Fixing Asphalt Shingles

Step 1

Check for roof damage above water marks on the ceiling. If you haven’t already tracked down the leak, trace the water harm inner your home. If you have an attic, head up there with a flashlight, and appear for water stains or mold. Note the vicinity of any proof you find, then inspect the corresponding spot on the exterior of your home.

- If your roof is slanted, look at areas that are higher than where you’ve determined indoors proof of a leak. Water enters the leak then, due to gravity, it gets into the attic at a point farther down the roof’s pitch.

        If you have trouble, run a hose for 1 to 2 minutes alongside different sections of the roof. Have a man or woman internal alert you when they spot water.

Step 2

Inspect your roof for large put on and tear. Look for curled, cracked, or lacking shingles at the leak site, and evaluate your roof’s overall condition. See if there are severa failing or missing shingles, vast gaps the place roofing cloth meets vents or a chimney, and different symptoms of huge put on and tear.

- Repairing 1 or 2 shingles and resealing minor gaps are noticeably convenient fixes. However, patches of failing shingles and large wear are signs and symptoms that your roof wishes to be replaced, specifically if it’s over 20 years old.

        Additionally, if you locate giant rot or mold on your roof boards or trusses inside your attic, you might have structural issues that require a professional roofer.

Step 3

Straighten curled shingles. Over time, the corners of asphalt shingles regularly start to curl. Carefully easy out any curled-back shingles, then use a caulking gun to follow a dab of roof sealant underneath the raised corners. Press the shingle down, then use a trowel to cover the shingle’s edges with roof cement .

- Shingles are pliable in warm temperatures. Since they’re brittle in less warm weather, you might want to soften a curled shingle with a blow dryer. Don’t use a warmness torch or any warmth supply extra excessive than a blow dryer, or you’ll damage the shingle.

Step 4

Repair a easy crack with roof sealant. There’s no need to replace a shingle with a easy tear. Instead, apply a thick bead of roof sealant below the crack with a caulking gun. Press the shingle down, then follow another bead of sealant over the crack. Use a putty knife to unfold the pinnacle bead over both edges of the crack.

- To disguise your repair, look around the roof and in the gutter for accumulations of asphalt granules. Collect a small amount, then sprinkle them in the sealant to match its coloration to your shingles.

Step 5

Replace broken or missing shingles. If section or all of a shingle is missing, head to the hardware save to find a matching replacement. To dispose of the damaged shingle, carefully raise the edges of the shingle above it with a pry bar. Use a hammer to cast off the nails at damaged shingle’s 4 corners, slide it out, then scrape the area beneath to do away with any leftover roofing cement.

- If necessary, use a blow dryer to make the surrounding shingles more pliable. After disposing of the old shingle, use a sharp utility knife to round the returned corners of the new shingle; this makes it less complicated to install.

       Slide the new shingle into place, gently carry the shingle above, and force 1 1⁄4 inch (3.2 cm) galvanized roofing nails into the new shingle’s corners. If you removed any nails that secured the shingle above the broken one, replace them.