Archives for October 2018

The top 5 Roofing Problems to ‘Keep an Eye Out’ For

October 26, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

At some point, every homeowner is going to run into a problem with their roof. It may be from a storm causing damage, an improperly installed roof or from one that just got plain ole’ old. Problems can range from tiny leaks all the way up to catastrophic cracks and punctures.

Here are the most common problems to keep an eye out for:

Drip, Drip, Drip: Leaky Roof

leaking roof — Hopefully your roof leak isn’t this bad.

The single biggest problem that leads to a phone call from a homeowner is going to be because of a roof leak. Much of the time, a leak is caused by either improperly installed or cracked flashing. The flashing on your roof is the metal parts that border things like chimneys and sections of the roof where it meets siding.

Flashing is supposed to reinforce the seam between the shingled area of a roof and a “non-roof” section and create a waterproof seal at these classically vulnerable spot.

Other common causes of roof leaks are broken tiles, slate or shingles.

When a roof leak happens, the vast majority of the time it’s going to come from areas around gutters, at skylights, near the chimney and close to vents or piping. Any area that has flashing is a potential leak source as well, in addition to areas around damaged shingles and in valleys (where two sections of roof meet).

Here’s the tricky part about roof leaks: they’re not always caused by obvious drops hitting the floor. Most of the time, an initial leak is going to get absorbed into the wood that makes up rafters and walls.

So if you’re looking for evidence of leaks, check for water damage on drywall and in the rafters first.

Ponding Water on the Roof

Ponding water is when water stands still in one spot and does not properly drain off the roof as intended. These pools eventually cause the integrity of the roof to deteriorate and become corroded and can cause a bunch of issues from leaks to premature failure.

These are a particular problem when it comes to flat roofs, which aren’t always as well equipped to handle drainage as a pitched roof is.

Clogged Gutters Causing Moisture Damage to the Roofing System

You may not think gutters have anything to do with the roof – but one of the leading causes of roof failure is a clogged gutter system.

See what happens is, when your gutters get clogged up (especially in the fall), it prevents water from draining properly and inevitably you have water build up, which backs up into the roof area (which is designed to quickly drain water off of it to prevent standing water damage).

When water sits and stands and sloshes around the roof, which is not designed to hold water for long periods of time, it causes the eaves to eventually rot, which then causes the roof’s integrity to fail, leading to more drainage problems.
This problem is what’s called a “failure cascade.” You do not want a failure cascade. Failure cascade means an easy-to-fix problem turns enormously expensive.

Fortunately, this problem is easy to fix by simply making sure your gutters are regularly cleaned out (either you yourself doing it, or having professionals regularly clean them out) and/or by having properly installed gutter guards that just prevents the biggest causes of gutter clogs from ever happening (like those massive oak leaves getting in there).

Snow and Ice Damage on the Roof (e.g. Ice Dams)

Snow and ice causes continual damage to any roof, making it a particular problem here around Albany and Saratoga. They cause havoc because snow eventually melts into water, then seeps underneath the asphalt shingles. If this water happens to refreeze, then you’ve got shingles that start popping off and ruining the integrity of the roofing system altogether.

This melting and refreezing can even get up underneath flashing – causing a “lifting” effect that pretty much permanently damages the material, which then lets even more melt water into the area, eventually leading to leaks and moisture damage.

There’s really only one way to stay on top of this problem: regularly inspect your roof in the spring and fall and catch minor problems as they occur, preventing any catastrophic repair problems and elongating the roof’s lifespan.

Poor Installation by a Roofing Contractor

This problem can’t be understated enough – and is one of the top reasons why hiring a roofer is almost always better than hiring a general contractor. Roofing requires a very specific kind of expertise and an eye trained to pick up on the small details of each unique roof. Additionally, you’re going to want to make sure that any roofing company or roofing contractor you hire is properly certified by the shingle manufacturers they’re installing.

