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Spring Cleaning for your Roof

March 21, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

As flowers start to blossom, the temperatures start rising and families are spending more time outside taking advantage of the warmer weather, you know it’s springtime! With spring approaching, many people like to take part in what is called “spring cleaning”. It is a great way to prepare for the year ahead.

People can clean out their closets, give the house a thorough cleaning inside out, give the landscape a makeover and plant a beautiful garden to enjoy all summer.

It isn’t too often that people think about cleaning their roofs. That should be the least of your worries, right? But this is just as important as any other spring cleaning task, if not more so. Especially after the winter months.

Many people don’t know what a spring cleaning checklist for roofs would look like, and that is why we’ve put together a list that would help accomplish the spring cleaning for your roof and have it be ready for the summer months to come. Your roof should be maintained on a yearly basis.

1. Tackle the gutters

Gutters should be the first thing to tackle when thinking about giving your roof that spring makeover. The fact that winter just passed makes it very likely that the gutters are clogged with rotting leaves and a lot of debris. It is frustrating thinking that you may have just cleaned your gutters in fall, but time does take its toll and in order for the gutters to do their job they need to be cleaned thoroughly and in a timely manner to maintain the integrity and durability of your roof.

If the draining system isn’t working properly then it’s likely that your shingles, siding, soffits and more will be vulnerable to damage. It is always better to maintain and clean ahead rather than ignoring your roof and gutters than be faced with a larger problem in the future that you may need to hire a roofing contractor for.

The first step to cleaning out your gutters would be to take a sturdy ladder and clean all the debris from the gutters. Once you’ve cleaned out everything visible to you on the surface, move on to the downspout. This is the more complicated step when it comes to cleaning the gutters, but also the most important one, as this is what actually drains the water away from your house. Try running water through it using a hose or plumbers snake to unclog. If all else fails; take it apart, find the source and then put it back together. Doing these steps thoroughly should take care of gutter maintenance and cleaning.

2. Inspect the roof

Shingles are the first line of defense on your roof. They’re the small, overlapping rectangular pieces that layer together to cover your roof. While not all buildings utilize shingles, most residential homes do. When you’re working through your roof repair checklist, make sure to pay special attention and examine them. There are a number of things to watch out for, but try to do an examination as best as you can from the ground.

Getting on your roof can be dangerous and should be avoided if at all possible. Hiring an Albany roofing contractor would be the safest choice, but if you do need to get up on the roof, make sure to follow every safety procedure.

Once you are on the roof check for missing shingles. If you find any missing you should get it replaced immediately by a roof repair company. A missing shingle can expose your roof to infrastructure damage such as flooding, mold, and rot.

The other thing you need to look for when inspecting the roof is any stains or signs of streaking on the shingles. If there are stains, that usually indicates that there is a leak somewhere or that the ventilation system is damaged. This is a problem that needs to be dealt with by a professional Albany roofing contractor so that the underlying cause of the problem is determined and fixed.

3. Trim Branches

You may not think that branches could harm your roof but it is one of the biggest threats your roof can face. The best way to avoid damage from your yard’s trees is to trim the branches back. Again, this can be a dangerous job if you don’t have the proper equipment or if you have hard to reach higher areas. Consider calling a professional Albany roofer for any jobs that you think may not be safe for you.

The added benefit of trimming the branches of nearby trees is that you’ll spend less time raking out leaves from your gutters in the future. Taking care of this step during the spring is also much easier than waiting until everything is in full bloom.

4. Keep an eye out for mold

Always look out for mold or mildew when inspecting your roof,. If it’s caught early enough it can easily be fixed but if not kept in check the mold can seep in deeper and cause some major problems.

You can use some home remedies to control the mold if it’s only a small patch, but if it covers a larger area it is recommended to call in an Albany roofing service as it is more than likely that the mold seeped in deeper and is affecting some of the major structure of the roof.

5. Check from inside out

Often this step is overlooked as everything may look fine from outside, but it is extremely important to check your roof from the inside. You can often identify problems that can’t be seen from even the most thorough inspection outside.

Your first move when checking the inside should be to go up to the attic and check for any light source. If you see light shining in from outside, this means there may be a hole in the roof. Also, check for any mold or mildew or any smell that may be damp or doesn’t seem to be normal. If you do find anything out of the ordinary inside, it may mean that there is a problem somewhere that you can’t see. Call an Albany roof repair company to get it thoroughly checked.

While some people may attempt to work through this spring cleaning checklist on their own, untrained eyes often overlook things and getting up on your roof can be dangerous. When you hire a professional Albany roofer, not only will the entire process move more quickly, but you’ll be sure that nothing was missed during the inspection.

Albany roofing professionals like the ones at Infinite Roofing and Construction have the experience and expertise to provide you with a comprehensive inspection both inside and out. Once you’ve cleaned your gutters and trimmed your branches, give our experienced roofers a call so that you can tackle any underlying issues immediately and avoid further damage.

