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

hail damage on roof shingles — After Storm Damage to Shingles

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!

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 Leave a Comment

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

Gorgeous GAF “Patriot Red” Shingles Installed by Infinite Roofing in Saratoga

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 — 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.

“Capital expenditures, improvements and the like are all actions that are designed to *increase* the value of an asset.”

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 repairs *can turn into* capital improvements.”

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.

Increasing the quality of material counts as betterment.

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.

Should you have your attic insulation looked at while contractors work on your roof?

September 21, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Yes! There is no better time to have your attic insulation looked at than while your roof is being worked on. Especially if you’re installing rigid foam insulation (solid sheets of foam vs. the fluffy fiberglass particles common in most insulation work).

roof replacement and attic insulation — Roof Replacement Paired with Attic Insulation Saves You Up To $1,000 in Labor Costs Alone.

Benefits of improving your attic insulation include:

Lower utility bills by reducing heating and cooling costs (70% of home energy bills)
Safer and longer lasting home infrastructure (prevents gradual heat and moisture damage)
Better indoor air quality (outdoor pollutants usually enter through air leaks in poor insulation)

Plus, one of the biggest expenses of hiring a contractor is the time and labor costs associated with a project.

That means that while you’re having your roof replaced, if you also tackle your attic insulation, you’re going to save upwards of $1,000 on labor costs alone because most of the labor-intensive parts of the work are done at the same time.

But here’s the real question you’re probably asking: is the added cost of having insulation work done worth it?

There’s no way around it: adding on an insulation project to your existing roof replacement or roof repair job is going to make the bill start adding up, and honestly, a lot of the time in our experience when a customer is looking at a roof replacement, it’s out of necessity, not convenience and a lot of the time – it’s an unexpected inconvenience.

Here’s the thing: when we get a call, when any roofing contractor gets a call, usually it’s because a problem has happened with the roof already. Whether that’s an obvious leak, damage from a passing storm, or just plain old age with built up damage that needs attention in the near future.

Simply put: the roofer doesn’t get the call unless there’s a problem.

That problem is almost always related to water damage.

Leaks…moisture build up…mildew… all very common problems we find or hear about when we get the call. Plus if there’s damage on the outside of the roof, and evidence of moisture damage in your attic, you can bet your bottom dollar that your insulation has suffered too.

Mold, especially, is a pain in the $#@ to deal with. Once it gets in, it spreads like wildfire throughout the house and if left unchecked it creates a whole different set of problems to deal with that cost a whole lot more to deal with. Nobody wants the guys in gas masks (to avoid breathing the air you’ve been breathing) coming in to remove mold.

So What’s the Best Thing You Can Do?

Take Action: it’s as easy as asking the roof estimator to also check out the insulation in your attic (just say “hey, while you’re there can you check the insulation for me too?”) and thoroughly inspect for damage inside to assess whether or not you should replace your insulation and whether you should do it right away or if it can wait.

A good estimator will tell you honestly whether or not it’s something that needs immediate fixing or if it’s in your best interest to wait.

But what if I’m told I need my attic insulation replaced, but I decide to wait?

Ultimately, the decision is on you, but here’s generally what’s going to happen:

Insulation continues to decline over time – meaning it loses it’s effectiveness.
When insulation loses effectiveness, heating & cooling bills go up (averaging $600 more a year!).
Vulnerabilities in insulation leads to quick spreading of mold, mildew and other contaminants.

What if an immediate fix is not in my budget?

Any reputable roofing company will have a variety of options to help you with that. The first place you should check is with your homeowners insurance policy (find out more about roof replacement costs here) to see if you have coverage to offset the costs (many times by 100%!). If insurance fails the next best option is to pair the insulation installation and roof replacement costs together in the same personal loan using financing. This means you have one payment, usually with 0% interest offers and terms that fit your budget, without having to put your home up as equity.

The final option is to make a plan to address it in the near future: but know that if it’s really a problem, on average, it’s going to cost an extra $1,000 to do it separately – rather than having the problem solved at the same time your roof is being worked on, and often the work can be completed together in a day or two, meaning your home life has the minimum possible disruption.

