How to Replace & Repair Asphalt Roof Shingles

Replace damaged asphalt roof shingle on your home

Asphalt shingles are an extremely common material used to cover and protect the exterior of any structure with a wooden roof. While durable to an extent, asphalt shingles can crack and become damaged due to constant weather exposure. If you want to replace damaged shingles and repair cracked ones, you can do so easily with roofing sealant and a replacement shingle.

Things You'll Need

• Roofing sealant
• Caulking gun
• Putty knife
• Pry bar
• Replacement shingles
• Roofing nails
• Hammer

Instructions

Repair Cracked Shingles

1. Carefully lift the cracked shingle and lay down a thick strip of roofing sealant underneath the crack.

2. Press the shingle down onto the sealant.

3. Lay down a second thick strip of sealant on the crack on the top of the shingle.

4. Smooth down the sealant with a putty knife.

Replace Shingles

1. Slip a pry bar underneath the damaged shingle and pry up the roofing nail holding the shingle down onto the roof.

2. Carefully pull out the roofing nail and repeat the process for the remaining three nails holding the row containing the damaged shingle down.

3. Slide the pry bar under the row of shingles directly above the damaged shingle and remove the four roofing nails.

4. Pull out the row of shingles containing the damaged shingle.

5. Slide the replacement row of shingles in the place of the old row and fasten to the roof by hammering in 4 roofing nails. Try to space the roofing nails in a similar fashion of the nails you removed.

References

• This Old House: Fixing Damaged Roof Shingles