The vast majority of the asphalt shingle roofs our company replaces are 15-20 years old. So, how can it be that several of the largest shingle manufacturers are offering lifetime warranties for their entry-level dimensional shingles? The truth is that manufacturers' warranties are all about the small print. I went ahead and read the small print and found that not all lifetime warranties are the same. I also found that they aren't really for life.

There are many different manufacturers, styles and grades of asphalt shingles, and just as many warranties.   Not all manufacturers' warranties are the same, even for the same grade of shingle, so the following is a generalization of what is seen in most entry-level lifetime asphalt shingle warranties. Also, the lifetime warranties only apply to single-family homes. With condominiums, apartments and commercial buildings the warranty period is usually reduced to 40 years, but the rest of the warranty terms are the same.