You can tell when a poor installation happens by looking at the flashing or how even the shingles are. If the shingles aren’t leveled and they aren’t in a straight line, then the roof installation wasn’t done right – and that’ll cause drainage problems and premature leaking.

The biggest indication comes when you’re looking at the flashing around areas that connect to siding or chimneys or pipes. When flashing is properly secured or is not properly installed against the siding, what ends up happening is it does nothing to prevent water from getting into the plywood or wood areas that make up the connection points on your roof.

When the flashing is improperly installed like that, it’s really no better than just having exposed plywood out there absorbing all the water everytime it rains. The wood underneath then rots out, leading to a mold and mildew problem, termites and other devastating issues that just completely rot out the infrastructure and integrity of your home, leading to a hugely more expensive problem.

A shoddy installation isn’t just bad because your roof ends up leaking – it’s bad because oftentimes it’s going to cost up to twice as much to simply remove the old roofing, which will inevitably expose more problems that were unknown that must be fixed that leads to more expense and more materials, with the alternative being “well, just roof over it and have to deal with the problem every 3-4 years (which is an option you should never take).

How to prepare your roof for winter

October 24, 2018 by Infinite Roofing 1 Comment

With fall comes all of the pageantry: beautiful colors, apple cider donuts and fresh, crisp air. On the other hand, it’s also the changing times with temperatures going all over the place from warm to cold, to freezing to cold again. As well as the time to take out the rake and deal with all the pain of leaf removal before snow hits.

However, one thing that might get overlooked in the Fall is the prep work you can be doing on and around your roof to save money during the winter (when heating bills go up) and prevent problems (like mitigating ice dams or water leaks) before the bitter cold of winter hits.

Take the time to clean your gutters

With the changing autumn colors, comes falling leaves. Somehow, it always magically seems like half of them end up in your gutters, as if laser-guided to their target to precisely clog them up and create maximum discomfort.

Here’s the problem with leaving that problem unattended: it’s going to make ice dam problems worse in the winter.

Leaves, sticks and other debris collecting in your gutter system eventually creates a clog in the downspouts. That means that rain water, rather than being guided down the gutter and directed away from the house as intended, is going to simly overflow.

Overflowing water ends up causing damage to your roof, siding and even your trim. However, what’s worse is that if left for the freezing temperatures in the winter time, the problem of ice dams becomes even worse because the ice is building up around all that debris and flowing over at a worse rate than if they were cleared out.

Fortunately, this is a task that’s easy enough to do it yourself, or avoided in most cases with seamless gutters installed with gutter guards. Worst case, a professional crew can usually clean your gutters out pretty quick for around ~$75 to $100, with usually the highest prices (for the largest homes) being somewhere around $250.

Clear Debris off Your Roof

One of the most common causes of cars getting rust damage along the door frame is actually debris from the fall. It sits there, decomposes and leaves moisture damage behind that eats away at the material and causes rust. The exact same thing happens on your roof and gutters if you leave debris up there without taking care of it.

What happens is, the debris decomposes on your roof, those small bits of debris hold onto moisture and ends up rotting or molding, which gradually breaks down your roofing material.

If your roof is easy to walk on (called a “walker roof”) this is a super quick and easy preventative task you can do – just go up, walk on the roof and you can just brush off the debris with a broom or blow it off with a leaf blower.

Should you decide to do that yourself, just make sure to pay attention to valleys (the areas where two roof sections join together and create a valley), which are the most vulnerable to damage from water. Make sure they’re free of debris so that water can properly drain off them as intended.

If your roof is not a walker roof (e.g. it’s steep), then you should probably consider calling a professional to take care of it, because harnesses will be required for safety.

Check for Damaged or Deteriorating Shingles

With your roof cleaned off, you’re going to want to take the opportunity to inspect for any shingles that are damaged or deteriorating. The easiest way to spot this is to look for cracking, holes or frayed edges. In other words if they don’t look quite the same as all the other shingles (maintaining straight lines for example), then they’re probably damaged.