Remember, if you’re not trained to see specific problems it’s very easy to miss them, so get a professional roofing service to come out and look for you. Don’t pass on your yearly inspection! Spring is the perfect time for repairs and preparation for the warm summer months.

When you hire an experienced roofing contractor from Infinite Roofing, we can guarantee that the job will be done efficiently and with no hidden costs. We aim to repair only what’s needed and preserve all areas of your roof that are still in good condition.

Seeking out a roof repair company for small jobs will provide a sense of calm when it comes to maintaining your roof for a long time. Most the time a lot of roof repair companies would make your job easy and take care of the whole roof repair process from start to finish.

Hiring the right roofing contractor

There are a lot of Albany roofing contractors, but if you need a professional service from an experienced Albany roofing service, please call (518)-444 ROOF at Infinite Roofing and Construction and we will take care of your roof using our residential or commercial roofing contractors and help you cross off everything from your roof repair checklist!

Hiring a local Albany roofing contractor would not only make your job easy but you can also get a couple of quotes from different roofing companies in Albany for comparison. You will find Infinite Roofing‘s quote highly competitive and their service second to none.

How to Weatherproof a Roof

March 19, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Weather is an extremely strong force of nature, every year there are thousands of weather phenomenon that occur throughout the year that cause damage in many ways. Businesses, people’s houses and things they own get destroyed due to these storms. You as a homeowner don’t want to be the person whose house and belongings are affected by the weather. Prepare yourself ahead for unpredictable weather. Start by weatherproofing your roof as that is the first thing that comes in contact with the harshness of weather and is most likely to be affected. Homeowners know that top quality roofing is what keeps your home dry and prevents any serious damage from weather, but even then quality roofing can only go so far to fight off the elements that it is put through on a daily basis. Without maintenance, even the good quality roofing can succumb to the forces of nature as easily as the low-quality stuff that most of us try to avoid. If your roof is a low quality you might want to think about replacing the entire roof and have a complete roof replacement done. On the other hand, if you already have a top-notch, durable and long-lasting roof and want to further weatherproof your home, we have some ideas that will help.

Deicing Cables

Serious buildups of ice are called ice dams, they can often overwhelm gutters and clog up your roof systems so that it doesn’t function properly. If ice dams is a problem you suffer from frequently then deicing cables is the perfect solution to your problem and will protect your roof. The cables are fairly easy to install and they work to break up the ice before it can build up too much. Deicing cables basically mean heating cables that run on electricity to warm up. When plugged in, it heats up to the ideal temperature to melt the ice. Installing deicing cables isn’t all too difficult—you can do them yourself as long as you are confident doing some hefty DIY projects and comfortable climbing up safely on the roof. The cables are mounted underneath existing shingles to keep them from causing a leak. Mount the cables in a series of locations over the section that builds up with most ice. Make sure that the cables dip down the gutter a bit and run it down through the downspout as well to help warm it a bit and to get the water to flow downwards and out the gutter. On the other side run the cable down to an exterior plus and plug it in when you need power and unplug when not in use.

Peel and Stick Underlayment

Most roofing companies use tar paper for their roof underlayment installation. It is cheap and is easy to put on. Cheap and easy doesn’t mean it’s the right option for your home. If you are considering having your roof replaced and have a new one installed, consider using the peel and stick underlayment. The installation for this product is extremely easy as it doesn’t require any nails or such. It works with a pre-applied adhesive that sticks when adhered. Peel and stick are also far more flexible than tar paper making it more resistant and durable over time. The best scenario would be to use this underlayment throughout your roof, but just putting it around the edges where the roof takes the most damage from ice buildup and wind would be ideal too. It sure is more expensive than using tar paper, but for the added protection and durability it is worth the added expense.

Upgrade Attic Insulation

Usually, attic insulation isn’t a big concern when it comes to weatherproofing your roof, but if you live in the northern areas and in the colder climate it does make a difference. Let’s say that your roof is covered in snow, and if too much hot air escapes through your roof the snow will melt and form ice. Ice forming on your roof is a problem that everyone should be concerned about as ice damages your roof. To avoid this issue, installing quality insulation in the attic will keep the heat inside reducing the chances of any ice forming on the roof and on top of that you would be reducing your heat bill as the insulation will keep the heat trapped in the house and letting it not escape. Less heat escaping would lead to using less heat, reducing your bills and saving you some money.

Install Gutter Guards

The gutters play a very important part when weatherproofing, they provide a way and act like a highway for all the water to go downspout and away from your home. Gutters need to be checked every season to make sure there is no debris clogging up the gutters. If there is that can create a problem. You want to avoid any of those problems by maintaining the gutters and adding extra safety measures to protect yourself from any mishaps happening in the future. If your house is surrounded by many trees and you are worried about leaves clogging up the way consider getting gutter guards. These grates or cages are installed over top of your gutters to keep leaves and other large debris from collecting, and the water keeps flowing freely underneath the guards. With gutter guards, most of the debris will fall on top of the guards and eventually blow off with the wind, anything remaining can be taken care of easily by a broom. They are also extremely easy to install and you can do that yourself.

