Ice at the eaves, hail damage or a leak? Call and reach a local roofer.

What should I do first when a ceiling starts dripping?

Catch the water, move belongings out of its path and photograph the stain. Keep away from any light or outlet the water touches, and stay off the roof. Then call and say that water is coming in: temporary cover is a quick, separate job from the repair, and the roofer decides when a visit is possible.

Water that shows inside is rarely under the opening. It travels along rafters and down the face of a chimney first, so the stain tells the roofer where to begin looking, not where the hole is. A note of when it started and what the weather was doing is useful: a leak during a thaw points at the eaves, while one in a summer downpour points at flashing or a vent.

A tarp is not a repair, and a repair is not a replacement. Say on the call which you think you need, and the roofer will tell you what is realistic.

• Catch it: a bucket or tub under the drip, with a towel in the bottom.
• Clear it: furniture and electronics out of the wet zone.
• Record it: dated photos of the ceiling and any attic staining you can see from the hatch.
• Note it: the time, the weather, and whether it stops when the weather changes.
• Call: say whether water is entering now, and where.

Why do roofs in the northwest suburbs wear the way they do?

Because the housing is mostly postwar and the winters are long. Thousands of 1950s to 1980s ranches and split-levels are on second or third roofs over old decking, with low pitches that shed meltwater slowly and attics that were built to older standards. Heat leaks, ice and wind find the weak points.

Streamwood began with veterans' ranch homes in 1957, Hanover Park followed in 1958, and Hoffman Estates welcomed its first homeowners in late 1955 on half-acre lots. Those houses have long, low rooflines and modest overhangs. The older cores of Glen Ellyn, Palatine, Roselle and Des Plaines add brick chimneys, dormers and pre-war details.

Newer stock in Bartlett, Buffalo Grove and Bloomingdale tends to have more valleys and dormers, and Schaumburg, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park and Wheeling have many condos and townhomes where an association decides about the roof. Each type has its own usual problems, and the call line asks which one you have.

What does Illinois require of a roofer?

Illinois licenses roofing contractors through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The license number and name must appear on every contract and bid, and on building permit applications. Schaumburg requires a permit for residential reroofing and asks for a copy of the license. Ask the roofer for the number and check it with the state.

There are two classes: Limited, for residential buildings of eight units or fewer, and Unlimited, for all buildings. The license guide shows how to check a number, and the permit guide lists what has been confirmed for Schaumburg and Carol Stream and what to ask in other villages.

Homeowners may work on their own property without a license. Hiring someone is different, and the number matters.

How do I tell whether I need a repair or a new roof?

Look at how widespread the trouble is. A few lifted shingles, one failed flashing or a single leaking valley usually means repair. Curling or brittle shingles across a slope, soft decking or leaks in several places point toward replacement. The roofer should explain which applies after looking at the attic as well as the roof.

Age is a clue, not a verdict. Published lifespans for shingles differ widely, and a roof's real life depends on ventilation, exposure and installation. The lifespan guide explains why.

Ask any roofer to set the repair option and the replacement option side by side in writing. The pages on roof repair and roof replacement describe what each involves.