How To Fix Roof Shingles

Well Start With How To Stop A Metal Roof From Leaking

How to repair loose roof shingles. When you fix rotted wood on your roof, you help to keep it watertight to prevent leaks and additional damage. Slide out the old shingle. If a shingle is simply cracked or torn, you don’t have to replace itjust repair it.

From the time you get on the roof, you want to be aware of any spots that are most likely to leak. Shingle roofs are usually easy to fix. Carefully lift the upper shingle and secure the new shingle with roofing nails.

Use a flat bar to pry up the damaged shingle and remove the nails, being careful not to damage the shingle above it. Use a flat pry bar under the shingle to break the seal. You can avoid replacing your whole roof if you only take care of it one shingle at a time.

Continue laying shingles in the established pattern until the entire repair is covered. Loose roof shingles that don’t seal well can cause roof leaks to occur. When you notice shingles on your home with edges curling up or down, its a sure sign that the roof is near the end of its useful life.

Extensive damage costs $1,000 to $3,000 to fix a sagging roof or leaks with structure repair. How to repair a loose roof shingle. Slide the new shingle up into place.

Replace any nails you removed from the shingles above the damaged one. If the shingles are severely damaged, don’t try to salvage them. Once the damaged piece is removed, slide the new shingle strip or tab into its proper place.

Painting Roof Shingles Shingle siding, Composition roof

Reasons A Roof Shingle May Be Blown Off Include:

Faulty installation.

Nails may be placed too high on the shingle instead of through the nailing strip, allowing the shingle to tear under adverse conditions.

Roof damage.

If the underlying roof structure is damaged or decaying, the shingles cannot attach securely and can allow moisture or wind to gather underneath them. With decay, the shingle nails can pop out and loosen the shingle.

Cure time not sufficient.

When adhesive seals are used, they need time to cure in order to operate at their maximum efficiency: about 4-6 weeks, depending on the rain and sun conditions. A newly-placed shingle may not have had sufficient time to set.

Age.

A typical roof normally lasts between ten and 15 years. As shingles age and endure years of exposure to the elements, they become weaker in material and seals.

»Related: How to Replace Asphalt Shingles

How To Repair A Torn Or Curled Asphalt Shingle

Heres how to repair a torn asphalt shingle:

1Carefully lift the torn piece or damaged corner, and, using a putty knife, carefully spread a layer of asphalt roofing cement under it. Be careful not to smear the cement on exposed portions of roofing.

2Tack down a curled corner with one roofing nail. If your are repairing a tear, tack down the two torn halves with two roofing nails on each side of the tear.

3Carefully apply roofing cement over the crack and on top of the nailheads to seal up any potential leaks. Keep the amount of cement at a minimumthis will be visible on the surface of your roof.

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Contact Dmg Exteriors For Shingle Repair

Your roof needs to stay in good repair in order to keep out rain, snow, and hail. It also has to help insulate your home from temperature changes. Plus, your roof and shingles should survive occasional high winds. If your roof shingles are falling off, we can fix the problem.

At DMG Exteriors, we perform every roof service that you need. We offer professional inspections to assess any problems, and we can install and replace roofs, and much more!

Compare us to our competitors in Northwest Indiana to see why DMG is your best choice for a roof you can trust. And, if you need flexible ways to pay for roof services, we have several excellent financing options for various customer situations.

Contact DMG Exteriors today and find out how we can take care of all your roofing needs.

Should I Call Insurance Or Roofer First

If youre in need of asphalt shingle roof repair it may be a good idea to contact your insurance company as they may be able to cover the cost of repairs. In some cases, however, if they dont pay then this claim can increase your insurance policy premium. Get an idea of what should be done by doing your research or speaking with a roofing company to see what can be done with your roof.

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Should I Replace Or Repair My Curled Shingles

If your asphalt shingles have begun to curl, it is a definite sign that it is time to take preventive action. Curled shingles could be due to the age of the shingles, or they could indicate serious problems in the attic space. Furthermore, if the shingles were not installed correctly, curling could occur. Repairing curled shingles may be possible under certain circumstances. Although replacing the curled shingles could be an option, it may just be time for a roof replacement. Have a professional roofing contractor perform a roof inspection to evaluate your roof system.

How Often Should You Replace Your Roof Shingles

Any damage or signs of wear call for immediate action to keep water from seeping under the shingles and rotting the wood sheathing beneath. Ignoring a problemeven what appears to be a small onewill accelerate the need to reroof and can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a new roof.

Pro2Pro Tip: Always make roof repairs on a warm, dry afternoon the shingles will be more supple and less likely to crack. And never climb onto a roof thats wet, icy or covered with morning dew.

