How To Repair Shingles On Roof

Easy Shingle Repair

Updated: Jun. 30, 2022

Ready those potential leaks at present.

FH08FEB_REPSHI_01-2 Family Handyman

Remove those ugly damaged shingles and end potential roof leaks by post-obit this uncomplicated three-step shingle replacement process.

You lot might too similar: TBD

Supercede damaged shingles

Photo 1: Pry gently to break shingle free

Gently tap a flat bar under the shingles to break the seal-downward strips free. Don't force it—shingles rip easily.

Strip out photo of unmarried shingle showing nail locations

Detect all eight nails in these typical locations.

Photo ii: Pry up shingle and nail together

Wedge the notch of the pry bar nether the shingle at the boom head, and then pry upwardly both shingle and nail.

Photo iii: Nail on the new shingle

Boom downwardly the new shingle, propping the tabs above as you nail to avoid breaking them.

A broken shingle is both ugly and a leak waiting to happen. Merely as long as you tin can find matching shingles (and y'all're not afraid of heights), the repair is straightforward.

Choice a day when the conditions is moderate to do the repair—likewise cold and the shingles can crack; too warm and the shingle sealants are tough to suspension.

Loosen the tabs under the broken shingle and the next ii courses above information technology (Photo 1). Shingles are fastened with viii nails each—4 at the center but in a higher place the tab slots and iv through the shingle to a higher place information technology—and you have to lift up all the shingles that cover those nails to remove them.

Subsequently all the tabs are loose, push the apartment bar upward under the damaged shingle to each blast, centering the nail in the flat bar notch (Photo 2). To avoid ripping shingles, gently work the pry bar under both tabs as y'all push it upward.

Pop out the nails past prying underneath the shingle instead of trying to dig the nail head out from the top of the shingle; that will wreck the shingle. And then push the shingle down from the nail head and pull out the smash. Afterwards removing the eye row of nails on the damaged shingle, lift the undamaged shingles above it and remove the next row of nails. Then pull out the damaged shingle.

Slide the new shingle up into identify. Nail the eye row get-go, then the center row of the course higher up it, nailing 1/2 in. over from the sometime holes (Photo iii). Nail at the top of the slots betwixt the tabs, just above the sealant strip.