Here’s to your new and improved weatherproof roof!

4 Ways Roofers Will Rip You Off!

February 21, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

At Infinite Roofing we are very experienced when it comes to roofing and dealing with the mess left behind by other roofing contractors. This experience did not come easy and unfortunately roofing is a mostly non-reputable industry. There are out of town storm chasers looking to collect checks and never come back, contractors that will request more money before the job is done, roofers that do not have the manpower and end up leaving roofs half open over night when rain is coming and properties are extensively damaged from them not properly “drying in”. Roofing companies that will intentionally quote for quality materials and then use the cheap stuff. Home owners tell us all sorts of horror stories about their previous roofing contractors. Hopefully this will help to inform you about some red flags to look out for.

Many of us here at Infinite Roofing started out working as laborers years ago for some other not so notable roofing companies, doing all the hard graft like carrying shingles up and down ladders. Over the years, we’ve seen it all. We have learned all the ways other roofing companies will try to rip you off!

1. Plywood Replacement

Most roofing companies will offer a select amount of pieces of plywood replaced for free and then offer additional pieces of plywood replaced for an additional cost to the homeowner. The problem that can arise in this situation is that most homeowners are not home while the roofing project is being completed. So when the roof is torn off and a non-reputable roofer sees that there is only 2 sheets of plywood that needs replacing, he will add additional sheets and tell the homeowner that 12 sheets were replaced. The current market price of pieces of plywood are replaced at anywhere from $40 to $75. If someone is charging you for 10 sheets of new plywood but only replaced 2, then they have ripped you off $400-$750 and you would never have any way of telling because you were not present during the install.

In order to protect yourself from being ripped off this way there are a few things you can do. One would be to stay home and count the amount of plywood that has been torn off and replaced as the job is taking place. Another would be to go up in your attic or crawl space and look at the ceiling or bottom of the roof. If it is unfinished with no sheetrock then you should be able to see the plywood decking. Any new plywood will look significantly different from a plywood material that is over 20 years old. The new plywood will usually just be a brighter color. It can also be different makes such as OSB and the difference in appearance can be easily recognized against plywood.

2. Only Three feet of Ice and Water Protection

When most roofing companies write a contract, it will include six feet of ice and water barrier along the bottom edges of your roof to prevent ice damns from causing leaks in side your house. To achieve six feet of this protection, roofing contractors will install two courses of a three foot roll. Ice and water barrier is an expensive underlayment and the difference in cost between installing one course and two courses can be at least a few hundred dollars depending on the size and complexity of the roof. Many roofing companies that offer you the lowest price to complete your roof will not want to factor in this cost and will usually end up only using one course of ice and water.

Most roofing companies in the Albany NY and Saratoga Springs area, know that six feet is required but will choose to install three. Most local building codes call for 24″ of ice and water protection installed past the warm wall. The problem here is that most roofs have a 18″ – 24″ overhang at the eaves. This is why we prefer to and will always go above and beyond the code. Infinite Roofing backs up our work with a ten year warranty and we do not want to be responsible for a leaking roof. Once the ice and water is installed over a 24″ overhang it only leaves 12″ above the warm wall. This will cause the roof to leak after the ice continuously melts and refreezes again causing ice dams that causes water to be pushed up under the shingles further and further every time it melts and refreezes. One course of ice and water will eventually cause leaks. The roof may not leak the first year but could last 10-15 years before the leaks start damaging the plywood decking, framing, Sheetrock and finish trim. This will either be a very costly roof repair job or it might just make economical sense to replace the whole roof prematurely and losing out on at least a few good years of roof life expectancy. The only way to prevent being ripped off in this manner is to stay home during the roof replacement and watch to make sure that two courses of ice and water are installed.

Here at Infinite Roofing, in most situations we will have the old shingles completely torn off the house by 10 am. By 12 o’clock noon, the whole house should be covered in underlayments. So sometime in between 11am and 12 would be a good time to take a walk outside and peak up at the house to ensure two courses of ice and water have been installed. This will look like 2 courses of a 3′ roll along the bottom edges of the roof. It is usually black with a granular type surface. The courses installed on top of the ice and water will be a synthetic underlayment and will usually be a different color making it easy to tell the two apart. Reputable roofing companies will include the cost of this in their contract and will have enough work so that they do not need to cut corners to make more profit. This is why it is important to make sure you’re comparing “apples to apples” when comparing bids. One roofers bid may come in $1,000 less but will only last 17 years due to cheap underlayments and not enough ice and water installed. A higher bid will include name brand quality underlayments and six feet of ice and water. A roofing system with name brand shingles and better underlayments will generally last a good few years longer than a roofing system with cheap shingles and underlayments. This is why it is important to consider the cost of the roofs life more than the cost of the roofs install. A roof that cost less today will most likely cost a lot more in the future.