If you suspect that you have roof or attic insulation damage and live in the New York Capital Region, feel free to give our office a call at (518) 444-ROOF and we’ll be more than happy to have an expert inspector and estimator give you the best possible advice for your situation.

Alternatively, you can book an appointment directly by clicking here.

Hail & Severe T-storms: Here’s What To Do After Roof Damage

July 27, 2018 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

What to do and what to inspect on your roof after a storm

Heavy rains are infamous for causing roof damage. The last week alone, it rained 5 days out of 7 in the week (as of this writing July 27th, 2018), causing severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings and more. Today, Friday the 27th, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 1:29 PM for the areas surrounding Albany and Clifton Park, citing 30 mph winds, golf ball sized hail and wind gusts of up to 60 mph.

When the national weather service’s active advice is: take shelter inside a sturdy building, then you know that it’s a bit more than a little old “rain.”

So what do frequent storms mean for your roof and how do they cause damage?

Hail Damage

When hail reaches golf ball like sizes and pummels to the earth, the force is enough to actually cause a series of tiny dents or indentations both on the top of the roof itself and in the metal flashing. But it doesn’t take golf ball sized hail to cause damage: even hail stones the size of a marble can cause immediate damage.

Here’s what you need to look for after a hail storm:

Different types of materials absorb the damage from hail in different ways, so if you’re inspecting your roof, look for dings or puncture holes in the shingles, on your gutters or any metal based materials. For any vinyl or wood type material (like vinyl siding or wood shakes) look for outright cracks.

Damage to Asphalt Shingles Usually look like:

Small black dents or punctures (caused by the asphalt getting displaced, exposing the raw color).
Exposed roof felt, usually from granule loss
Textures that look like bruising on an apple.
Usually damage spots appear at random with no pattern

Spot Wood Shingle Damage:

Splitting wood, often in a burnt orangish or brown color.
Shingle split with no deterioration on the sides of the shingle.
Marks, dents and other similar signs of impact.

However, hail damage isn’t always immediately obvious just by looking at the roof itself and seeing physical signs of damage on the outside. Because of the force of impact and the consistent dropping of hail on its surface, damage can often occur underneath the surface of shingles. This is damaging to the protective underlayments that keep water out of your home.

The most obvious method of detecting this kind of damage is, of course, when you spot a leak starting. But don’t just wait until you see water gushing downstairs, immediately following a hail storm you should check your attic area for any signs of leakage:

Check for soggy areas in the plywood – any clear signs of dampness should be an alarm bell
If the air smells moldy, or if you physically see mold, that’s a sure sign of a roof leak.
Water physically dripping down anywhere

Severe Winds

Strong winds can just flat out blow a shingle off your house if they’re powerful enough. Plus if you don’t spot the missing shingles right away, what happens is that the next time there’s a storm blowing by, new rainfall damages your roof’s underlayment (protective covering from water) because it is exposed without protection from shingles. Then water seeps and gets underneath other shingles, spreading the damage out and transforming the job from a patching roof repair job into a problem requiring a more complete roof replacement.

Whenever water gets in and damages the underlying area of your roof, it damages your interior insulation, the roof decking (which is almost always plywood) and the drywall. What that means for you is that instead of just having to repair your roof, you’re also looking at fixing interior insulation, drywall and even your siding.

Heavy Rains

Where as hail causes puncture or impact damage and high winds can potentially blow a shingle off (called blow-off), heavy, consistent rains cause damage in a different way: through erosion. If you want to see the full power of erosion, just google the Grand Canyon and you will see how water created the world’s biggest ditch over time.

Asphalt shingles aren’t immune to erosion and heavy rains wash away the granular surface on the shingles over time. Water can then seep into sealing strips that are missing or damaged flashing. When the granular surface (the grainy, almost sand-paper-like feeling on the top of a shingle) is worn away, it stops the granules from serving the purposes of protecting the roof from UV rays (which wear the roof out faster), diminishes their beauty (making it look old and worn out, meaning your property value goes down) and the roof becomes less fire resistant.

Worse, when water is able to get underneath the shingles, during winter water will freeze, form up into ice and cause the shingles to bulge out – causing 3-4x the damage.

