Read the spec sheet.
Then read the warranty.
A roof comes with more paper than any other part of the house: a coil tag, a data sheet, coating and product warranties, and a wind warranty that only counts if the nails went in a certain way. None of it is hard. All of it is written to be skimmed. Here is how to read it slowly.
Three lines of small print that are the whole roof.
The coil tag travels with the steel from the mill. It lists gauge, substrate (Galvalume AZ50 or AZ55 is the number you want to see), paint system and who made it, color, and coil number. A supplier that rolls panels from coil can show it to you. It is also what lets you order a matching panel eight years from now.
The coating warranty comes from the paint maker, not the panel maker, and it has two clocks: film integrity (the paint stays on) and chalk and fade (the color stays). Read both numbers and read what voids them, which usually includes cut edges left bare and roofs near salt water.
The panel maker's own terms cover the rolled panel and trim. Ask what they cover, in years, and whether installation by a roofer of your choice keeps them in force.
Show me the coil tag. Which paint system, and what are its film and fade years. What does the panel maker cover beyond that, and for how long.
| Rating | Test | What it tells you | Look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact | UL 2218 | Hail resistance, Class 1 to 4 | Class 4 (2-inch ball, 20 feet, no crack). Often an insurance discount. |
| Fire | UL 790 / ASTM E108 | Exterior fire resistance of the assembly | Class A, with the underlayment named |
| Wind uplift (metal) | UL 580 / ASTM E1592 | How the fastened panel holds in wind | A class or pressure number at your fastening pattern |
| Wind (shingles) | ASTM D3161 / D7158 | Shingle wind resistance, Class D, F, or H | Class F is 110 mph, Class H is 150 mph, with the required nailing |
| Reflectance | SR / SRI (Cool Roof Rating Council) | How much sun the color sends back | Printed on the color chart; higher is a cooler attic |
A rating with a listing number behind it is a spec. A rating with a marketing name in front of it is a claim. Ask for the listing.
"Limited lifetime" has a table. Read the table.
Here is the Tamko Heritage line, from Tamko's own 2025 warranty, as an example of how every shingle warranty is built. The headline says Limited Lifetime. The table under it says: a 10-year Full Start period, non-prorated, covering materials and reasonable labor for a manufacturing defect. After year ten, coverage prorates: a shrinking share of the shingle cost, no labor. Wind coverage is its own term, 110 mph with standard nailing and 130 mph with the high-wind pattern, for 15 years. Algae cleaning is 120 months. The original owner may transfer the warranty once, during the first five years, and only with written notice at the sale.
None of that is a criticism. It is a good warranty, and it is typical of the category. The point is that "lifetime" on the wrapper and "ten years then prorated, transfer once in five" in the table are the same document, and the table is the one that pays.
Impact-rated lines (Tamko Titan XT, Owens Corning Duration FLEX) carry Class 4 and, on some, a higher wind number with the same nailing rule. Read their table the same way.
| Read for | Where it hides | What a strong answer looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Non-prorated years | "Full Start" or similar, in the table | Stated years, labor included |
| Proration | The paragraph after the table | You know the schedule before you sign |
| Wind | Separate term with a nailing condition | The pattern is on the quote and the roofer signs off on it |
| Transfer | One sentence, usually in capitals | Transferable, and you know the deadline and the paperwork |
| Labor | Only inside the non-prorated period | You planned for that |
| Metal coating | The paint maker's document | Film years and fade years, both stated |
Which nailing pattern is the quote priced on, and does the roofer know the higher wind rating depends on it. If you are building to sell, when does the transfer window close.
Before You Price a Roof
Know what you are putting on the house.
Three short reads on shingles and metal. Written for the builder who has to answer to the money, and for the money.
Frequently Asked
Roof ratings and warranties, answered.
What does a limited lifetime shingle warranty actually cover?
What is a Class 4 impact rating on a roof?
What is a Class A fire rating on roofing?
What is on a metal roofing coil tag?
Is the shingle wind rating 110 mph or 130 mph?
Come See It
Put your hands on it first.
Specs only tell you so much. Come walk the yard and the showroom.
119 Cumberland St, Ashland City. The coffee’s on.