The best investment on Earth is the earth.

Louis Glickman

Do you think you're doing the fourth most dangerous job in America?

Well, that's what you would do if you decided to install your new roof.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even police officers have less chance of dying at work than professional roofers do.

Yet countless do-it-yourselves risk life and limb each year try to save some money and prove to be aware of a pneumatic pistol.

There is no better way to meet an orthopedic surgeon or a funeral director than to spend a long time on the roof.

A small mistake or misstep, and it is much longer on the roof.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Installing a Roof

With this warning in mind, here are three questions to ask yourself before committing:

1. Do you feel comfortable with heights?

You might have enjoyed going ballooning with your friends, but it's an entirely different thing to be at 40 feet from the ground on a roof knowing that.

Even after ripping off all the old covers and checking for damage, you still have to install leak protection and roof protection before even thinking about nailing new shingles.

Moreover, wear boots with rubber soles to hopefully keep you from tripping over a smooth spot. Use safety glasses to prevent yourself from injuring an eye with an incorrectly hammered nail, and a harness (we hope ) prevents you from falling to the ground when working on a steep roof.

2. Are you as strong as you think?

You'd better hope this way because you'll be dragging on a ladder that looks like tons of roofing material and equipment.

The equipment alone includes:

• An air compressor

• a circular saw

• a hacksaw

• an electric drill

• a tripod

• a roofing shovel

• a hammer

• a chisel 

• pneumatic nail gun (which has been described as a weapon)

3. Do you already have the necessary tools?

Remember, that was just a partial list you just read.

As Angie's List says, if you have to buy an electric saw but do not plan to use it in the future, it's probably not a good investment.

And for those who ask, the first three most dangerous jobs are loggers, fishermen, and pilots.

The cops, incredibly, have not even made the top ten.

Roofing Facts

• Some of the oldest roofing materials in the world are thatch, clay, and stone. Probably the thatch was used between 5000 and 1800 BC.

• The clay tiles date back to around 10,000 BC.

• Thatched roofs are useful because the cane used is naturally impermeable, and is so tightly packaged that it merely throws water.

• Red and white cedar shingles are listed as one of the most "classic" roofing types for homes in the Pacific Northwest.

• Metal roofing materials are often lighter than wooden shingles.

• Asphalt shingles are a more recent product (invented around 1900), they are by far the most popular coverage product in America.

• Green roofing materials are more durable than asphalt shingles.

• Traditional green roofs (the type with the plants that cross them) do not lose if they are installed correctly. The plants and the ground protect the roof from sun damage and extreme temperature changes.

• Water tends to travel before it drips visibly. A leak can come out about twenty meters from the first loss in a roof.

Real Estate Photography Facts

Check out these real estate photography facts you need to know.

• If you have NOT booked a professional photographer to shoot your listings, you should think about doing so.

• Buyers spend (60%) of their time looking at photos - only (20%) each on the listing description. (The Wall Street Journal)

• Homes with high-quality photos receive a 47% higher price. (CBS News)

• 83% of buyers cited pictures as essential.

• Agents who outsource photography earn twice as much commission as those who do not.