How To Repair A Damaged Shingle

Every homeowner volition most likely need to replace their roof. Information technology's merely a fact of life.

Depending on the size of the roof and the roofing material, the replacement could price several thousand dollars. But with some basic skills and routine roof maintenance, yous can protect your roof and get the most for your money.

Roofing types

Most roofs in North America are some type of asphalt shingle product that gets nailed to the roof structure in overlapping patterns. The shingles are covered with a topcoat of mineral aggregate for durability.

XXX. Photo via XXX. — A basic asphalt shingle roof.

Usually these minerals take a color depending on the design of the product line. Below the shingles is a roofing paper, which acts as a moisture barrier between the plywood roof construction and the shingles.

The plywood is secured to the frame of the roof. Older homes might accept framing lumber instead of plywood.

In add-on to cobblestone shingles, roofs can come in metal and clay, as well equally a host of other fabric options. Many flat roofs will feature large rolls of asphalt that get installed with a propane torch to melt the rolls to layer beneath it. For this guide, however, we'll stick to the basic asphalt shingle.

2 Roof Shingle — A single asphalt shingle.

Beefcake of a shingle

A lone shingle has a decorative lower half and a plain upper half. The decorative bottom one-half is the exposed portion of the shingle, and the manifestly upper portion is where the covering nails get driven.

On the behind of the shingle is a strip of tar. There is a plastic cover over it to keep it separated from the remainder of the shingles in the package.

3 Back of Shingle — Backside of a single asphalt shingle.

When a shingle is placed on a roof, the top half gets nailed and covered with a second row of shingles in a running bail design so the seams don't marshal. This type of installation approach helps forbid h2o intrusion.

4 Shingles — An example of a running bail pattern with 2 asphalt shingles.

When to replace a roof

Over time, repeated exposure to the hot summers and cold winters will cause the shingles to aggrandize and contract and eventually fail. This is the nearly likely cause for a missing shingle. Large storms, branches and fifty-fifty minor animals tin too crusade damage.

The best time to replace a shingle is in the warmer months of the year. The cobblestone shingles have a strip of tar that melts in the sun's heat and bonds to the roof layers beneath it. Y'all can replace a shingle roof in the winter if you have to, merely it'due south much more common to wait until the weather improves.

When replacing a shingle, be certain to remove any debris from the area, and check for other signs of wear and tear. Sometimes information technology's difficult to tell if there's whatever water intrusion, damage or deterioration.

Ultimately, if you're in uncertainty well-nigh the status of your roof, hire a roofing professional person to inspect it.

Buying a shingle

Asphalt shingles usually start at about $25 per 33 square feet. You'll want to find a shingle that matches the rest of your roof. If you take a ladder and the ability, climb upward to the roof and accept a motion picture of your shingles. So take this with you to the hardware store and so you can pick a shingle that matches.

If y'all aren't able to climb a ladder, simply take a photo of the exterior of your house and attempt to zoom in as close as possible on the roof. Either way, a picture will help you greatly when you are in the middle of a hardware shop surrounded by shingles that all look similar.

How to repair your shingles

Before you start, be sure to fairly gear up to exist on your roof: Secure your ladder, article of clothing prophylactic protective gear and take all your tools ready.

And don't forget to bank check the weather forecast! Never endeavor to go upwardly on your roof in bad weather.

If you lot're unsure if you are physically able to make a roof repair, phone call a professional. Information technology'south always better to exist on the rubber side.

Once you've made the necessary preparations, follow these steps.

Lift upwards the forepart edge of the damaged shingle.
Separate the tar strip from the shingle beneath it.
Slide a flat crowbar nether the shingle.
Pop up the roofing nails holding the shingle down.
Slide out the damaged shingle.
Slide in the new shingle.
Bulldoze a roofing nail through the top half of the new shingle. If possible, try to align the nail near where the final smash was.

5 Shingle Removal — Sliding in and securing a single shingle.

DIY or call a professional?

If you aren't afraid of heights and understand the level of effort and safety risks involved (i.e., falling from heights), then replacing a shingle is doable for any DIYer. However, if your roof has any serious damage, it's time to call in the professionals.

A professional roofer can remove and replace an entire domicile's roof within a twenty-four hours or two. They're usually working with multiple people, and then the job goes much faster.