How to Start a Shingle Roof Repair
Shingle roofs can last for more than 20 years if they are not subjected to extreme weather and were installed properly. If you need repairs on a shingle roof, you can hire a professional or try to do the work yourself. Shingle roof repair is not as hard as you might think. You will need to be prepared with the right tools and supplies, and have good instructions to do the job correctly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shingles
- Ridge shingles
- Asphalt roofing cement
- Hammer
- Flashing material
- Chalk line
- Tin snips
- Level
- Ladder
- Work gloves
- Roofing nails
- #15 Felt roofing
- Heavy duty staple gun
- Staples
- #90 Mineral surface roofing
- Pry bar
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Figure out what you need to repair roof shingles and buy it. How many shingles you need will depend on how much repair work the roof needs. Shingles are sold in a square, which is several bundles of 29 shingles each packaged together. The number in the square will vary depending on the thickness and weight of shingles but there will be enough to cover 100 square feet of roof. That is probably sufficient for minor shingle repair but determine how many shingles you'll need before your buy. Make sure you have your other supplies, such as felt and cement, before you start working. If you do need an entire square of shingles for your repair work make sure to get 2½ pounds of roofing nails.
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2
Check the roof's structure for damage. You may have to replace or repair the wooden structure of the roof before repairing your shingle roof.
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3
Look for loose nails. Shingles may be loose because the nails holding them to the roof are loose. If the shingle needs to be removed then use a pry bar to pull up the loose nails. If the shingle is not damaged you can just hammer the nails back down to secure the shingle.
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4
Remove bad shingles. Use a pry bar to pull up shingles that are warped, cracked, split, or damaged in any way. Make sure to get them out of your work area.
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Replace shingles. If you are installing replacement shingles over the roof's structure, you will need to put down a layer or roofing felt and staple it. If you are installing shingles over existing layers of shingles, you'll want to put roofing cement on the shingle edges before laying it down. Once applied, take four nails and hammer them directly across the middle of the shingle. Follow this process for other shingle roof repairs.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear shoes that won't slip. Get someone to help you.
Stay away from power lines and antennas near your roof.
