When it comes to a large investment such as getting a brand new roof, it make sense to do your homework and find out which are the best products to install on your home. Both GAF and Malarkey offer reputable roofing systems- but which is better?

GAF

Aesthetics
In our opinion, GAF wins when it comes to aesthetics. There’s something beautiful about the saturated colors and dimension of their Timberline HDZ line. Their color selection is extensive and it’s easy to find shingle colors that will make your property look amazing. They also offer an extensive range of designer shingles for the luxury market. You can find these types of shingles in communities around golf courses where tile, slate, or metal roofs could be damaged by rogue golf balls.
Warranty
GAF offers a 50 year manufacturer warranty for roofing systems that use GAF shingles and at least three GAF accessory products that are installed by a GAF Certified Contractor.

  • Lifetime warranty term for manufacturing defects
  • 15 years of wind warranty coverage, some product lines have no wind speed maximum
  • The warranty is transferable once if the property is sold, and certain conditions apply for the transfer.
  • Manufacturing defects are covered during the warranty term, and GAF will pay for labor and replacement or reimbursement for defective products.
  • After the Smart Choice Protection Period, the coverage will be reduced based on the duration of use
  • No warranty on low slope applications
Please, refer to the official GAF website for exact terms of their warranty coverage. This article is not a promise of coverage and is not a substitute for reviewing the GAF warranty information for yourself.
https://www.gaf.com/en-us/for-homeowners/warranties
Availability
GAF products are readily available in southern California at most major wholesale roofing suppliers. This makes their products an easy choice for your roofing project.

Malarkey

Aesthetics
Malarkey offers several beautiful colors in their Ecoasis NEX series of COOL shingles. Most customers will find something that suits their preference, but there are limited color choices. Finding that perfect shade might be a little more challenging when using Malarkey shingles but the options they do have are nicely saturated and dimensioned.
https://www.malarkeyroofing.com/products/shingles-overview/ecoasis-shingles/

Warranty
Malarkey offers their Emerald Pro Warranty for roofs installed using Malarkey shingles plus three qualifying accessory products installed by an Emerald Pro Certified Residential Contractor.

  • Lifetime warranty term for manufacturing defects
  • 15 year wind warranty coverage ranges from 80 mph to 140 mph, depending on the specific shingle line.
  • The warranty is transferable once if the property is sold, and certain conditions apply for the transfer.
  • If a component of the eligible roofing system is found to have manufacturing defects that materially affect performance of the system, Malarkey will either repair, replace, or pay for installation of replacement materials as necessary. The costs for tear-off and disposal of some or all of the Malarkey roofing products are included if necessary to repair your roof
  • 50 Year Right Start Non Prorated warranty period for single family residential homes
  • Low slope warranty coverage is available for Malarkey OmniSeal™ Roof Systems, with different coverage periods depending on the type of system.
Please, refer to the official Malarkey website for exact terms of their warranty coverage. This article is not a promise of coverage and is not a substitute for reviewing the Malarkey warranty information for yourself.
https://www.malarkeyroofing.com/app/uploads/2021/05/emerald-pro-warranty-sample-malarkey.pdf
Availability
Malarkey shingles are readily available at most wholesale roofing supply companies. However, it is harder to obtain their accessory products in some areas of southern California. These accessory products are necessary to qualify for their enhanced warranty. This makes it harder to choose a Malarkey roofing system for customers who are interested in enhanced warranty coverage.

Conclusion

In our humble opinion, GAF is the winner of this head to head comparison. While their warranties are comparable, in our area it is hard to locate all the accessory components necessary to qualify for Malarkey’s enhanced warranty. Combine this with the beautiful color choices available at GAF and it’s a clear decision.

That being said – Malarkey shingles do make for beautiful roofs as well and they have great economical choices. Front Line Roofing and Solar is both a GAF Certified Contractor and an Emerald Pro Certified Residential Contractor. On every job, we give you manufacturer options so you can easily choose the manufacturer that is best for you.

Contact our friendly staff today to learn more about the different choices you have when it comes to products for your roof.