Over the Top

The Trap of a Worthless Warranty

Submitted by Deveny Coryell, Editor, Coryell Roofing & Construction

“Protect your institution by learning to navigate the traps of worthless warranties,” Chris Coryell, CEO Coryell Roofing and Construction, Inc.

Imagine this: A school bus beside the road with a flat tire. The kiddos are restless and loud--ready to be off the bus. Eventually, a serviceman arrives. There are shouts of hooray from the kiddos and a sigh of relief from the frazzled bus driver.

The serviceman takes a brand new, name brand tire for a passenger sedan from his truck, removes the failed bus tire, and carefully, skillfully puts the tire on the bus. Job well done.

He steps inside the bus and says, “You have a brand-new tire with a sixty-thousand-mile warranty. You are all set to go.”

But are they?

Of course not. That tire was not made to handle the load of a school bus. That tire will fail. Those kiddos and that driver are not safe. As for the great warranty it is no good. That tire was never meant to carry the load of that bus, and that fact will void its warranty.

Just as in the above scenario, it is possible for a roofing system not rated for the wind and hail in your area to be installed on your facility, and if it is, no matter how good the warranty, it may be voided.

Enter FM Approvals. FM Approvals product testing and certification program gives your company standards of excellence to demand from vendors, contractors, and builders, because we’ve made those standards universally available. When you see a product or service with the FM APPROVED certification mark, you’ll know it meets the highest property loss prevention product testing and certification standards. It is a certification recognized by the world’s leading regulatory authorities. Putting an FM APPROVED product on a facility will ensure the roofing system has been tested and certified to stand up to the weather elements in your specific area. This will help ensure your warranty will stand in the event of damage.

Chris Coryell and his team are assisting Arkansas schools by educating administrators about FM Approved products and ways to design a robust roofing system for their specific climate zones. Schedule a free consultation today!