Manufacturer certification

Definition

A shingle maker's credential that lets the contractor sell its extended system warranty.

Why It Matters

The credential is a private program with no law behind it, and the warranty it sells has three layers. Federal law treats the same shingle two ways: bought for a reroof it is a consumer product, and once integrated into the structure of a new dwelling it is not, because it cannot be practically distinguished from realty. The coverage flips with the revenue mix. A warranty that does not meet the federal minimum must be conspicuously designated limited, and only a full one carries duties extending to each person who is a consumer of the product, which reaches whoever it is transferred to. That is why a system warranty is a limited one and its transfer to the next homeowner is the maker's gift on the maker's conditions. The workmanship warranty is a separate instrument the federal act does not reach, and Minnesota requires it in writing for a year.