seal and protect joints on areas such as where the roof connects the chimney.
• Shingles: The outermost layer of the roof, which repels water and protects the structural integrity..
• Soffit: A structural material connecting an exterior wall to the edge of the roof under the eaves
• Fascia: The board on the end of the rafters that typically are used to hold the gutters.
• Vents: Fixed exhaust vents are stationary and are designed to allow air to escape the attic.

Does Home Insurance Or Does Home Warranty Cover Roof Leaks

Most home warranties cover major systems within a home, such as plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. Its also common for home warranty plans to cover washers, dryers, refrigerators, and other such appliances. Roof repair is not usually covered by default by most home warranty programs, but homeowners can upgrade their plans to obtain that coverage.

An upgraded home warranty with roof coverage is more expensive, but its one of the smartest investments a homeowner can make. The roof is among the most expensive components of a home to repair, so a home warranty of around $50 per month could save you many thousands of dollars in the long run.

Homeowners insurance, unlike a home warranty that covers roof repairs, will not cover the cost of repairing a leaky roof.

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