Your roof is arguably the most important structure on your house. It keeps you protected from rain and sun while also keeping your house warm. As it is such an important structure, it needs to be looked after regularly. Roof maintenance can be challenging and sometimes dangerous; therefore, it's very important that you have the right tools for the job. In order to make sure that your roof repairs can be done in a safe and effective manner; there are a few things you should make sure that you have before you get to work.

Ladder

The first thing you need to make sure of is that you have a sturdy ladder that is appropriate for roof repairs. Wooden ladders and ladders with thin steps are not preferable, as they are not as safe as other types of ladders. For your roof repairing needs, you should use a heavy duty ladder, as they can stand still safely even if you have to move around while on the ladder. You should ask a professional at your local hardware store for good ladder options for roof repairs. If you plan a large roof repair project, your hardware store might also be able to rent you scaffolding, or at least direct you to a company that offers scaffolding hire.

Roofing nails

When replacing shingles on your roof, you need to use nails to get them to stick. It's very important that you use nails especially made for the purpose. Roofing nails are more expensive than ordinary nails, but are made for getting through shingles, roof felt and sheet metal for easy shingle installation, something ordinary nails are not. Make sure you have the right type of nails for the area you live in. Aluminium nails are good for most types of roof shingles, but shouldn't be used in coastal areas as they can be affected by the salt in the air. If you're close to the ocean, you should go for stainless steel nails instead.

Shingles scraper

You should also have a shingles scraper available for when you need to remove shingles from your roof. Most people do this with an ordinary pry bar, but this rather large tool can damage the shingles and the underlying structures as you're trying to get the shingle off. A shingles scraper is more like a shovel with a sharp blade that slides under the shingle and lift it up without damaging it. Ask for the best type of shingles scraper for your particular roof at your local hardware store, as there might be different types for different types of shingles.