After getting off the phone with GAF about a week ago, I was really optimistic about my odds of having the ice dam problem fixed once and for all. They made the process sound so easy and their promise to send out an info packet right away made me hopeful that they would be speedy about responding to my claim.
Unfortunately, they took me for a ride.
I got the packet in the mail a couple days ago, which is a really long time considering it's only coming from New Jersey and that it's just a standard sized envelope. In the "packet" was a brochure describing what I'd need to do to file my claim. Here it is:
1.) Submit proof of the product purchase - Sure, not a problem. I fortunately kept receipts from 2 years ago.
2.) Proof of property ownership - Again, not a problem. I have tax bills and the town can send copies if needed.
3.) Proof of quantity installed - This would be on the receipts, no?
4.) Repaired or replaced product (if applicable) - it's not.
5.) Photos, both long-distance and short-range showing the problem - Um, the problem is the underlay and it's under the shingles... that could be hard to take a picture of.
6.) Samples: A 12" x 12" piece of underlayment that exhibits the problem. - Um... really? In case you're not familiar with the product, the underlayment is basically a sticky roll of paper that adheres to the roof and then you put the shingles down on top of it. The point of the underlayment is to heal around any roofing nails to create a water & ice barrier to prevent moisture from getting in your house. If the underlayment fails to seal around the nails, water gets in if there are ice dams and you have leaks in the ceiling. The point is, this shit is sitting under thousands of dollars worth of fancy shingles AND it's stuck to my roof. How the heck do they think I'm going to get it off of the roof without causing even more damage?
Thinking about ripping my roof apart made me wonder how long the claims process would take. We're already, "that neighbor" and having a tarp on the roof would undoubtedly be attractive for the neighbors. I asked how long between receiving the sample and making a decision. The rep told me 2-6 months... fantastic! I'm sure too that I would need a permit from the town to do work on my roof, which is just one more expense on top of the inconvenience of having a torn up roof for an extended period of time.
Once received, they send the sample to their lab to determine if the cause is related to manufacturing, installation, etc. Once they make a determination, they either replace your roof or tell you to have a nice life, leaving you to foot the bill to fix the damage that was done to get the sample to send in.
So basically their warranty is crap.
Way to go GAF, I think I'll be steering clear of roofing products sold at Home Depot since almost everything they have is made by your questionable company.
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