Roof leaks are caused by the sun, wind, and rain. If you keep your roof dry and don’t allow the sun to shine on it, you will avoid most roof problems.

Trees cause leaks in a different way. Their leaves and branches collect water and then drop it to the ground as they dry out over the winter. The water freezes and expands, breaking through shingles or even causing the roof to collapse.

Trees can also block gutters, letting rain run into the walls of your house instead of carrying it away. That’s not just a cosmetic problem; water in the walls can rot them from inside.

If you have trees on your property, you should trim them regularly so they don’t damage your roof or make water come into your house.

You can prevent roof leaks by making sure that your roof has the right pitch. The pitch of your roof is how steep it is. Roofs can be anywhere from a few degrees to 45 degrees. Many roofs are between 12 and 20 degrees. The steeper the pitch, the more water will run off it and the less likely you’ll have a leak.

A good way to check the pitch of your roof is to climb up there and look at it closely. Most roofs are made of shingles, which are flat pieces of wood arranged in overlapping rows. In general, the more rows they overlap, the steeper the pitch. You should be able to tell whether or not you have a steep enough pitch looking at your roof from ground level.