3. Step Flashing wasn’t included!?

When roofing companies give an estimate, they can sometimes leave out small details like step flashing replacement. Step flashing is a part of the shingle roofing system and should be replaced when a new roof is installed. Step flashing can normally be a tricky thing to include in estimates because sometimes the step flashing is nailed to the wall behind the siding making it impossible to replace without completely removing and reinstalling large sections of siding. Removing and reinstalling siding can cost hundreds more than most people will not want to pay when they have a cheaper bid. This cheaper bid will most likely not include step flashing. Once the roofing contractor shows up and rips off the roof you may get a call saying “your step flashing needs to be replaced and it’s going to cost $700 more”. Or worse even they will not communicate this to you until the job is finished and then you will be stuck paying for something that should have been included. Many low bid roofing companies work this way. This can be avoided by making sure that step flashing is clearly defined in the contract. When the step flashing is nailed to the wall behind the siding we will give the home owner the option of leaving the old step flashing or performing the siding repair to be able to get the old flashing out. Leaving the old flashing in is fine in most cases as it will last the lifetime of the house when installed correctly. Step flashing only leaks when its made of a corrosive material and rots out after 30 years. Step flashing that is made of aluminum or galvanized steel will only ever leak if installed improperly by a low bidding roofing company.

Step flashing is not to be confused with apron flashing. Apron flashing is usually one continuous piece of flashing that is installed horizontally along the bottom wall of any dormers, additions, or any wall to roof transitions such as porches or overhangs. It is fastened to the wall under the siding and usually protrudes about 4 inches over the top course of shingles. This flashing is typically not included in most roof replacements because it is attached directly to the sheathing on the wall and would need the siding to be removed to be replaced. Unless this is called for on an estimate it will not be included in the job and the roofing company will just re use the old flashing as it is made of a non corrosive metal and will last the lifetime of the house if installed properly. To prevent an issue from arising about step flashing, just make sure that all the roofing companies you are requesting bids from have included step flashing in the quote.

Counter flashing is also a gray area on most contracts. Many roofing companies will not include this in a quote. The counter flashing is a part of the chimney and therefore does not fall on the roofers scope of work. Infinite Roofing will include an option to replace chimney flashing at an additional cost if it is needed. We started installing counter flashing due to our customers having a real hard time finding a chimney specialist to provide a quote for the work. Counter flashing is something that must be done by a very experienced roofing contractor as it requires a high level of craftsmanship. Be very weary of roofing companies that say they will include this for free. They are looking to do whatever it takes to sell the job and can not possibly provide the attention to detail that replacing the counter flashing requires for free.

4. Wrong materials

Shingles – Some of the worst roofing companies will quote you for a top quality shingle such as GAF and then actually use a far less quality shingle saving themselves about a $1,000 for an average sized roof. These roofing companies will get away with this for a while because many times the shingles are delivered to the top of the roof by a boom truck. When the shingles are delivered to the rooftop, the only way you can tell what kind of shingles are being used is to go outside and look for the name on the packaging when the used shingle wrappers are tossed off the roof to be put in the garbage.

Ice and Water – Ice and water comes in many different brands and qualities. In order to receive a GAF 50 year full coverage manufacturer’s warranty you will have to use high quality name brand (GAF) underlayments. This complete roofing system is required by almost all shingle companies to receive their warranties. Shingle manufacturers do this because they know that their shingles will last a few years longer than roofs installed with poor quality underlayments. This means that if the roofers show up with a box of ice and water and the packaging doesn’t match the branding on the shingles. Your roof will most likely not be covered by a full coverage manufacturers warranty. The low bidding roofing contractor will tell you that you’re getting a manufacturer’s warranty and then show up with underlayments that cost about a third as much as the name-brand materials, saving the roofer around 500 dollars on your average sized roof. The contractor will get away with this one a lot as well because there usually is no one home checking to see that the right materials were used. Most often home owners do not even know to look for the difference in these materials. Using a roofing company that is certified by a shingle manufacturer will help prevent the use of lower quality underlayments.

A lot of these contractors will be sneaky with how their contracts are worded and will be sure to cover themselves if they are found out. If the specific materials are not called out in the contract, then these shady companies are not held liable for the roofing system they might have told you that you were receiving. This is why it is wise to make sure any and all materials are specified in the quote.

Precautions You Can Take

Get a thorough quote.
Say no to any contractor that asks you for all the money before the job is finished.
Always ask for an invoice/receipt.
Check the contract over thoroughly.
Watch the materials that are delivered.
Check the material brands listed on your quote/receipt against those that actually arrive.
Count the plywood that arrives and count how much is actually used.

