Most homeowners believe a home warranty is a safety net.
If something breaks, it’s covered. If something fails, it gets fixed.
That belief feels reassuring. It’s also wrong.
Especially when it comes to garage ceilings, attic storage, ladders, and drilling into roof trusses. Many homeowners ask whether ceiling-mounted storage racks can void a new home warranty.
This paper explains why.
What Home Warranties Are Really For
Home warranties are designed to cover mechanical failure.
They usually cover:
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Heating and air systems
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Water heaters
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Built-in appliances
They usually do not cover:
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Structural damage
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Homeowner modifications
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Improper installations
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Overloading building components
If a problem is caused by something you added, changed, or overloaded, the warranty almost always says "no."
New Home Warranties Are Even Stricter
Many homeowners assume a new home warranty offers extra protection.
It doesn’t.
New homes are delivered in a very specific, engineered condition.
Once that condition is changed, responsibility shifts to the homeowner.
This includes:
- Storing heavy items in the attic
- Drilling into trusses
- Hanging storage from the ceiling
From that point on, damage is no longer a builder issue. It becomes a homeowner issue.
The Mistake Almost Everyone Makes
Most homeowners simply think:
“I’m just adding a shelf.”
Unfortunately, the building code does not see it that way.
What the Building Code Actually Says
International Residential Code (IRC) — § R802.10.4
“Truss members and components shall not be cut, notched, drilled, spliced, or otherwise altered in any way without the approval of a registered design professional.”
In plain terms:
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Trusses are regulated structural components
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Drilling into them counts as an alteration
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Any alteration requires engineering approval
This rule exists because trusses are designed as a complete structural system, based only on the loads listed in the truss drawing — and nothing else.
If a load is not listed, it was never part of the design.
The Truth About “600-lb Rack Capacity”
You’re overloading the weakest part of your roof.
Many ceiling-mounted racks are advertised with ratings like:
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400 lbs
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600 lbs
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800 lbs
Those numbers describe what the rack can hold.
They do not describe what your ceiling or trusses were designed to carry.
If the truss drawing lists:
BCLL = 0 psf
(Bottom Chord Live Load = 0 pounds per square foot)
then any hanging load—no matter how strong the rack—was never included in the design.
A strong ceiling rack rating does not change a "zero-pound ceiling allowance."
Why the Engineer’s Seal Matters
At the bottom of every truss drawing is a licensed engineer’s seal.
That seal means:
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The drawing is a legal design document
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The loads shown are the actual limits of the structure
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Anything outside those limits is not approved
If ceiling storage were intended, it would appear in the Loading Criteria. Chances are, it doesn’t.
When damage occurs, warranties and insurers look at that seal first — not marketing claims.
Why The majority Of Warranty Claims Get Denied
This is how it usually plays out:
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Ceiling cracks, sagging, or drywall damage appears
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A warranty claim is filed
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An inspector looks for alterations
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Drilled trusses or hanging racks are found
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The claim is denied
Not because the rack failed — but because the structure was altered or overloaded.
⚠️ Safety Alert: Ladders and Overhead Storage
Ceiling-mounted storage requires a ladder.
This is true in just about every garage.
In garages with 9½–12′ ceilings, the risk is higher.
Why?
Because storage bins can weigh 25–50 lbs and require both hands to lift.
This is how ceiling storage is actually used:
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No hands on the ladder
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No way to steady yourself
- Lifting and shifting weight while off center
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No margin for error
Not carefully. Not safely.
If balance is lost, there is nothing to stop your fall.
Falls from ladders are one of the most common causes of serious homeowner injuries.
Higher ceilings make the fall longer and more dangerous.
Why This Becomes a Liability Issue
If someone is injured accessing ceiling storage:
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It is not a home warranty issue
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It becomes a personal liability issue
Insurance companies look at:
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Ladder use
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Height of access
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Whether heavy lifting was required overhead
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Whether safer options existed
When both hands are needed to lift from a ladder, risk shifts to the homeowner.
The Safer Standard
The safest storage solution:
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Does not require climbing
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Does not require overhead lifting
Both feet on the ground. Both hands on your things.
If storage requires a ladder, the risk is already built in.
The Only Way Around the Risk
If you don’t load the ceiling,
you don’t risk the ceiling.
If you don’t climb ladders,
you don’t risk the fall.
This is where ARackAbove has changed an industry.
A Safer Storage Solution: ARackAbove
2,000-lb Storage Capacity
Zero Ceiling Damage
ARackAbove is a freestanding, floor-supported overhead storage system.
It does not drill into trusses.
It does not hang from the ceiling.
It does not alter the home’s structure.
ARackAbove is independently load-rated
by Celtic Engineering of Windermere, FL.
Full-width 4′ × 20′ freestanding overhead storage
for 2–3 car garages.
Holds 2,000 lbs with no drilling or ceiling damage.
Because ARackAbove does not screw into the home’s structure and uses the garage floor for support, it is the ultimate overhead garage rack for garages where ceiling safety, warranties, and liability matter.
Why ARackAbove Works Better
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Aluminum construction — 6061-T6 aluminum, .110″ rectangular extrusions; rust-free, built to last
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Telescoping shelf rails — adjust for garages from 10′ up to 22′ wide
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Telescoping legs — extend to 12′ ceilings; never penetrate trusses
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2,000-lb capacity — stronger than ANY ceiling-mounted rack
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Fast assembly — assembles between the garage door opener and front wall in about 1½ hours
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Fully portable — use it in this garage, take it to the next
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Assembles with a 9/16″ socket, a wrench, and a level
No ladders required. Feet stay on the ground.
The Bottom Line
Home warranties don’t fail homeowners. Misunderstanding them does.
Ceiling-mounted racks shift risk to:
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The structure
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The homeowner
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And the people using the garage
Building code makes that clear.
Engineering seals make it enforceable.
ARackAbove avoids the risk entirely.
