GAF describes itself as North America's largest roofing manufacturer, and its shingles are sold through supply houses to any roofer who wants them. What separates one GAF roof from another is who installs it. GAF certifies contractors in three residential tiers: GAF Certified™, GAF Certified Plus™ and GAF Master Elite®. The tier decides which warranties the contractor can register on your home. When Westchester Roof Pros books your roof, it's installed by Jersey Roofing, a GAF Master Elite® contractor.
What Master Elite® certification requires
Master Elite® status is by invitation. Under GAF's current residential program guidelines, a contractor must:
- Hold the required state license where the business is based. In Westchester, roofers also need a county home improvement license.
- Carry at least $1 million in liability insurance, plus workers' compensation insurance.
- Meet annual minimums that took effect January 1, 2025: 1,000 squares of GAF shingles purchased, 500 squares of Silver Pledge® or Golden Pledge® warranties registered, and 10 GAF learning credits of ongoing training.
- Keep a reputation GAF is willing to stand behind. GAF also weighs years of experience and customer reviews.
The result, in GAF's words: only 2% of roofers in North America are invited to become GAF Master Elite® Contractors. For comparison, GAF says 7% are invited to become GAF Certified™.
The warranty-registration minimum matters to you as a homeowner. A contractor can't keep Master Elite® status by selling bare shingles. It has to install hundreds of complete GAF systems every year that qualify for GAF's enhanced warranties.
The President's Club Award
The President's Club Award is an annual award GAF gives to Master Elite® contractors for the prior year's work. To earn it, a contractor has to install a minimum number of complete GAF roofing systems that qualify for GAF's highest warranties, while keeping consistently outstanding customer reviews. GAF awards it at 1-Star, 2-Star and 3-Star levels and says fewer than half of Master Elite® contractors qualify. Jersey Roofing holds the GAF President's Club Award winner.
What it means for your warranty
Every GAF shingle comes with a standard limited warranty against manufacturing defects. It doesn't cover installation errors, and it's prorated after the first ten years. Certified contractors can offer more, and only Master Elite® contractors can offer the most.
| GAF warranty | Who can register it | Non-prorated materials | Workmanship | Tear-off and disposal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty | Any installer | 10 years | Not covered | Not covered |
| Roofing System Limited Warranty | Any installer, 3 qualifying accessories | 10 years | Not covered | Not covered |
| System Plus | Certified, Certified Plus, Master Elite® | 50 years | Not covered | Covered when necessary |
| Silver Pledge® | Certified Plus or Master Elite® | 50 years | 10 to 15 years | Covered when necessary |
| Golden Pledge® | Master Elite® only | 50 years | Lifetime; 25 to 30 years non-prorated | Covered when necessary |
For Timberline® lifetime shingles on a single-family home. Silver Pledge® workmanship is 10 years on Timberline HDZ® and 15 years on Timberline UHDZ® and AS II. Golden Pledge® workmanship is non-prorated for 25 years on Timberline HDZ® and 30 years on Timberline UHDZ® and AS II. Visit gaf.com/warranties for complete coverage and restrictions.
How the Golden Pledge® warranty works
- Materials: lifetime coverage for as long as you own the home, non-prorated for the first 50 years. During that period a covered defect is fixed with replacement materials, installation labor, and tear-off and disposal if needed.
- Workmanship: lifetime coverage against installation errors, non-prorated for 25 years on Timberline HDZ® and 30 years on Timberline UHDZ® and AS II. The coverage comes from GAF itself, so it doesn't depend on the installer staying in business.
- A complete system: GAF shingles plus at least five qualifying GAF accessories: roof deck protection, leak barrier, starter strip, ridge cap and attic ventilation.
- A full tear-off: the roof can't be installed over an existing roof, and it requires new metal flashing. Partial roofs don't qualify.
- Registration: the contractor registers it with GAF within 45 days of installation. Ask for the registration confirmation.
- Transfer: it can be transferred once to the next owner, who must notify GAF in writing within a year of the sale. Transfers in the first 20 years keep full coverage.
Wind and algae coverage
Timberline® shingles with LayerLock® technology qualify for GAF's WindProven™ limited wind warranty, which GAF describes as the industry's first shingle wind warranty with no maximum wind speed. It runs 15 years and requires LayerLock® shingles, GAF starter strip and ridge cap, GAF roof deck protection, and a GAF leak barrier or attic ventilation product, installed with four nails per shingle. Algae resistance depends on the shingle's StainGuard® label: 10 years for StainGuard®, 25 years for StainGuard Plus™, and 30 years for StainGuard Plus PRO™, which Timberline UHDZ® carries. That's worth having on Westchester's shaded, wooded lots.
What no GAF warranty covers
GAF's warranties state that a failure to install adequate ventilation is not an application error and is not covered. That's one reason Jersey Roofing's crew sizes and balances the attic ventilation on every job. Read more in our guide to attic ventilation.