If you are thinking of installing a TPO roofing membrane on your home, you need to carefully select your product manufacturer.

You have probably seen things like 20 year Warranty or Lifetime Warranty on many manufacturer’s websites and thought – that sounds great!

However, the reality is that because TPO is primarily installed on commercial and industrial buildings, very few manufacturers offer warranties for residential applications. Moreover, the ones that do, offer very limited warranties that will not give you much protection.

Here is a list of TPO membrane manufacturers that offer a residential warranty, along with our summary of what is covered.

Why its important to have a good warranty for your TPO Roof

Residential TPO Roofing Warranties

The following is a list of manufacturers that offer a warranty for a TPO membrane installed on a home, rather than a commercial property.

Note, that in order for the manufacturer to uphold the warranty, you must follow the directions for filing a claim, exactly as specified in the warranty. Otherwise, your warranty will be considered void.

Lifetime Material Warranty by Flex

This is one of the best warranties out there, since it actually offers protection against leaks, under the following terms and conditions:

– TPO membrane must be a minimum of 60 mil

– Coverage lasts as long as the original owner still owns the house and membrane subject to the terms (so if you are buying a house with a roof that had this warranty, you would loose coverage because you are not the original owner)

– Written notice must be submitted to Flex no later than 10 days after discovery of leaks

– If upon inspection, Flex determines that leaks are due to the damage of the material, they will replace the membrane. Installation costs or any other incidental costs related to the replacement will not be covered.

-Flex will not replace the membrane if it determines that the material was damaged due to improper installation, natural disasters, negligence, accidents, misues, roof structural failures, poor maintenance, storage of materials/equipment on the roof. Read the warranty for the complete list of what is not covered.

Membrane Material Warranty by Carlisle

Carlisle’s residential warranty covers only defects to the membrane itself, under the following terms and conditions.

– If upon inspection, the membrane shows a manufacturing defect, Carlisle’s liability is limited to the repair or replacement of the defective membrane at the F.O.B. point in the original contract of sale.

– Buyer needs to file a claim within 30 days of discovery of membrane’s premature deterioration.

– The maximum pro-rated value allowed for membrane repair or credit cannot exceed the original membrane purchase price.

– Only membrane material is covered. Flashings, adhesives and other accessories that are part of the total roof system are not covered. Problems due to installation are not covered.

Read the full warranty here. One thing that remains unclear from the document is how long coverage lasts. Its best to contact the manufacturer to get clarification.

Limited Residential Warranty by Mule-Hyde

Mule-Hyde’s website states that they offer a residential limited warranty for select TPO products. However, no residential coverage is specified in any of the warranty docs available on the site. We recommend contacting this manufacturer directly to find out what is covered.

Main Issue with TPO Residential Warranties

If you have read through the residential warranties offered by TPO manufacturers, you will notice one common factor: leaks or membrane damages that result from poor installation are NOT covered. This is reserved solely for commercial installs, where the manufacturer requires that the work be completed by their own approved and certified contractors.

The problem is that most residential roofers have very little experience installing TPO and are very likely to make mistakes, which will result in premature leaks and other types of damage. In fact, over 50% of flat roofing problems occur because of improper installation.

Since your warranty will not cover any defects related to installation, the only way to protect your roof and your home, is to hire a contractor who is an expert TPO installer. Be sure to ask for references and hire someone local, so that you can drive by and actually see the roofs that he has installed. While an experienced contractor will cost more, his services are well worth the few extra hundred dollars.