In Houston, garages are exposed to relentless humidity, frequent rain, and moisture pushing up through concrete slabs year-round. These conditions make the warranty behind a garage floor coating just as important as the coating itself.
Yet across the industry, most warranties are structured to shift risk away from the installer and onto the homeowner the moment moisture-related issues appear.
How Moisture Language Voids Garage Floor Warranties
One of the most misleading practices in the garage floor coating industry is the use of moisture exclusions disguised as technical benchmarks. Warranty documents often reference limits such as 3 lbs MVER, 6 lbs MVER, or certain Tramex readings. These figures are not protection standards. They are warranty escape clauses designed to deny coverage as soon as moisture contributes to a failure.
In a climate like Houston’s, moisture vapor transmission through concrete never stops. When warranties rely on exclusions instead of moisture mitigation, long-term performance becomes unlikely.
The Installation-Day Moisture Upsell
Another tactic appears after the project has already started. Once diamond grinding is complete, some contractors suddenly announce that moisture has been “discovered” and push homeowners into unexpected moisture-mitigation fees. These last-minute charges can quickly add hundreds or thousands of dollars.
The truth is straightforward. Moisture in concrete slabs is inevitable, especially in Southeast Texas. These surprise fees are not technical necessities. They are upsells that also create future warranty loopholes for the installer.
Garage Floor Coatings of Houston includes a moisture-mitigating vapor barrier primer as part of every professional garage flooring system, without surprise charges.
Why Tire Staining Is Quietly Excluded From Many Warranties
Plasticizer migration, often seen as permanent tire staining, is another issue many warranties quietly exclude. Heat buildup and vehicle compounds cause tires to leach into coatings over time. Many thin epoxies, lower-grade polyaspartics, and 1-day systems cannot resist this damage. Rather than improve system design, competitors simply deny coverage.
Our multi-layer garage epoxy coatings are engineered to resist plasticizer migration and are backed by warranties that do not rely on appearance-based exclusions.
What Houston Homeowners Should Demand Before Signing a Contract
Before committing to any installer, homeowners should insist on clear answers to these questions:
- Does your warranty cover all moisture-related issues, yes or no?
- Do you use a moisture-mitigating primer, yes or no?
- Is plasticizer migration included, yes or no?
- Is your warranty full coverage including materials and labor, yes or no?
- Can you provide Technical Data Sheets for every product you install, yes or no?
If the answer is not yes across the board, it is time to keep looking.
Contact Garage Floor Coatings of Houston today to schedule a consultation and protect your investment with a warranty that actually holds up.