Summary

As you can see, the roofing trade can be a very cutthroat business. There are so many underhanded tactics a roofing company can use to extort money from you. By arming yourself with the knowledge of some of these nefarious techniques, you can make yourself a much harder target. Most importantly, get everything written down and never rely only on verbal agreements. Whichever company you go with, we wish you all the best. Nobody deserves to be scammed and those disreputable companies definitely do not deserve your money.

Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor For Your Project

February 20, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Why we are the right roofing contractor for you.

At Infinite Roofing & Construction, we know that the roof is one of the most important parts of any building. Be it a home, an office or an industrial building, it needs to have a solid structure and be secured against the elements. Whether it’s a repair or a completely new roof installation, choosing the right roofing contractor is absolutely critical. Every building needs a solid roof. In the case of your home — the “roof over your head” — it may well be one of the biggest investments you make in your life. Unfortunately, in many states there are very few regulations in place for roofing contractors and roofing installation.

This industry is full of roofing companies with amateur workers who lack the proper training to carry out the work they have been contracted to do. There are also so many people out to con you and charge you as much as they possibly can for even the most basic work. You need a professional contractor you can trust, who won’t deceive you and isn’t looking to rip you off. Someone who will carry out your installation in a reasonable timescale, with all due care and diligence, to a high professional standard. Otherwise, your decision could come back to haunt you in the future!

There are so many reasons why hiring a professional roofing company is crucial. The more experience a contractor has, the more you can rest assured that the job will be done right. The most experienced contractors will be able to provide you with a wealth of advice from the best materials to use to maintenance and care. They will absolutely not pressure you into making any hasty decisions or quote outrageous figures for the work. They will be able to justify every expense. They should be able to advise you on exactly what is required to provide you with the best longevity and value for money. They also need to have all the correct insurance, in case the worst should happen.

When approaching any roofing contractor, you must ask plenty of questions about how and when each stage will be completed, which materials will be used and what kind of warranty you will have if the worst should happen. You must ensure that they properly assess the project’s requirements. The more questions you ask the better. Any professional roofing contractor would be happy to provide you with any information you need to make an informed decision and give you peace of mind. A contractor that gets annoyed and frustrated at such questions is a contractor to be very wary of.

Here at Infinite Roofing & Construction we have over 20 years experience working on projects of every scope and scale from simple repairs to roof installations of a huge scale. We know exactly which materials to choose and where your money can be saved without compromising on quality. Our knowledge of roofs, roofing materials and all related tools and products is second to none. All our work is 100% guaranteed and we will do absolutely everything we can to ensure you are 100% satisfied.

Unfortunately, Infinite Roofing & Construction deals with cleaning up the mess left by rogue roofing companies on a regular basis. Sometimes people think they are saving money, and sometimes people take what their roofing contractor says on good faith and it turns out they were either being deceptive or they are incompetent. It can be hard to tell the difference sometimes, but the result is usually the same — critical delays and huge additional expense to a very unfortunate customer. Sometimes there can be additional damage to the building and personal property contained inside too, which then will require additional repairs or replacement.

Always remember:

1) Ensure your contractor has plenty of experience – The more experience your contractor has, particularly in regard to the type of work your require, the better.

2) Check out reviews – You can’t please everyone all the time, but you should be able to gauge a solid dependable roofing company from a company that repeatedly does poor work or lets people down.

3) Get a free estimate up front – Most good roofing companies will offer you a free, no obligation, written quote. Always get the estimate in writing to avoid any confusion, miscommunication or disagreements.

4) Price isn’t everything – Don’t just go for the cheapest option to save money, but don’t just assume “You get what you pay for!” and go to the other end of the spectrum as people will happily take your money. Costs should be justifiable.

5) Check licenses and credentials – Your roofing contractor will not need a state license to work in New York, however there are local licensing requirements. Make sure to check the local regulations before you begin work.

6) Check insurance and liability coverage – The company you hire should have General Liability Insurance to cover against injury and damage.

7) Ensure the contractor is financially stable – You do not want the roofing company you hire to take your money and suddenly declare insolvency.

8) Get all agreements in writing – For the protection of all parties, all agreements should be in writing. Don’t risk such expense on a handshake or verbal agreement.

9) Ask about the cancellation policy – What happens if you need to back out?

10) Ask about warranty – A reputable and reliable company would stand by their work and offer a clear warranty policy.

11) Ask the expected timescale – You don’t want the work drawn out longer than necessary.

12) Choose a company committed to health & safety – You want a company that looks after their workers and is keen to avoid any unnecessary accidents. A good roofing contractor will stay up to date with all the latest health and safety requirements.

13) Ask about cleanup – You don’t want your home to remain a building site after the work is done. A good roofing company knows that cleanup after a job is one of the most important tasks.