Fallen Trees

One of the more obvious direct signs of damage to the roof is when a tree or tree limb just straight up falls on your home. The obvious tell of damage is a big ole’ hole, but the main concern here is that if the tree falls during a storm, and causes the damage while the rains are occurring, then water is going to flow through protective covering and into your home resulting in the damage spreading uncontrollably.

This can happen even if there isn’t an obvious hole caused by the tree or tree limb.

What to do when you suspect roof damage:

The very first thing you should do is inspect your roof and the interior of your house yourself.

Even if you do not immediately see leaking water in your home (leaks usually aren’t as obvious as an immediate dripping onto your head). To reiterate from above, on the interior you want to look for signs of moisture or residual moisture damage. Other common signs are interior warping of plywood or drywall. The first interior place you should always check is the attic, because water will leak through there first.

To inspect your roof yourself, the easiest method is to grab a ladder that’s tall enough to reach and climb up on top of it and inspect it visually. Alternatively if you have easy window access, you can opt for climbing out of a window. However, we have to stress that you need to take proper precautions and safety measures, especially if you have a steeper roof and not a walker roof (one that you can walk on easily without a harness).

If you are uncomfortable with heights, go grab a pair of binoculars and walk far enough away from your home that you can clearly see your roof, and inspect that way. If you happen to be an early-adopter and own a drone, that’s a fantastic way to inspect it as well! Infact, many of our roof inspections start with using a drone to spot hard-to-see trouble areas before going up directly.

Using a pair of binoculars or a drone is, for obvious reasons, a lot safer, as it does not require you to physically go up on top of the house.

Frequently Asked Questions We Get From Clients Calling In After A Storm:

What can I do to prevent damage to my roof before a storm?

Unfortunately, there isn’t much that you can do to prevent damages ahead of a storm. However, a buffer between your home and the storm, for instance if you have tall strong trees, the foliage can actually help to mitigate damage from hail or heavy rains by absorbing most of the impact. But in that case, there’s always the risk of the tree itself falling and causing damage.

Plus it’s not like you can exactly have mature, well grown in and strong trees installed on your property. Those take decades to grow. But if you are looking to buy a new home it might be something to keep an eye out for reasons other than trees look pretty.

Most of the best protection you can have comes way before the storm ever occurs: investing in a top rated roofing contractor who is certified by manufacturers (such as GAF, Owens Corning, Certainteed or IKO) and one that has an excellent track record of construction that meets exacting warranty specifications is perhaps the best thing you can do. Hiring cheap or skimping out on materials is often what leads to roofs going bad prematurely, and requiring you to pay more for costly repairs and replacements. One area you may want to double check when you’re getting estimates is the material brands of your roofing system. Most manufacturer warranties are voided out if the company installs another manufacturers parts along with the roof. So for example if you had GAF asphalt shingles with IKO synthetic underlayment, you would not qualify for a GAF warranty (or an IKO one).

However, one area where a contractor might make their bid more competitive is by doing exactly that – mixing and matching materials (which voids the warranty instantly). Remember each manufacturers materials are designed to be used together as a complete system and they won’t guarantee it if it’s not installed to their exact specification.

The other thing to do is to make sure you have a good homeowners insurance policy – most of them will cover damage that is caused specifically from storms as “acts of God.” Which takes the burden of repair and replacement costs off you. If this is your situation, make sure to have a professional come out and do an inspection. You can book a roof inspection from us to do a 200 point check.

After a roof leak happens, what can I do to prevent further damage or temporarily stop the leak?

Here are the quick steps (more details below the step-by-step list):

Go to into attic and remove insulation from wet drywall on ceiling
Mop up standing water with a sponge
Place a piece of plywood across joists
Put bucket under leak on top of plywood to catch drips
Follow the leak back to where it is coming through the roof
After identifying the source of the leak, start temporary patchwork
Grab a spare shingle or piece of plywood
Apply roofing tar on underside of roof decking where leak is using a putty knife
Push shingle or plywood piece into tar
Apply roofing tar around edges of shingle or plywood piece
Temporary patch is done!

