When it comes to roofing, there is a lot to learn, but not too many places to learn it. That’s why this article. It includes a number of useful roofing knowledge that will help you better care for your roof.

Never hesitate to replace your shingles need to be replaced.Replacing or repairing shingles immediately can save you a ton of money and stress later. Taking proper care of your roof will make it last.

You should inspect your roof carefully on an annual basis. Typically, roofs suffer the most damage during winter and spring. Because of this you should make extra time during these seasons to check on your roof.

Wear shoes with rubber soles whenever you need to get on your roof.

When you are looking into hiring a roofing contractor, consult your family, friends and co-workers for recommendations. Ask how well contractors cleaned when they finished the clean-up job and if warranties are offered.

When roofing, think about safety first. Trying to fix a leak during a rainstorm can result in serious injury or even worse. Just do what you can with the leak, like collecting the water in a bucket, and look at the roof later when the weather is better.

If you’ve called a roofer, but he is not scheduled to visit for a few days, you should try to provide yourself with a temporary fix for your leaking roof. Nail heavy plastic over the leaky area.

Don’t fix for your roof with short-term solutions. You may think you’re saving money, but in the long run you could end up spending a lot more due to major damage. The smartest thing to do is take care of any problem as quickly as you can so that nothing bad happens later on.

Have safety precautions in place when going on your roof. It’s critical, and you can lose balance when you haven’t climbed onto a roof often; thousands are hurt or lose their life from falling each year.

A living roof is comprised of soil that can be used to plant a garden or to grow plants and flowers.

Always check a potential roofing contractor. Honest companies will have no problems giving you some references. If the company is dodgy about references, look elsewhere. This can be a sign that the contractor isn’t a true professional.

If you have a contractor coming to remove your old roof, be sure to cut the grass beforehand. This way, if nails fall on the ground, they’ll be much easier to find. A magnetic nail finder also works better in short grass if your contractor uses one.

Do not worry if you cannot find sources of leaks in your roof. You will find the source eventually if you use a water hose, and the use of a water hose and a buddy system can help. If you have a big area to cover, utilize cell phones for communication to avoid having water leaking into the house any more than necessary when you test various areas to locate the leak.

You should consider the length of time that a contractor has been doing business.Those who’ve been around in your area for a long time obviously know how to keep their customers happy. Anyone that is new to this could be trying to scam artist who runs away with your money.

Talk to your family, friends, and colleagues regarding contractor suggestions. Ask those people you know best about their opinions on the work done, if they thought if was a fair price, and if the materials were of good quality. Also ask how well the contractor cleaned up after the job was done and whether there is a warranty for future repairs.

If you are worried about a roof leak, you would be wise to take a garden hose and spray it. This might help you determine if you do indeed have a leak and where the leak is located. This is a lot cheaper and quicker than hiring contractors.

Only hire a roofer that is able to supply you with proof of active licenses and insurance.

If you’re feeling pressured by a contractor, show him the door. This type of salesman will do what they have to do to convince you that you cannot live without what they are offering. It could end up costing you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars if you do not put a stop to their pitch.

Don’t pay in full before the work has started. Many conniving contractors ask for full payment only to disappear once they receive the funds.

It’s imperative that damaged shingles as early as possible and even a few flying off can add up to major leaks. Look over your roof, but do so safely.

If your appointment with the roofer is scheduled, but is not to occur for a few more days, you may want to make a temporary leak repair. Try buying heavy duty plastic and layering it over the area. While not ideal, it will provide a temporary solution for you.

Inspect all materials that are being used on your roof. Be certain your materials are intact at all stages of roofing work.

No matter how good your roofer is, problems can come up, especially if your area is prone to bad weather or extreme temperatures. An annual checkup will insure that your roof remains in tip-top shape.

Unless you are required to, do not pay up front. A downpayment of about 25% is all that should be needed to get them started on the job. You don’t need them to do less or poor work than you expected.

Don’t be scared because there is so much to learn. This article’s tips will give you a basic understanding of roofing. If you need to look for more information or stay with what you just learned, you should be good to go. Use these tips to your advantage to save both money and time.