Roofing materials come in a very wide range of forms – slate and wood may lead the way in terms of natural materials, but manmade materials may be better in terms of both appearance and performance.  Which you should choose will be determined by a number of factors including their appearance but also:

• Ability to withstand natural and environmental conditions such as high winds during a hurricane or heat resistance if you are in an area prone to wildfires;
• The weight of the materials being used and whether the roof framing is able to support the roof;
• How long will the roofing material last – some products may last 20 years while others are good for a hundred;
• What do the local building codes or other restrictions have to say about the use of the material – is the proposed roofing material allowed or mandated by local regulations;
• Ease of maintenance and cleaning – the last thing you want is a great looking roof which requires a regular visit topside when you are afraid of heights; and
• What is it all going to cost?

The most popular roofing material are asphalt shingles with more than three-quarters of American homes using them.  They can be made using organic matting which is good for cold weather or be based upon fiberglass, which provides greater fire and water resistance, and then they are coated with granules.  They are a cheap roofing material and come in a wide variety of color variations so you are pretty well assured that you can get the appearance you are looking for.

Metal roofing is great for a traditional look and nothing beats the sound of the rain on a metal roof!  Usually made from a combination of the following – steel, aluminum, copper and zinc – they provide a long lasting roof which is lightweight and can be painted or if copper coated, can be left to acquire a green color as it ages.  They also allow for less heat absorption than asphalt and offer very high fire resistance but they are more expensive.

Clay tile is excellent for providing a Spanish, hacienda-look but the color can fade despite the long-life.  They offer low maintenance and excleent fire resistance but are easy to break and not such a good idea in areas where high winds are likely to be experienced – they are also very heavy and need appropriate roof support.  Concrete tile is a good substitute for clay tile if you are looking to cut the price tag but they are still not cheap however, they do everything a clay tile can do and can be made to look just the same.

Slate is one of the oldest roofing materials known to man and it offers very high fire, wind and water resistance but it is very expensive and needs trained roofers to fit it.  Slate also needs a high slope to be fitted onto and it is not suitable for a low pitched roof, while it is heavy and needs strong roof support.  It will last for more than a hundred years but the quality depends on where it originates from.

Finally, wood has long been used as a roofing material and it can come in sawn shingles or split shakes and while cedar is very popular, there are other rot and infestation resistant woods used as well.  Wood provides the ultimate natural look, but it comes with a relatively short lifespan and requires a lot of maintenance.  Obviously, not highly rated when it comes to fire resistance either though it can be treated with a retardant.

We usually discover a leak when we have a particularly heavy rainfall, that means during a storm and usually it has to be the middle of the night too!  It’s just a fact of life we all have to live with but there are things you can do straight away to minimize the damage and impact on your home – but always remember, be safe first!

It is also a devil of a job to locate exactly where the leak is coming from when it appears, so it is better to simply cover off a section of the roof rather than spend time in inclement conditions, trying to specifically locate the leak.

You can make an emergency cover for your leaky roof using plastic sheeting and lengths of 2×4’s.

First, the plastic sheeting should be fairly thick (6-mil is good) and you need to unroll enough of it to cover off the section of roof.  You are looking to have a length of sheeting which will run from the eaves to over the ridge line, and add another 4 feet just to make sure.  Cut the end of the sheeting with a utility or craft knife.  Use a length of 2×4 which is cut to the same length as the width of the sheeting and staple or tack the sheeting to it.  Lay another length over this to sandwich the sheeting between the two lengths of wood and secure this using 3-inch nails.

Next, place the sandwich assembly along the eaves and then run the plastic sheeting up the roof and over the ridge line.  Secure the sheeting on the other side of the roof using another pair of 2×4’s but don’t secure this section with nails or fasteners.

Do NOT nail any part of the temporary cover to the roof!

NEVER go on a roof during a thunderstorm, take care you do not step onto the plastic sheeting, especially if it is wet and do not try to perform this on a steep-pitched roof.

If you let your gutters deteriorate, then eventually water will pour down on to woodwork, siding and create damp around brickwork and foundation of your home. More than this, the weight of accumulated debris and trapped water will eventually lead to a weakening of the gutter fixings which in turn, can lead to the gutters and downpipes coming loose from their mounting.

You can hire someone to perform the service for you, and if you are uncomfortable working up a ladder, and certainly if your roof is more than one story in height, you should consider this option, otherwise you can easily do the job yourself and save some valuable money.

You should clean your gutters at least twice a year and more often if your roof is situated under trees (because of the debris not just from falling leaves but also from branches and twigs). You will need a sturdy ladder; a step-ladder is best but an extension ladder can also be used as long as you are careful when you set it up – it will lean against the gutter and you must not break it. You can protect the gutter to some extent by placing a piece of 2 x 4 inside it. At all times, ensure the ladder is standing on a firm base and is secure before you climb it.

It is dangerous to work from the roof side rather than from a ladder – only if you have a very gently steeping pitch and have good weather conditions, so the roof is not wet, icy or has snow on it and there is no wind, should you consider working from the roof itself.

First step is to scoop out the loose debris and start from the low end of the gutter at the point where it meets the drainpipe. Next, use your water hose to apply a jet of water under pressure to clean away any more stubborn debris and finally, make sure the drainpipes are not blocked (use a plumber’s auger or snake to clear blocked drainpipes).