As time goes by there are many ways our roofs can become damaged or worn in some way, and this includes shingle roof repair. From minor leaks and breaks to larger issues, you can fix some of those without professional help. However, for quite a few of them you will need such to make sure your home is safe. The tips up ahead will give you some information on what you can do to assess the situation and fix most of the issues on shingle roofs. Always remember to only work on the roof as long as its dry and safe to walk on. Your roof protects you and your family from the elements. If you think you’re in need of a repair, follow these tips for shingle roof repair.
Shingle Roof Repair: Check for Damage
The first step in shingle roof repair is to check for damage. You should begin by checking for damage to the roofing shingles right above the spot where you have the leak occurring. You will likely have a higher chance of finding the spot when you have to work on a flat roof. However, leaks can sometimes happen some distance away from the place where the real damage is. It’s important to keep your eyes open and analyze the clues. If you have a slanted roof you should expect gravity to take its toll. Look for the damage above the point where you saw the leak first. The points of origin may be hidden compared to other types or roof. If your home has an attic, you should check it out with a flashlight for possible water stains, mold or black marks. If you can, run a hose with some water on the roof to find the leak origins. This will be a two person job, so get some help if you can.
Look for the curled, damaged or missing shingles close to the leak as well as roofing tacks that are exposed. This is a simple, yet crucial part of the process.
Straighten Out Curled Shingles
Straighten out the shingles that have been curled back by the damage. If you’re doing this in cold weather, you should focus on softening them up first with something such as a blowtorch (be very careful). You can also use another heat source that helps in keeping things soft. When you’re using an open flame you should keep in mind that the shingles are flammable due to the asphalt used in their making.
Reattach Missing Shingles
Put back and reattach the shingles after straightening them. You can straighten them with a good amount of roof cement or a similar compound used around its edges.
Replace all damaged shingles by checking out which ones you can lift off the roof with minimal effort. Keep an eye out for those shingles that are crumbling as well. Remove them by lifting their edges and removing the nails. Scrape the area so you can remove the leftover cement and prepare it for reapplication again. Use a sharp and good utility knife to scrape things off and to round the corners of the shingles you need to put in. Slide the shingle into place and put the galvanized roofing nails into the upper corner, then cover their heads with roofing cement.
Now you can protect your home from roof damage and you will know what to do when you need shingle roof repair.
2 replies on “Emergency Shingle Roof Repair Tips”
You mentioned that when repairing a roof you need to look for the curled, damaged, or missing shingles close to the leak as well as roofing tacks that are exposed. Do most roofers offer routinely scheduled maintenance to prevent damage like this? There have been a lot of storms that have come through our city and this morning I noticed a shingle on our lawn. Hiring a professional roofer to come and repair it might be the best option.
I recently had my roof replaced. I started to notice that a lot of the shingles started to curl due to age and heat. I didn’t have any leaks but the roofer that replaced said that if i was going to wait much longer and go into the winter there might be some areas of concern. I am happy that I was proactive before more damage occurred.