A major issue with your roof is no fun for any homeowner. It is wise to make small repairs to your roof before they end up becoming big problems. Properly caring for your roof means taking initiative now to avoid problems later. Look to these tips to help you know how to proceed.

Inspect your roof yearly. Springtime and winter are the harshest times of the year for rooftops. For this reason, carefully monitor your roof during these months.

Rubber boots are an important part of any roof repair. Even if the weather is warm and dry, such shoes are necessary for grip. Do not put yourself in dangerous positions when on the roof.

Don’t set step on your roof without properly securing your footing. This is vital since you can easily lose balance if you have not been on a roof much. Thousands of people get killed or injured from falling off their roofs.

Use background references to choose your roofing contractor. Once you’ve got them, check them out and ask about value and quality of the work. Also, check out a few of the addresses for yourself. Drive past them and examine the work carefully before choosing your roofer.

Prior to agreeing to hire a roofer, there are many questions you need to ask them. For one, ask the amount of nails they normally use when placing a shingle. Three nails usually will not get the job done. Ask detailed questions regarding their methodology and ensure you are satisfied with their responses. If they don’t answer things right, move on.

First ask people you know whether they have used a roofing contractor recently and whether they can recommend him to you. Find out if they were happy with the work and the cost of a particular roofer. Inquire about post-job cleanup and about the warranty covering repairs in the future.

Closely inspect all roofing materials before installing shingles. Installation issues like crooked nails or cracked shingles are a major source of leaks. Make sure all shingles do not have cracks and are strong, and that your nails are long enough to penetrate the shingle completely and secure them to the roof.

Ask a roofer about their warranties. Some may provide you with better deals than others. Also, make sure to get any warranties and estimates in writing, so you will have them in your possession. This will prevent possible disagreements on terms later.

If you want to go green when installing your new roof, think about acquiring a living roof. Living roofs include soil layers that can be home to plants of many types. While they only work on various kinds of flat roofs in specific climates, they give you great insulation.

You shouldn’t get frustrated if you can’t figure out where your roof is leaking. You’ll find it if you employ a process of elimination along with a buddy system and a water hose. Communicating by mobile phone will be helpful to avoid lots of water entering your home.

Use your hose to spray a leaky roof. Not only will you know for sure whether a leak exists, you will also know exactly where it is. It’ll also save you the cost of hiring someone to come look at it.

Always check the condition of roofing materials before they go on your house. Shingles are susceptible to cracking when they are nailed down, which could lead to serious problems in the future. Take note of the condition of the materials during all stages of the project.

If you wish to be sure that your home is safe and won’t get damaged, then you have to take care of the roof on it. That opens you up to disaster down the road. Instead, you should take everything you’ve learned here into consideration to better care for your roof. When your roof is maintained, your life will be easier.