What warranty comes with impact resistant shingles?
What the Class 4 label means
Class 4 is the top rating under UL 2218, a lab test where steel balls up to 2 inches across are dropped onto the shingle. To pass, the shingle cannot crack through. It is a rating of how the product performed in a test, not a promise about every storm, and that difference shows up in the warranty language.
What the manufacturer warranty usually covers
- Manufacturing defects for the stated term, often marketed as lifetime for individually owned single family homes.
- A non-prorated period at the start, frequently 10 years on a standard warranty, longer on enhanced system warranties that require a certified installer and matching accessories.
- Wind coverage up to a rated speed, only when the shingles were nailed and started per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Algae resistance on many lines, with its own shorter limited warranty.
What it usually does not cover
Read the exclusions page first. Most asphalt shingle warranties exclude hail and other acts of nature, and they exclude installation mistakes unless you bought an enhanced warranty that adds workmanship coverage. If hail does damage a Class 4 roof, you file with your homeowners insurance like anyone else.
The Georgia insurance angle
Some insurers writing in Georgia give a premium credit for a Class 4 roof. Ask your agent before you sign a contract which proof they want, usually an invoice naming the exact product, and whether the credit applies to the wind and hail portion of the premium. More on the tradeoffs is in our guide to impact resistant shingles in Georgia and our overview of roofing warranties.
Keep the registered warranty certificate with your closing papers. A buyer's inspector or a future adjuster will ask for it.