Many shingled roofs acquire leaks, which may damage their underlying structures. One cause of leaky roofs is improper installation of the roofs. For example, some roofing installers do not use adequate tar paper during installation of a shingled roof. This may result, as an example, in a roof that should last for thirty years only lasting five or ten years. Another installation problem may occur with flashing not being properly affixed or sealed.
Some shingled roofs can be repaired. For example, a second layer of shingles may be applied to a first layer of shingles. As with an original shingled roof, improper installation of the second layer of shingles may cause the roof to leak prematurely. In addition to the aforementioned problems, a repaired shingled roof may leak if the underlying substrate is defective. For example, if the substrate is plywood and has rotted, the repaired roof may leak prematurely.
When a shingled roof is improperly installed or repaired, any applicable warranties on the roofing shingles or other products may be voided by the manufacturers. For example, a roofing shingle manufacturer may warranty a roofing shingle for thirty years provided that it is installed properly. An installer may not properly install the roofing shingles and the roof may leak after ten years. Because of the improper installation, the roofing shingle manufacturer is not liable to replace the roof. The owner of the structure may turn to the installer for compensation. However, the installer may be out of business or not have the funds to cover the owner's losses. Accordingly, the owner is left without a remedy.