14) If alarm bells starts ringing, do not use that contractor!

Always avoid:

1) Pressure/scare tactics – Never allowed yourself to feel rushed or pressured into agreeing to any work.

2) Unnecessary upsells – Sometimes a job can genuinely require much more attention than first thought, but any additional expenses must be well justified.

3) Large down payments, or all costs up front – A reputable company would never expect you to pay them huge fees up front.

4) Low balling – sometimes a popular tactic is to give the lowest quote, only to present the client with unexpected fees and expenses down the line.

Why choose Infinite Roofing & Construction?

Ranking as one of the top roofing contractors in the Capital District and surrounding areas, Infinite Roofing & Construction take great pride in our work at every level. From our many skilled tradesmen, to our foremen, advisors and management. This is our craft and our reputation means a great deal to us. We don’t mind you asking questions and testing our knowledge and skills. Whatever your concern, please fire away! Whatever it takes to put our valued customers at ease. We want you to know you can count on us!

Call us or fill out our online form to get your free, no obligation quote today!

Roofing Through The Winter!

December 14, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

We are roofing right through winter! 3,000 sq ft, steep pitch roof. Completed in one day including snow removal. Call or text today for a Free Estimate. 518-444-ROOF #Infinito #Roofing #GAF www.InfiniteRoofingNy.com
Posted by Infinite Roofing and Construction on Sunday, December 2, 2018

Quick Video of Infinite Roofing Crew Roofing strong in the winter time.

Before the roofing project started – snow removal.

The Crew working after shingles removed.

Just a quick video of the action of the crew working out of Albany at the start of winter here in 2018. This particular roof is 3000 sq ft with a steep pitch.

The total project took less than one day to complete, including the snow removal.

For more information about our roofing check out our main page.

How to Spot & Deal with Hail Damage on Your Roof

December 7, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

How to spot hail damage and how it happens.

If you haven’t given our previous article on the quick steps you should take on getting the hail damage insurance claim process started, go give that article a read first!

As we mentioned before, as professional roofing contractors of over 20 years we’ve seen a lot: we know exactly how devastating hail damage can be to roofs. However, not all hail damage is the same, and the extent of damage is going to be based a lot on the wind speed and the hail size during the storm.

Wondering how much a roof replacement costs?

See, when a hail storm starts, the storm starts off high in the atmosphere as rain, but because of an air updraft, rather than falling to the surface like a normal rain storm, the water is carried back up into the upper level of the clouds (where temperatures are below freezing), which then causes the water droplets to freeze.

Then, the frozen droplets fall, and again, are carried upwards and refrozen, again and again until finally, they weigh too much to be carried upwards and fall straight down to Earth and onto your roof, puncturing any surface along the way.

In basics:

The more powerful the updraft, the bigger the hail. The bigger the hail, the faster it falls. The faster it falls, the bigger damage on impact.

On the other end of the spectrum that’s going to determine damage during and after the storm is the quality of your materials: lower quality materials are less durable and are going to suffer more damage than thicker, higher quality materials.

Thinner, lower quality shingles will increase the odds of your roof’s decking denting, which compounds the problem and leads to a greater chance of having to replace more and more pieces of the roof until a full replacement is done.

Quick Guide: Signs of Roof Damage on Shingle Roofs

The most obvious sign of major damage from hail is black “dents” on the roof. Also referred to as bruising – sometimes they are readily obvious (for example you see a black mark or grouping of black circular marks) embedded in your shingles. Other times they aren’t quite obvious either due to the original shingle coloration or because the damage was more subtle, hurting the underlayments more than the top coating with sheer impact.

Generally you’ll see many pictures of the clearer, black dents and bruises, but in many cases it’s the more subtle versions of the same kind that indicate hail damage.

One of the easiest ways to spot additional damage is to look at the edges of the roof or at any areas that “protrude.” For example, check the flashing for denting, check your siding, check the ridge cap shingles, check around air conditioners – anything that has an exposed surface that’s more easily dented. Check out a full list of roofing systems here.

Seeing the damage on the edges is often what helps professional roofing contractors find the more extensive damage hidden on the roof itself.

When hail is accompanied by serious wind storms, then cracking is a potential risk. This is going to happen most commonly between the shingles and this is where it seems like pieces of shingle seemingly go missing or pieces that should have been connected and overlapped are gone.

Cracks can, of course, be more severe depending on just how intensive the winds were (and how big the hail was). Click for more about roof repairs on our main page.

Quick Guide to Flat Roof Damage

Flat roofing overall is much harder to spot damage versus asphalt shingle sloped roofs. Membrane based flat roofs (like TPO) are rarely going to show signs of damage on the visible surface, which is why major damage done to these roof types often go undetected until there’s a catastrophic failure requiring the entire system to be replaced.

