When you own a rental home, it's just as important to keep this roof in good condition as it is to keep the roof healthy in the home that you reside in. A rental home can need roof repair from time to time, and it's up to you to check for the signs of roof damage so you can keep the rental home — and any renters you have in the home — safe. Here are reasons why you should have your rental home's roof cared for.

You're liable for the damages caused to the home

As a landlord, you have a legal responsibility to provide your rental tenants with a safe and reliable roof over their heads, literally. If the roof were to leak and cause damage to your tenants' clothes or furnishings, you'd be potentially liable for the monetary damages and replacement of these things. This is in addition to the damages to the actual rental home. Roof repair on a rental home is essential because you don't want your tenants to live in a way that their health, well-being or security are compromised.

You're able to write off the repairs

Any roof repair or other home repairs you make on your rental home are potential tax write-offs because they can be considered business expenses. This means that so long as you keep track of the repairs by keeping receipts for all supplies, the time you put into repairing the roof, and any repairs to the rest of the home, you can write off these expenses when tax season comes. This makes the roof repair you do less costly in the long run and allows you to keep your tenants in a safe and durable home that will have a longer-lasting roof.

You're able to protect your investment

Perhaps the most important reason to do roof repair on your rental home is to protect the investment you make in the rental home in the first place. When you do roof repair, you help your roof last longer on the property and help prevent future home repair needs that can be caused by a bad roof. In order to best make your home a great investment for future renting, have your roof repair done as needed; your roof repair specialist will also recommend a schedule for having your roof inspected so you can catch future roof repair needs before they become serious concerns.