You should also take that opportunity to check the flashing (the metal parts that usually are between asphalt shingles and features like chimneys or siding). Make sure your flashing doesn’t have any dents or cracks. This is particularly important because most of the time, if you’re going to get a leak, the source is going to be found around the flashing.

If you have to replace damaged shingles, and choose to do it yourself, make sure to consult with the roofer who installed the roof to begin with (unless you have that information from the original contract) and at least get the manufacturer, brand and material type from them so you can order the same shingles to match the rest of the roof.

In the case where you weren’t the one who had the roof replaced or installed, then it’s usually best to have a roofing contractor come out and do an inspection. They should be able to identify the shingle type and color without much issue to make sure the new shingle matches the old.

Shingle repair is always best done by a professional – but it’s entirely possible to DIY this one (you can order a sheet of shingles from hardware stores), we’d recommend reading through or watching the manufacturers install guides and tips.

Attic Insulation and Ventilation Check up

The last item on the list is to check your insulation. Make sure there aren’t any obvious gaps or damage to the insulation in your attic. If there is a problem, the Fall is the time to have that issue addressed because it will save you money immediately when it comes to heating your home in the winter.

Proper insulation saves you from considerable ice dam problems because Ice Dams (most common winter roofing problem) form when warm air from your house seaps up through the attic and warms the snow sitting on the roof just enough that it melts. This melted snow then slides underneath the frozen snow above it and collects in valleys, around gutters and refreezes when it’s exposed to the outside, completely preventing proper water drainage (those icicles might look pretty, but you don’t want them!).

Generally though, you’ll just want to spot checks for any obvious moisture damage, any obvious holes and the general check up type stuff to make sure your insulation is in order. If you do decide to have your insulation replaced, then we’d recommend spray foam insulation because that creates an complete seal around all the areas of the attic, rather than relying on older style insulation that, even when perfectly installed, still has areas where air can escape.

Why Fall is a Great Time to Replace Your Roof

October 23, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Historically, many of our clients would often have their roof’s replaced in the middle of Summer, and specifically towards the end of July and into August. Most homeowners believe this to be an ideal time because generally speaking, the weather outside is warm, the replacement can be timed during a vacation or just plain seems easier to manage “outdoor” projects like roofing.

However, more and more homeowners are booking roof replacements during the Fall, specifically during September, October and November.

Why Summer Isn’t Always Great For Roof Replacements

Summer brings with it the biggest source of roofing related delays: rain storms. Nothing is going to stop progress on a roof, or cause more rescheduling to occur than a rainy day. You simply cannot put up a roof while it’s raining outside because one of the things your roof does is protect your house (specifically attic) from moisture damage from the outside.

All of the materials are built (whether that be asphalt shingles, standing seam metal or even slate roof tiles) primarily to be waterproof. Otherwise everytime it rains you’d be dealing with a build up of moisture damage leading to huuuuge problems including rot and mold.

So during the roofing process, your house is extra vulnerable to moisture (which is why a professional roofing company will only ever remove the same amount of the old roof as they can replace in a day, and if there is a cause for delay will have tarping to prevent moisture damage). As a matter of fact, it’s often drier to install a roof when it’s snowing outside versus dealing with the rain. Not that it’d be a particularly enthusiastic install while it’s freezing outside (and freezing temperatures make sealing more difficult), but nonetheless it’s still drier than rainy seasons.

Reason #1: End of Summer is the best time to inspect your Roof

There are two key times you should really inspect the condition of your roof: one, after winter has ended so you can see any damage from ice that may have been caused. The other is at the end of Summer after summer showers have passed. The extra wind and rain storms throughout Spring and Summer can leave just as hefty a toll on your roof, whether that be through hail storms, high wind events, debris being blown onto the roof and impacting it or plain ole’ moisture damage from an undetected break in the sealing.

