It's nice to have a roof over your head. It's also nice when that roof doesn't leak or blow away. Here are some things you can do to fix any roofing problems to save you hundreds of dollars--and thousands of raindrops.

How Does It Work?

A roof is the outside top covering of a home or other structure. Typically it's made up of lumber called rafters covered by plywood or planks, roofing felt, and roofing shingles. The roof rafters are supported by ceiling joists. The shingles are made of asphalt, fiberglass, wood, tile, or metal. Galvanized metal flashing is installed anywhere that water might seep through, such as at the edges or where two roofs meet, called valleys.

What Can Go Wrong?

Make sure that all nails on a metal roof have a non-metal washer under them to minimize corrosion.

Roofs leak. It's their most common problem and can cause lots of damage to things under the roof, like ceilings and home contents. So if your roof leaks, repair it immediately. Even better, inspect your roof periodically and repair or replace damaged areas before leaks occur. Flashing can also develop holes and joints can come open. If there's a problem with gutters or downspouts, see Gutter.