Once the temporary patch is complete:

Grab a tape measure
Measure the distance of where the leak is from gable (wall that connects to roof) to the ridge (where two sections of roof join).
Write down measurements, and if the rain or storm is still ongoing, wait for it to be finished
After storm is over, go on top of your house wearing rubber soled shoes (sneakers are preferred, boots will damage shingles).
Measure to the same distance point of where the leak is using your measurement from inside.
At the outside source of the leak, temporarily reinforce the patch job by applying roofing tar to the underside of the outside asphalt shingles.

The first thing you want to do is go into the attic and clear insulation off of the wet drywall on the ceiling. Any standing water you see you’re going to want to sponge off and remove.

Then place a piece of plywood across the joists (the beams of wood). On top of the plywood, place a bucket to catch any dripping water. This prevents water damage from seeping out across other areas.

**DO NOT PLACE BUCKETS DIRECTLY ON DRYWALL*** Placing a bucket directly on drywall can cause a catastrophic collapse of the drywall when the bucket becomes heavy and filled with water.

After you have done the basic damage control and contained the water that’s already there, you’re going to want to follow the leak back to the spot where it’s coming through the roof. Be advised: this could be far away from where you see the dripping part of the leak. Water will follow the path of least resistance and that means where you see dripping water is simply the point where it’s easier for the water to fall downwards, rather than following a trail from somewhere else.

Normally you can follow the path along a rafter, but sometimes the water is actually going underneath the plywood roof decking.

Once you’ve identified the source area of the leak, make a temporary patch using roofing tar and either a spare shingle or a piece of plywood. Trowel (a fancy way of saying apply) roofing tar onto the underside of the decking using a putty knife. Place a shingle or piece of plywood onto the tar and trowel more tar around the edges of the patch job.

After you’ve made the temporary patch, measure the distance of the leak from the gable (the wall that leads up to your roof, usually triangular) and from the ridge (where two sections of roof meet, basically the peak of the house) while you’re in the attic using a tape measure.

Please make sure you wait until the rain stops before you try going on top of your house.

When the rain does stop, wear rubber soled shoes (never leather or boots), go up on the roof and measure the same dimensions on the exterior as you did on the interior. Look at where the source of the leak is on the outside while you’re there and reinforce the underside of the shingles with more roofing tar (this is waterproof and durable and is a common use for fixing leaks). Again, please don’t attempt to access your roof without taking the proper safety precautions. No need to add a hospital visit to repair bill.

Should I cover my roof after the emergency leak repair or if I can’t do repairs myself?

Yes, it is generally a good idea to cover it if you performed emergency repairs yourself or you couldn’t access your attic to do the repair patch and have no way of knowing where the source of the leak is.

Get a plastic cover (usually a 4 foot roll of 6-mil polyethylene plastic, available at most local hardware stores). You’re going to want to unroll the plastic, but not unfold it. Measure just enough to cover a full section of your roof from the eave (the part that runs into the walls of your home) to the ridge. Add an additional four feet to your measurement and cut it from the roll using a utility knife. Unfold the plastic just one fold and make an 8 foot wide strip.

Roll one end of the plastic around an 8 foot two-by-four and staple the plastic to the wood. Cut another 8 foot two-by-four and nail it to the first, with the plastic sandwiched between two pieces of wood.

Climb on top of your home and place the wood right alongside the eaves, then stretch the plastic over the ridge covering the location of the leak. Staple the opposite end to yet another two-by-four and nail a fourth two-by-four to that one. Allow that pair of two-by-fours to hang down on the opposite side of the ridge.

When should I call a roofing contractor to make the repair?

Generally, if you want to save the longevity of your roof, you’re going to want to have any significant roof damage repaired as fast as possible. The above emergency fixes just help to prevent further damage from happening. Additionally, there’s a good risk of injuring yourself if you try to repair all the damage yourself, so it’s definitely recommended to have a professional do it for you.

When is damage large enough that I have to replace the roof and not just repair it?

If you are seeing black mold, can smell or see rotting wood or have significant holes, it really just needs to be replaced (you can do partial replacements on sections of your home). Age of the roof matters of course, and if you’re buying a new home make sure you double check how long ago it was replaced. Generally we recommend having an inspector come out to specifically check the roof for any patch jobs, inspect the overall quality of it and whether significant repairs and replacement need to be done.