At the end of the day, you’ll save money by booking a roof replacement when you’ve detected problems before they become failures. While the roofing contractors like us certainly are happy to charge for the emergency rush replacements and repairs (which often involve quite a bit of re-scheduling and priority material ordering), it’s really in your best interest to be able to have it scheduled appropriately so you don’t have to pay emergency expenses.

Reason #2: Fall has the best overall weather conditions for re roofing

The absolute best day to install a new roof is when it’s clear outside and the temperature is somewhere between 45 and 70 degrees. This is especially true for asphalt shingle installation because asphalt shingle’s have seal strips that will melt by themselves properly and create a strong seal when the temperature is in that range (known as thermal sealing). Plus, crews will be in a better mood because they aren’t at risk of heat stroke and you’ll be avoiding the proper sealing issues that can come with winter. In the winter extra steps have to be taken to properly ensure that there’s no issues with sealing due to the colder temperatures.

Reason #3: Any existing roof leaks or other problems only get worse in the winter

Minor problems have a way of becoming catastrophic during the winter time because the weight of heavy snows adds up. This causes any existing holes or leaks to simply get bigger and as a result, get worse. You’re then opened up to the danger of ice dams and end up with a disaster waiting to happen, putting you squarely back in the expensive “emergency roof repair” bracket.

Ice dams are easily the most common problem in roofing during the winter, and they’re caused by accumulating snow on a slanted roof. These usually happen when the insulation in the attic isn’t proper for the home. Essentially what happens is the warmth from the house comes up through and melts the snow on the roof.

However, because there’s usually more snow on top of the melted snow, what happens is the slushy stuff isn’t warm enough to melt all of the snow, so it simply flows down the roof, underneath the snow blanketing your roof.

Then, the melted snow enters into your eaves and gutters, the water freezes again and turns into ice all along the gutters. So if you see a ton of pretty icicles forming around the perimeter of your roof during the winter, that’s caused by ice dams. This means that the rest of the snow on the house can’t drain properly and ends up causing you leaks.

Summary: ice dams are bad. You don’t want them. You especially don’t want them when you have a known problem, such as a leak, on your roof.

Reason #4: Shingles get brittle in the winter

The colder it gets outside, the more brittle shingles are and the harder they are to work with and install properly. As we all know, living around Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga, it gets pretty darn cold in the winter.

Most shingle manufacturers (like GAF, Owens Corning and IKO) are going to recommend that their shingles be installed in at least 26 degrees Fahrenheit because it’s much easier to break a cold and brittle shingle while it’s being installed and fastened onto the roof.

So what that means, is that rather than being able to rely on a faster-paced nail gun to securely fasten the shingles, they’re likely going to have to be hand nailed. Hand nailing makes the roofing process slower, more complicated and more expensive for you in labor cost.

If you’re wondering: “but winter is the slow season for roofers, doesn’t that mean I’ll get a cheaper price?” Not necessarily, while winter is always slow for any roofing company, oftentimes other projects take the place of roofing, such as more exterior siding projects or even insulation work. This is also a time when a lot of commercial work ends up being processed for completion. Plus, the more brittle temperatures are often going to come with an increase in labor cost or a trickiness in the scheduling because of pre-booked work (making it harder to schedule if it’s an emergency).

Reason #5: Re roofing in autumn means better insulation in the winter

A newly installed roof in the fall means that you’re prepared for the increased heating bills that come with winter. With the roof operating at peak effectiveness, you won’t have to worry about any of the before mentioned problems of winter, or major heat loss from holes in your roof and insulation.

That means you can start getting your money back on your roof right away.

Which roofing material is best? The top 5 long-lasting roof materials

October 17, 2018 by Infinite Roofing 2 Comments

When it comes to the topic of roofing, no one looks forward to a five figure plus build. As a result, longevity plays a crucial role for most of the homeowners we do business with when it comes to renewing or re roofing their home.