Inspecting flat roofs for significant damage definitely requires more of an expert eye to thoroughly detect where any damages are located, sources of leaks and potential future problem areas. Getting a professional inspection is usually the course of action here and often they come included in commercial roofing maintenance plans offered by roofing companies like ours.

If you must inspect yourself, then check around patch jobs or prior trouble areas, look for cracks and tearing, blistering or wrinkling.

Quick Guide to Hail Damage: Having Your Roof Replaced by Insurance Companies

November 29, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Want to know more? Visit our comprehensive roof insurance page here.

Hail damage to a roof is a serious problem that leaves property owners feeling helpless at worst and stressed out at best. The past two years alone in the Capital Region have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of storm damage claims, calls for repairs related to storm damage and increase in frequency in hail related damage that we’ve inspected here at Infinite Roofing.

What throws off most property owners is the complication of the insurance claim process. Insurance companies are usually going to do everything in their power to avoid having to pay out on claims, so your timelines are going to be critical in order to maximize your chances for a proper claim.

I wish we could just give you a quick guide that gave you absolute, concrete steps that always lead to your claim being successful. Unfortunately, circumstances, guidelines and actual policy coverage are all going to vary widely from insurance company to insurance company. However, there are a couple tangible actions you can take to maximize your chances of a successful claims process regardless of your situation.

Roof Age Matters (A LOT!)

The driving factor that is going to determine your claim eligibility is how old the roof is. Most insurance policies use “RCV” or Replacement Cost Value. This means that every year of your roof, a certain value is depreciated for ‘age.’

What that means is you could have a roof that’s 10 years old and had an installation cost of $15,000. Now after a storm with a lot of hail damage and a $15,000 roof replacement cost, the insurance company only pays out ~$4,000 because of the ‘depreciation’ of the roof, which leaves you footing the bill for the other $11,000.

However, more and more insurance companies are offering an Actual Cash Value (ACV) method for covering roofs. This method means that there is no depreciation and if the bill to replace the roof is $15,000, then you’re going to generally receive $15,000 minus the deductible.

So check your policy (and if you’re signing up, ask the various insurance companies bidding for your business about ACV plans).

Quick Step 1: Check Your Roof Immediately

Check for obvious punctures and holes in your roof.

After a major hail storm, go out on your roof (or view from binoculars) and inspect it. You’re going to look for dark circles or punctures where the hail hit the asphalt and create round circles all over the shingles.

Additionally, check the interior attic area for any signs of leaks (this isn’t always going to be a drip, drip drip type leak – look for moisture inside). If you suspect damage, the first phone call you need to make is to your insurance company.

The quicker you make a claim for damage, generally the easier time you’re going to have in processing your claims. Don’t wait a week, two weeks or a month – you’ll only hurt your chances of a successful claim.

Quick Step 2: Call Roofing Contractors For Damage Inspection

Hail Damage isn’t always immediately obvious at first glance, which is why you should have a professional inspect.

Have a professional roofing contractor come out and inspect the roof and look at the damage. The professionals will be able to more accurately pinpoint the areas of damage and explain to you how and where the major problem areas are, in addition to what a scope of work is going to look like.

At this same time, the insurance company will be scheduling or sending an adjuster out to inspect the claim and report back to the insurance company about whether or not your claim is justified. While these adjusters are “independent,” remember that they’re paid to do the job by the insurance company, and at the end of the day, their primary motivation is going to be to support the insurance company over you.

Because of that, we advise you to bring a roofing professional to the meeting with the adjuster to have some additional support on your end and for there to be an extra layer of document review that is in support of you.

Quick Step 3: Document Everything Related to Your Roof

Document, document, document! Make sure everything you do, you keep records, pictures, everything in copies for your records to thoroughly defend your case in the event that the insurance company gives push back over paying out on the claim. The burden of evidence is on you, and always remember: the insurance company doesn’t want to eagerly pay out.

That’s all for now! Stay tuned as we release more information about hail damage and the insurance claim process throughout the next week!

How long will my roof last?

November 15, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

This varies a lot due to different material choices. Most roofing contractors are skilled at installing many different systems. A poorly installed system may only last until high winds come sweeping through your town. A well installed system is going to last longer than the manufacture warranties it for.

Many factors go into the life expectancy of a roof. Including southern facing exposure, drastic temperature changes in different regions, the amount of trees and shade the roof receives, severe or coastal weather, the contractors skill level, and of course the brand of shingles and underlayments.

Shingle roofing systems – roofing contractors who are certified usually are the best choice for installing a new shingle roof because they can offer the extended manufacturers warranty. Most certified installers have been trained to install a roof per spec and can not get a certification without the know how. This alone will guarantee your roof is installed properly; having enough nails to prevent high wind blow offs, installing all flashing correctly to prevent premature leaks and guaranteeing the use of premium materials as most manufacturers will not extend a warranty with the use of knock off materials.

