How to Replace a Damaged Asphalt Shingle

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Timely replacement of a damaged roof shingle can prevent further leak damage or extend the life of a roof that's just beginning to fail. Hopefully your roofer left behind a partial bundle for repair purposes.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Roofing Cement
Replacement Shingle
Long Safety Rope
Putty Knife
Roofing Nails
Extension And Roof Ladders
Flat Pry Bar
Hammer
Wood Block

Step1

See "Setting up ladders and equipment," How to Repair a Cracked or Split Wood Shingle, to set up ladder safely.

Step2

Tap a large, flat pry bar under the damaged shingle just above the gap between tabs until you hit a nail. Center the tool's nail-pulling slot on the nail, tap the bar in a bit more, and press down on the other end to pry the nail partly out. Then place a block of wood under the bar just down the roof from the nail to act as a fulcrum, and pry out the nail the rest of the way.

Step3

Continue to remove all nails that secure shingles directly above the damaged shingle and that also penetrate the top edge of the damaged shingle.

Step4

Pull out the damaged shingle and slip in the replacement (see A).

Step5

Align the replacement shingle and lift the shingle above it as needed to nail the new one into place with 1-inch (2.5-cm) roofing nails (see B).

Step6

Replace any nails that you removed from the shingles above.

Step7

Dab roofing cement over all the nail heads that you couldn't remove without breaking the shingle, as far up as it should go (just above the notch).

Step8

Use a putty knife to spread a little roofing cement under each shingle tab that you lifted during the repair, and press each shingle down to adhere it to the one below.