It’s only natural to want to get the longest value for the money invested today, so we’ve laid out the top 5 roofing materials to get the absolute longest life span to help you make your decision.

Number 5: The Classic Composite Shingle Roof

Average Life: 15 to 25 years, depending on install and shingle quality.

There’s always a race between cost and longevity. Shingles are relatively cheap to manufacture and are quick to install and as a result have a great balance between how long they’re going to last and how much they cost.

As a result of this mix, shingle roofs are easily the most popular type of install you’re going to see across America. But this also means that if you’re looking to get the maximum life span out of shingles, you’ve got to invest a little extra into a more premium brand such as GAF, Owens Corning or Certainteed, who will usually back up their materials with up to a 50 year warranty.

Cheaply manufactured shingles on the other hand, could fail within as little as 10 to 15 years, and improperly installed ones can fail within 5 years.

You can increase the longevity of your shingle roof by investing in at least a medium grade shingle and by avoiding acts like power washing your roof (something that happens commonly when people are trying to remove moss), while also making sure to regularly inspect and perform basic maintenance on your roof.

You can check out more detailed information about asphalt shingles here.

Number 4: Wood Shake Shingles

Lasts anywhere between 35 and 40 years.

Compared to asphalt shingles at number 5, Wood Shakes last significantly longer on average because they are much thicker than the average asphalt shingle. The thicker the shakes the longer it will last and the more it will resist damage from the sun from harmful UV rays (which degrade materials steadily over time and are the leading cause behind materials degrading).

However, one drawback is you can’t really sit there and forget about your shake roof. It will require more maintenance and it has a tendency to like to be babied. You’ll have to regularly remove any debris that accumulates between shingles and eliminate moss as soon as it appears, plus replace any that happen to split immediately.

Number 3: Standing Seam Metal Roofs

Partial Metal Roof installed by Infinite Roofing Crews to add extra flair to the home’s exterior.

Average life: 40 to 50 years

Standing seam metal roofs have gained a lot of popularity because of their strength of build, long-lasting life, different look appeal (increasing home values) and the fact that many of them can be produced sustainably and are highly recyclable after the roof has worn out in half a century (versus taking up more space in the dump with a high degrade time like asphalt).

However, metal roofs come with a specialty kind of install and not all roofing companies are able to properly install standing seams, so you’re going to have to pay extra attention to your vetting process of your contractors and make sure they have proper credentials and a good history of installation.

Once a metal roof is in place, it doesn’t require as much maintenance as other options, though it will benefit from you walking on the roof somewhat regularly to check for any sealant failures and checking for any bent or damaged panels. Just make sure you don’t walk on the roof too regularly, because this can cause problems as well.

Number 2: Clay Tile Roofs

Average Lifespan: 100 years

Tile roofs have been used for centuries and are iconic to the southwest and there are many historic spanish tile roofs that have been standing for over 100 years that are still in good shape.

However, stylistically Spanish clay tiles often don’t fit much with the North eastern aesthetic (although there are shingle style options available), being more heavy on the wood, metal and steel architectural styles. Clay tiles are best suited for homes that are designed to be Mediterranean, Mission, Spanish-style or Southwestern style. Plus, they are a very heavy install – weighing much more than metal or shingles, this often means that you’ll have to invest a few extra bucks to reinforce the frame (add additional framing) of your home.

Shingle Style Clay Roof Tiles More Suitable to the Northeast.

The one real drawback behind tile roofs is that they can crack, which is what usually spells the end for the longevity (at least for the affected tiles). So you’ll have to keep on top of replacing cracked and broken tiles, and you won’t want to spend much time walking on them.

Number 1: Slate Roofs

Topping the list is the iconic slate roof, especially if we’re talking about homes around the Capital Region. They fit the aesthetic of the area, are extremely well suited to Colonial, European and French Chateau designed homes and they have an extremely beautiful, distinctive appearance.

But the real kicker is you get all of that on top of the biggest benefit:

Average Lifespan is over 100 years!