Especially if you’re buying the home, having the inspection means that if a replacement needs to be done you can often qualify for a low-interest home improvement loan with New York State, called a “rehab” loan, which is designed to offset the cost of replacement and refurbishments on major projects when buying a home.

Does Insurance Cover Roof Replacements Resulting From Storm Damage?

Generally most homeowners insurance policies cover roof replacement costs following major storms or other “acts of God” events like fires. You’ll have to check with your insurance provider to see how much they’ll cover and what their exact steps are and you’ll want to call them as soon as you can.

This is one of those things that makes you thankful for homeowners insurance, because otherwise the untimely event of having your roof damaged are usually not planned for and there isn’t savings available, making it a difficult purchase decision.

Another method is taking on a home loan, if for whatever reason insurance does not cover your roof or you are uninsured. While not as ideal as insurance coverage, it is a way to get the emergency work done without major savings around to put in. Roof replacements can cost anywhere from $5,000-$7,000 all the way up to $10,000+ depending on the size of roof, materials and extent of damage. We do have roof financing available which you can look at on our home page, however make sure you get an estimate BEFORE seeking any kind of financing.

Basic Benefits of a Roofing Replacement

March 9, 2017 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Infinite Roofing & Construction blog! As Albany’s roofing expert, we’ll be using this blog to give you ideas, tips, and inspiration on everything related to roofing, siding, and home exteriors. Before we dive into more complex topics, we’d like to talk about the extensive benefits of replacing the roofing of your home. While a new roof can be aesthetically pleasing, it has a number of other benefits that can improve your personal well-being, too.

Find out more detailed information on roof replacements here (also covers how to identify problem areas on your roof).

Increases Property Value

A new roof doesn’t just prevent leaks—it can drastically improve your home’s value as well. A new roof has an average ROI of 67%, making it an excellent choice for a home improvement investment.

The benefits of a new roof can be critical during home inspection and home selling time as well. Home inspections that uncover issues with plumbing, electrical infrastructure, foundations, and of course, roofing, can make potential homebuyers skeptical, and can lead to reductions on the listed price of your home.

When potential homebuyers hear there is a new roof on your home, it’s a symbol that your home is structurally sound and resistant to leaks and weather damage—making them that much more likely to take your home off your hands for the full asking price.

Enhances Curb Appeal

You might not expect it to be true, but a roof is a huge component of curb appeal as it relates to resale value of your home. An old, damaged roof can take attention away from quality landscaping, curbing, and siding. Curb appeal is a homebuyer’s first impression of your property—if it’s not a good impression, you could be at risk of turning off potential homebuyers before they even walk through your front door.

Prevents Health Risks

Old, leaky roofs can let water and moisture into your home—and with moisture comes mold, mildew, and bacteria that can be a detriment to your health. If you have the same roof for 10, 20, or 30 years, you could have a mess of bacteria seeping into your home that can cause allergies, headaches, respiratory issues, and a number of other health ailments.

A new roof deflects all kinds of debris, moisture, and other environmental hazards, keeping your home airtight and free of anything that could compromise your health.

Improves Energy Efficiency

All those cracks and holes in your old roof don’t just let bacteria in—they let your precious, air conditioned air out. A new roof allows your home’s air conditioner or HVAC system to work more efficiently, saving you a great deal of money on your energy bill. If you’re looking to stay in your current home for years to come, replacing your roofing could net you huge savings that make the initial expense of a roof replacement seem much more reasonable.

Creates A Feeling of Comfort

If your roof is in rough shape—as in “putting pans down on the floor to prevent rainstorm flooding” shape—you’re spending a lot of your time frustrated and stressed over whether or not your roof is going to hold up. A home does not feel like a home without a strong roof above your head, so you owe it to yourself to have the necessary replacement or repairs done to ensure that your home feels safe, sturdy, and comfortable.

Trust Infinite Roofing & Construction

For the best roofing in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, you need Infinite Roofing & Construction. We’re dedicated to providing you with the highest quality roofing and siding solutions, and we’re passionate about relieving the frustration that comes from having an old, dilapidated roof. Infinite Roofing & Construction is not your average roofing company—contact us today!