Types Of Shingle Repairs Your Roof May Need During Its Lifetime
The shingles on your asphalt roof will probably need to be repaired at some point due to age or storm damage. Prompt repairs prevent water damage to your roof and help your roof have a long life. Here's a look at ways a roofer might make shingle repairs for different types of damage.
Seal Cracks And Broken Shingles
If there are just a few cracked shingles, the roofer might repair them with roofing sealant. The sealant is applied under and over the damaged area on the shingle to plug the crack and keep rain from leaking through. A shingle that's broken might be repaired the same way as long as the broken pieces can be fit closely back together and the crack sealed.
Cement Curled Shingles
Roof shingles should be flat, but exposure to the weather and old age can cause the shingles to curl up on the ends. If curling is widespread, the shingles may need to be replaced. If just a few shingles are curling, then it may be possible to flatten each shingle and hold it in place with roofing cement. This work may need to be done on a warm day so the shingle is more pliable.
Shingles With Loose Nails
When a nail works loose, a shingle might get loose and tilt out of alignment. Even though the only damage is an open nail hole from the missing nail, the small hole is enough to cause roof damage over time due to rain that leaks through. This problem can be corrected by repositioning the shingle and driving a new nail through the existing nail hole.
Replace Damaged Shingles
If a shingle is missing or has too much damage, your roofer will put in a new shingle. If you saved shingles from your roofing job to use as patches, your roofer will use one of those. Otherwise, they'll look for a close color match for the patch. If the damaged shingle is still attached to the roof, it will be removed by lifting the shingle above it and then removing the nails holding the damaged shingle in place. A new shingle is then slid under the shingle above it and nails are driven in the existing holes.
Shingle repair is often possible for many reasons, including animal damage, sun exposure, cracks, wind damage, and hail impacts. Shingle repairs are an effective way to extend the life of your roof and protect your home from water damage. Your roofer can replace a single shingle or several, but when damage is widespread, as often happens during a hailstorm, it may be necessary to replace the entire roof rather than focus on individual shingles.