Slate is so incredibly durable that it makes it seem like every other roofing material is like having a tarp over your head. There are still slate roofs working properly and in good condition from the 1600s!

That truly makes slate the only true “forever roof.” that currently exists.

One of the reasons why it’s so durable is that Slate roofs are actual real stones that are laid down very thickly on top of the roof.

However, just like with slate you will have to invest in extra framing to make sure that your home can support the tiles properly and not buckle underneath the added weight, which is especially important considering the extra weight that regular snow storms add to a given roof any given year around Albany and Saratoga.

The biggest disadvantage to a slate roof isn’t necessarily the materials itself, but rather the cost. It can easily be $600 a square in material cost, so a lot of the time it’s not well suited to a strict budget.

Follow this link to our main site to explore more Albany roofing options.

Can Roof replacement be tax deductible?

October 10, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

While this topic is a little bit clearer when you are operating a property as a business owner (for example roof replacement capital improvements for commercial and investment properties), it’s still a big question for homeowners who are improving the condition of their home.

Roof replacement process - Infinite Roofing — Roofers delivering materials on home re roofing project (Infinite Construction crew)

So can you deduct roof replacement costs on your taxes?

Generally speaking, as with any major home improvement (like replacing your HVAC system or making an addition), roof replacement cannot be deducted in the year that you spent the money on the roof.

However, if you keep track of the expenses, you generally can reduce your taxes when you sell your house.

We are not accountants, so please talk this over with a certified public accountant if you’re looking to use a roof replacement as a deduction. We’re only providing this information as a general guideline based on our experience as roofers. You will also have to ask about any significant changes from the 2018 overhaul of the tax system.

Understand the difference between repairs and capital improvements

We have another article about capital improvements you can read in further detail to determine this, but the brief version is this: the cost of improvements are generally items you can subtract from the sale value of your home (to reduce taxes), but repairs are not.

Improvements are items that improve or better the quality of your home. Repairs maintain the existing value of the house. Sometimes the difference between the two can be tricky and we encourage you to give our other article: “Is Roof Replacement a Capital Improvement?” a read.

Generally improvements qualify as things like: putting an addition on your home, adding new seamless gutters, or adding in storm windows.

However actions like painting a room, fixing the gutters or repairing a small section of the roof qualify as repairs and are not deductible.

How does roof replacement work to reduce my taxes when selling my home?

As of this writing, the first $250,000 of profit on a sale of your primary residence is tax free for individuals (and $500,000 for married filing jointly) so long as you’ve lived in the house for at least two to five years (in other words, it’s not a fix and flip).

Because losses you take on the sale of personal residences are not tax deductible, you’re going to want to make sure you keep a good record of all of the improvements that have been made to the property while you’ve owned it to avoid any unnecessary extra taxation because of an inflated home value or other circumstance.

What if I operate a business out of my home?

In cases where you operate a home office, or operate a business out of your home legitimately, then parts of your expense can be written off as part of the business expense. For example, if the whole house is being re roofed, then the portion covering the home office can be tax deductible in that year.

Additionally, if you rent out part of your home to a tenant, then the part where the expense occurred could also be tax deductible.

Other methods of saving on tax credits while having a roof replaced

An often overlooked part of the tax game for homeowners is tax credits – usually in any given year a portion of your improvements can be written off using government tax credits usually geared towards green or clean energy improvements. Examples of this can include: skylight installation, solar panel installation and even “cool roofs.”

Is Roof replacement a capital improvement?

October 3, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

No secret about it: roof replacements are a significant expense to homeowners and property managers. When we’re on an estimate for a new roof one of the most common questions we get is whether or not this investment counts as a capital improvement.

Infinite Roofing | Albany, NY — Top rated Albany roofing contractors – Infinite Roofing

While a homeowner can certainly qualify their new roof replacement as a ‘capital improvement,’ when it comes to the popular buzz phrase on increasing “curb appeal,” it’s a different ball game if we’re talking about how to handle it in your taxes to take the most advantage over the costs paid on the job.

