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What are “Storm Chasers”?

June 3, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

Your roof can suffer a great deal or damage when a big storm hits and your roof takes storm damage. Typically, this storm damage is covered by your homeowner’s insurance, which means you are more likely to take action to repair or replace your roof. “Storm Chasers” are fraudulent roofing contractors that know about the increased likelihood of roof repair in areas affected by large storms, and can rip off homeowners with poorly constructed roofing projects. Knowing how to identify these storm chasers can help you avoid falling for their corrupt tactics.

What is a storm chaser?

Roofing contractors who go to areas recently affected by storm damage, rain, hail or strong wind are called storm chasers. They use special programs to locate large storms and determine the value of affected homes. These roofing contractors have immense knowledge about insurance companies they use their knowledge to estimate the cost of a new roof. Local and reputable roofing companies are most likely overwhelmed and overbooked, and the “Storm Chasers” use that to their advantage and go door to door to notify residents that they have roofing services available. Typically, they will start by offering a free roof inspection.

Why are they unreliable?

Most storm chasers only do the bare minimum to replace a damaged roof. They will find the cheapest materials to quickly assemble a new roof, often leaving out important elements that a professional roofing company would take in consideration, and they fail to restore things back to their original condition. The roofs that are installed by them usually only have a lifespan of fewer than 10 years because they are installed using cheap material, whereas a professional roofing company using high-quality materials and techniques would leave you with a roof lasting 40 years with warranties to back up their install. Professional roofing companies have the certifications and licensing while storm chasers usually do not have the proper licensing or insurance to work on roofs.

In some cases, storm chasers do not replace the roof at all. Instead, they give a free inspection, quote a reasonable price and ask for upfront payment. Once they are paid, they move on to the next town without any intention of working on the roof.

What tactics do storm chasers use?

If you want to avoid being scammed by storm chasers do your research before handing over any money. Make sure that the contractors you hire to replace your roof or fix the storm damage have a reliable background and pay close attention to the approach they use. There are a few telltale signs that a contractor is a storm chaser.

1-They come directly to your home

The most obvious tell-tale sign for storm chaser is that they come directly to your door, Roofing companies don’t go out looking for work, especially after a big storm, they know that work would be coming to them as people will try to find reliable roofers in Albany to deal with their insurance agency and get the best repair or replacement possible. Storm chasers, on the other hand, move around to wherever the storms go, they cannot rely on the chances that people in need of roof repair will find them. Sometimes storm chasers go so far as to pretend they were sent by a company that previously worked on your roof. If this happens, ask for proof.

2-They want payment upfront.

No roofing company will ask for payment upfront before starting the job, When you pay storm chasers upfront, even if it is just a deposit, it is likely that it will be the last time you ever see them.

3-They offer to pay for the deductible.

How nice would it be to have your insurance deductible waived? Storm chasers think so, too. If a roofing contractor offers to pay for your deductible, they are probably a storm chaser. It is considered insurance fraud to allow a contractor to pay the deductible. If you let a roofing company pay your deductible, you will be the one responsible for committing the illegal act. Make sure you are familiar with your insurance policy and the laws regarding fraud to prevent yourself from falling into this trap.

4-They create damage that was not there before.

Because they are usually familiar with the insurance claim process, storm chasers sometimes create their own damage if the real damage is not sufficient. They may use golf balls, hammers or other hard, heavy objects to pound dents into your roof. Watch and listen carefully as contractors inspect your roof and have a camera or cell phone ready to catch them in the act if you are suspicious. Adding fake damage for the purpose of collecting insurance money can have serious consequences.

Educate yourself and your neighbors about the common signs of storm chasers to avoid being the victim of a roofing scheme. Check the Better Business Bureau if you are unsure of the legitimacy of a roofing contractor. This will tell you if the business is local and if complaints have been filed against it.

Infinite Roofing and Construction is proud to boast an A+ rating on the BBB. We are a local, trusted roofing company in Albany with over 20 years of experience. Getting a new roof is an expensive endeavor, so make sure you are getting it done right the first time by a company you can trust.

Do you really need 3 estimates for a roofing job?

May 29, 2019 by Infinite Roofing Leave a Comment

You’ll need to get as much information and knowledge about the process when looking to replace your roof. You need to weigh your options for roofing materials, their cost, and learn as much as you can about the local roofing companies that will be doing the work. In particular, your goal should be to find the best work for the best value.

Conventional wisdom, and also your insurance companies state and push that you should get three estimates from your local roofing companies and choose the median. Why? Supposedly, a drastically lower estimate may indicate cost-cutting measures that could result in shoddy workmanship, while the highest estimate could wind up costing you a pretty penny for average durability.

Meanwhile, if you’re replacing your roof due to an insurance claim, your insurance company may be stressing that you obtain at least three estimates. However, the three-estimate rule is not a hard-and-fast requirement for insurance claims, nor is it a necessity for your own decision-making process

So how many estimates do you really need?

The thought process behind requesting multiple estimates is solid. replacing a roof is a major undertaking that costs you a good deal of money and stands to make a lasting effect on your home’s weatherproofing, durability, and resale value for years to come. Of course, you want as much information as possible so you can feel comfortable proceeding. You also want to make sure the local roofing contractor you choose provides high-quality materials and high-quality installation and the best way to make that determination is to compare them to other local roofing companies that offer the same service.

However, do you really need three estimates? Not really. In this case, the “right” number of estimates depends completely on you. Get as many, or as few estimates as you need in order to feel comfortable with the roofing company you choose and their pricing.

Insurance companies are in no way required to get three estimates. All roofing contractors receive payment following a third-party system designed to set industry standard prices. Your insurance company will pay your area’s best roofers in Albany the exact same amount as it pays the worst roofers in Albany. Gather as many estimates as you feel comfortable with and choose the best company, just as you would if you were footing the bill on your own.

How do you go about choosing the best company? Ask these questions aside from the affordability factor to determine the best roofer in albany for your job.

Have they performed work in the area? Ask for references and addresses. There’s no better way to get a feel for a company’s customer service and workmanship than by speaking with former customers.

How experienced is the crew? It’s a good sign if your roofing company has been in business for decades and has great reviews. However, make sure to ask about the experience level of the particular crew that will be performing your work; a long-lasting company can easily hire a crop of newbies that may not have any more experience than you do.

How can I reach out during the process? Asking this question, in particular, gauges the company’s customer service. Their willingness to answer questions, guide you through the process, and remain available speaks to how smoothly the process will go on install day.

Ask about any certifications that the roofing company may have, having certifications backs up the work that is done by the company and it would guarantee that they have the best training necessary to be working on your roof.

There is no number of “right” estimates that you would need to get, go with what you think is suitable for you. Infinite Roofing can provide you with a free estimate for your insurance company with a detailed inspection of your roof. Our certifications, reviews and our highly trained crew will guarantee a happy and easy going roof installation.

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).