If your roof is more than 20 years old and most of the shingles are damaged or badly worn, its time to replace it. But if your roof is basically sound and is at a relatively shallow pitch that youre comfortable working on, you can probably handle most repairs yourself.

Here, well take you through the three most-common ones: replacing asphalt shingles gluing down a badly curled shingle and repairing shingles that have cracked.

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Composite Laminate And Architectural Shingles Repair

Minor composite roofing repairs cost $200 to $300 per square for roof-over installations or replacing some shingles. Composite, laminated, or architectural shingle replacement costs $350 to $1,000 per square, depending on the material quality.

• Shingles are easy to replace individually.
• Requires replacement when the stone granules begin to come off.
• Prone to damage from high winds and can lose entire sections.
• Lightweight shingles can lift, allowing water underneath.
• Composite or synthetic shingles are suitable patching materials when other roofing is unavailable.

Repairing A Shingle Without Replacing It

via FloridaDisaster.org

The most common scenario for this is something like a tree branch or baseball striking the roof and cracking a shingle or two.

Youll need a tube of roofing sealant like that made by Dap or Henry, plus a caulk gun and a narrow putty knife.

Together, the cost of the above items will be $25-$55 depending on the quality of the caulking gun. Ahead of time, scoop shingle granules out of the gutter, rinse them in a sieve, and allow them to dry, and then:

• Gently lift the broken shingle, and apply a thick bead of sealant to the underside of the crack
• Press the shingle gently against the roof
• Apply a bead to the crack from the top side
• Tool the sealant with the knife, gently pressing it into the crack without scraping it off
• Sprinkle the granules onto the sealant, and youve hidden your roof repair

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Two: Remove The Nails And Damaged Shingle

After the tabs are loose, remove the eight nails. Once again, its important to work carefully to avoid ruining the surrounding shingles. Instead of trying to pull the nail out of the top of the shingle, use your pry bar to slide underneath the shingle and pry the nails up. You can then push the shingle down gently off of the nail.

Once you remove the center row of nails from the bad shingle, lift the good shingle above it and delete the top row of nails. After you remove all of the nails, you can pull out the damaged shingle.

Cracked Roof Shingles Repair

If a shingle is simply cracked or torn, you don’t have to replace itjust repair it. Start by applying a thick bead of roofing sealant under the crack. Press the shingle down and apply a second bead of sealant on top of the crack. Then spread the sealant with a putty knife.

The best part of this fix is that no one has to know you made it. It’s easy to camouflage: Check the gutter for an accumulation of colored granules that have washed down the roof from the shingles. Then gather some into a small cup and sprinkle them over the sealant to mask the repair.

Read Also: Metal Roof Skylight

How Do High Winds Lead To Roofing Damage

Wind gusts of 40 mph have been found to damage shingles or even lift them from rooftops, especially if the shingles are aging or are improperly sealed. When this occurs, dirt, leaves, branches or other debris blows underneath the shingles and speeds deterioration of your roofing underlay. Between the underlay damage and shingle loss, you may need to replace large potions of your roof.

Contact Smartroof For Roof Repair Or Replacement

Every homeowner should know how to repair roof shingles that have blown off as part of their homeowner maintenance checklist.

But if need a free estimate or youd like us to help you replace your blown-off shingles as the result of storm damage, please give us a call. Our experienced roofers will get the job done in no time.

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How To Repair Asphalt Shingles

Step-by-step expert advice on repairing curled, torn, or damaged asphalt roofing shingles. Includes advice to stop a roof leak quickly.

Its important to fix or replace torn or curled asphalt shingles before the problem gets severe enough to permit leaks or the pieces break apart and blow off the roof.

If you dont have close-match replacement shingles for your roof, repairing a torn or curled shingle will be your easiest and best option. On the other hand, if you have replacement shingles that match your roof, entirely replacing the damaged shingle will result in better, less noticeable repair. For more about replacing a shingle, please see How to Replace a Damaged Asphalt Shingle.

If you suspect that your asphalt roof has aged before its time, check out the new book by our friend, Tim Carter of Ask The Builder, Roofing Ripoff: Why Your Asphalt Shingles Are Falling Apart and What You Can Do About It.

• Buying Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Working on top of a roof can be challenging and dangerous. Unless your roofs pitch is relatively low and you have the necessary experience, tools, and confidence to get the job done safely, you should leave this work to a professional. In this case, please see our affiliate partner, HomeAdvisor, to receive free bids from local asphalt shingle roof repair pros.

Opt For An Assistance

You can not look after everything on your own. Repairing or replacing your home roof is really a challenging task. Here you have to spot the places that need repairing or replacement. After that getting the material is another hectic task.