Who does this topic most commonly apply to? Owners of commercial or investment properties primarily. Usually those who are able to write off their property as part of a business expense. If this isn’t you, or if you’re unsure, we advise talking with your accountant to see if this kind of write off can apply to you.

We aren’t accountants, so the below information is meant as a general guideline and talking points to ask your CPA.

Part of understanding when a roof qualifies is understanding the difference between “maintenance” (an expense) and “capital improvement” (a capitalization).

When Roof replacement is a repair expense – know the difference

Typically when only a part of the roof is replaced, the job is going to trend towards a standard repair expense because you aren’t “improving” your asset (your property), you’re maintaining it’s value.

Maintenance costs are normally expenses related to “routine actions” to maintain your property value. Plus maintenance work has a very specific definition: “routine and preventative maintenance that is performed to restore an asset’s physical condition or operation to a specific standard, prevent worsening deterioration, replace or exchange a component at the end of its “useful life.”

Temporary repair or patch work, or inspections for continuing maintenance also fall into this category. You can check out our recommended top tips for roof maintenance here.

What qualifies as a capital expenditure or improvement?

Capital expenditures, improvements and the like are all actions that are designed to increase the value of an asset. Usually this means it has to be boosted beyond the original value. So for example, if you were to replace an entire roof with metal instead of asphalt shingles, you would be increasing the original value, not performing a necessary step to maintain the original value.

Roof Repair | Infinite Roofing — Partial Roof Repair Service at Infinite Roofing and Construction

It’s important to note that repairs can turn into capital improvements. For example: let’s say during the course of repairing a roof leak it becomes discovered that the damage is more extensive than can be simply patched and repaired. In that instance, where more than 50% of the roof has to be replaced, the expense becomes an improvement versus maintenance.

The first step is to ask yourself a couple qualifying questions (and to bring these questions and your reasoning for them to your accountant). What you’re doing is applying the “betterment” standard.

How can I correctly classify my roofing project as an improvement or repair?

Why is your roof being replaced?

If a sudden storm came in and damaged the roof and you’re looking to fix the sudden damage, generally this is not making the asset “better” it’s restoring the original value, so this is not going to qualify as a capital improvement if you are going to use the same materials.

You can more obviously “improve” the original value by changing grade of materials (for example going to a metal roof instead of a shingle roof or PVC instead of EPDM on the commercial side), but you can also improve on the original value by enhancing the grade of material beyond the original value. A great example of this would be going from standard grade shingles to GAF architectural shingles.

2.) How long has it been between the purchase of the property and when work was done on the roof?

In many cases, if you have to do significant work on your roof and it’s been within about two years of you buying the property, the work can qualify as betterment because you’re correcting defects or pre-existing conditions. If it’s been a significant amount of time, e.g. 5+ years since you bought the property, then generally “betterment” won’t apply.

3) What was the roof material before?

If you use materials that significantly improve the life span compared to the original roof, then you can generally claim it as betterment. For example, a shift from standard asphalt shingles that last 20 years to slate tiles that last 50+ years is a betterment because you’ve increased the quality of the building.

Expert Metal Roof Installation | Infinite Roofing — Metal Roof Installation – Infinite Roofing and Construction

A subset of this question is: did you use better or “improved” materials because the original material wasn’t available anymore or technology has been enhanced? For example, if you had a BUR roof (built up roof) and replaced it with EPDM, this doesn’t necessarily mean a betterment because it’s not practical to use the BUR style these days. Additionally, if the original roofing material performs worse than the standard set by the industry for the building type, it’s not going to be a betterment.

4) Did you get the roofing job done because the building was expanded (e.g. additions)?

If this is your situation, then yes the part of the roof as part of the addition qualifies as a capitalization, and this may extend to the rest of the roof replacement work depending on the questions above.