When certified roofing contractors install a full warrantied system you can expect to get 20-25 years out of a moderately weathered and or sheltered home. Having a lot of trees around your home can be either great or detrimental to your roofs life expectancy. Trees will cause more harm to your roof than good, causing moss to grow. Once the moss reaches a certain point it starts getting in between the shingles. Once this happens the moss absorbs any moisture and feeds right onto your roof decking, where if it’s not leaking as of now it will cause damage to your decking (which will cost more to repair later). A well sheltered shingle roof will last 25-30 years. These well sheltered house’s would also most likely benefit by having gutter guards installed as to some houses in the woods need to have their gutters cleaned up to 5 times a year.

The quality of shingle will also greatly affect the life expectancy.

The quality of shingle will also greatly affects the life expectancy. Top brand shingle companies have developed their shingles through years and years of research and development. GAF recently installed a roof using no nails or any fasteners. The roof was put under extreme 140 mph wind conditions and remained fully intact. Also GAF is the only shingle company that makes a shingle that is 50% thicker known as their ULTRA line. These shingles are known to last anywhere from 30-35 years and also improve the looks of the roof because the increased thickness increases the shadow lines creating more contrast for an overall fancier look.

The quality of underlayments used under the shingles will be another determining factor on how long your roof will last. An upgraded GAF Deck Armor roof allows the decking to breath while not letting moisture in. This will allow your houses attic to remain cooler in the hot months decreasing the overall roofs temperature preventing the shingles from prematurely aging, due to extreme temperatures. Also a higher quality Ice and Water shield will stick tight to the nails penetrating it so that no moisture will get in between the nail holes if you do have ice damns building up along your eaves. A lot of roofing contractors will try and save hundreds of dollars by using the cheap store brands of ice and water barrier which does not fully adhere to the roof decking, allowing ice build up to rot out the bottom few feet of decking.

Metal roofing has an average life expectancy of about 50 years.

It is important to only use contractors who have experience installing metal as it is a highly skilled trade. Metal is something you put on your forever home. Standing seam is the Cadillac of metal roofing and is going to have little to no maintenance due to a snap lock panel system. Corrugated roofing is more economical but will need some maintenance from time to time because it has exposed fasteners. These exposed fasteners have little rubber washers creating a watertight seal that eventually fail over the course of the roofs lifespan. To properly maintain these penetrations and avoid leaks they will need to be caulked after about 20 years. Taking into consideration the maintenance and overall price of a corrugated metal roofing system, it still remains a huge ROI compared to two and a half lifespans of shingles.

Cedar shakes can be expected to last around 30 years. This system will need some maintenance from time to time. The color of cedar shakes darkens and looks more natural as years go on. The overall cost of this system does end up costing around the same price as metal but will not last as long and is typically only purchased for aesthetic purposes. Cedar shakes do come in metal and composite look a likes which will last a longer lifespan of 50 years. Most roofing contractors will not install cedar shakes due to inexperience.

Slate is the longest lasting roofing product to date.

Some slate had lasted almost a hundred years in the right conditions. Most slate is going to start looking rough and needing continuous maintenance after about 75 years. Slate now comes in composites and can be expected to last just as long as real slate. Roofing companies who can install slate are usually hard to come by. Most contractors will not quote or repair slate, as you have to be highly skilled in order to not cause more damage than good.

Rubber roofing or EPDM is most commonly used for flat commercial roofing

Also popular for smaller porch roof sections on residential homes and EPDM will last you on average between 20-25 years. Most manufacturers offer 20 year full coverage warranties if you use their full roofing system, meaning you have to use all quality, name brand seam tape and cover tape. Commercial roofing companies are usually certified by manufactures because high standards must be met in order for the manufacturers to back their labor and material warranties once they are installed. Commercial roofing manufacturers will send inspectors out after a roof is complete to check on the contractors work. If the contractors work is sub par a warranty will not be issued until all details have been performed to spec.

TPO will last twenty to twenty five years.

TPO will last twenty to twenty five years. There are usually only a few roofing contractors in each area who are geared towards installing TPO. Contractors usually don’t install this system because they do not have the expensive equipment needed to perform heat welds. TPO is also a white reflective roof which will add years to your cooling units lifespans.

Overall you only need high quality materials and high quality workmanship to get the most bang for your buck over the long term. The best way to get the longest potential lifespan out of a roofing system is to choose a quality product that offers a full warrantied system which has to use all high quality accessories to qualify for full coverage. Make sure to ask your contractor which materials are being used and check the contract for brand names on underlayments.

Choosing certified installers who back there work up with their own in house warranty is the safest bet to achieve maximum lifetime efficiency out of the materials you invest in. Check that the roofing company is listed on any websites they claim to be certified by insuring that you will receive an actual manufacturers warranty. Most shingle companies will mail you a warranty within a month after your replacement offering you piece of mind for many years to come.

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.