At the same time, you also have to ensure your safety. So, utilizing a helping hand is always advised. While you are doing the repairing tasks on one part, the assistant will be able to keep the other part ready to repair by conducting some initial check-ups.

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Three Remove The Nails

• Sometimes the nails can be removed by direct access, but often trying to pry out the nails from above the shingle can damage the shingles granular surface. It is therefore better to lift the shingle AND the nail at the same time, so youll need to access the bottom of the target shingle.

Slide the pry bar up tight to each nail area and pry upwards on the shingle, which will also lift the nail out of the deck. Lift all four nails out of the target shingle.

NAIL IN THE TARGET SHINGLE

Roof Shingle Repair Cost

Roof shingle repair costs $200 to $600 on average for replacing a few missing or broken asphalt shingles or roofing over up to 100 SF. Fixing roof shingles costs $350 to $1,000 per square for a full tear-off and replacement.

• Skylight Skylight flashing repair costs $150 to $500. Replacing the whole skylight costs $800 to $1,500.
• ChimneyChimney repair costs$200 to $500 to repair flashing, while replacing flashing costs $300 to $1,500.
• Vent pipe Roof vent pipe flashing repairs cost $200 to $500, including re-sealing pipe caps. Pipe flashing prevents leaks at the joint where the pipe meets the roofing surface.
• Drip edge Replacing drip edge flashing costs $1 to $2 per linear foot and prevents water from going underneath the shingles at the roof’s edge and rotting the fascia, soffit, or roof decking.

Also Check: How Do You Know If Your Roof Is Leaking

Factors That Determine Replacement Time

The factors that will determine the time it takes to replace a roof are:

1. Weather

• If the roofing is being replaced during cold weather, additional steps are necessary that require additional time.
• Its also highly recommended not to replace roofing during rain or snow, as this type of weather can add to the time it takes to replace the roof.
• Cold weather can affect how the asphalt shingles stick and seal. According to Certainteeds shingle installation bulletin, Extra care should be taken when handling and/or installing asphalt shingles when the air and surface temperatures are at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Snow covered, wet or icy roofs make for hazardous and unsafe working conditions for our roofing crews. You can read tips from Certainteed here: Safety Tips from Certainteed

2. Roofing Materials and Design

• Shingles come in different materials. Each material requires a different method and time frame for installation.
• The most common shingle types and their average replacement times are:
• Asphalt Shingles one to three days
• Wooden Shingles six to eight days
• Slate Tiles six to seven days
• Concrete Tiles eight to nine days

3. Total House Size

4. The Steepness of the Roof

5. Historical Significance of Home

6. Accessibility of your Roof

7. Structural Damage

Find A Reputable Roofing Contractor

If you didnt do this as part of the step above, now is the time.

Your best ally in a fight over roof repair will be a licensed roofing contractor, not an attorney. Make sure they have:

• A stellar reputation
• Experience dealing with insurance claims

A good roofer will help with the next few steps before repairing the roof.

Prevent Further Damage!

Most homeowners policies require you to cover the damaged roof immediately.

Did you know?Claims for secondary damage are usually denied when the necessary steps have not been taken to protect the roof.

Heres a common and unfortunate scenario:

Storm 1 blows a bunch of shingles off a roof.

Storm 2, a week later, brings wind-driven rain that gets into the unprotected home and destroys everything it touches ceilings, walls, flooring, electronics and more. This is why many homes must be gutted or demolished after hurricanes.

Bad storms damage hundreds or thousands of homes in their path. This makes it impossible for roofers to make quick repairs.

Instead, your roofing company will get the damaged areas tarped and secured to protect your home and your wallet. Once this is done, the roof should be OK until repairs can be made.

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Other Common Roofing Problems

Leaks can also occur around other areas of the roofs flashing, such as the counter flashing surrounding the chimney, or the step flashing at the base of a dormer or adjacent wall. If the counter flashing around your chimney is leaking, use roof sealant to repair cracks and glue individual pieces back down.

If you find a leak in the step flashing along a dormer, a sidewall, or around a skylight, there are two options. The first is to replace the flashing, which means you have to strip away the shingles and siding in that area, then reverse the process by installing new flashing and siding.

The second option is to repair the damaged flashing with a judicious application of roof sealant. The trick here is to keep the sealants surface relatively smoothbig beads or lumps of sealant can actually divert water, preventing it from draining properly. Nails used to secure flashing should not be exposed if they are exposed, apply sealant to their heads. In some cases, repair is only a stopgap until the flashing can be replaced with the rest of the roof.