Roof Repair – Why You Shouldn’t Do It Yourself

A thorough roof inspection should be conducted from the ground, inside your attic and on the roof. Check shingle corners, vents, chimneys, skylights and flashing.

Metal flashing prevents leaks where shingles meet other surfaces, like walls and chimneys. But sloppy flashing work often results in leaking water. Look for rust, looseness, and caulk cracks.

Damaged Shingles

Shingles can be damaged by wind, snow, hail, and other natural elements. Even without a major storm, shingles can become loose and allow water to seep underneath. This will eventually lead to rot and structural problems in your home.

Regularly inspect your roof and rescue any loose shingles you find. While you’re up there, check for cracked or broken tiles, worn spots and damaged fascia boards. You should also prune trees and shrubbery to keep limbs from brushing against your roof.

If a shingle is damaged, use a pry bar to loosen the roofing nails that hold it in place. Once the nail is free, remove the old shingle. To install the replacement shingle, slightly round the back corners to make it easier to slide into place. Reseal the edges of the shingle and work your way up the roof, replacing any shingles that are damaged or loose. This will help prevent leaks and extend the life of your roof.

Missing Shingles

When a shingle is missing, the surrounding shingles are put at risk. The hole that is created exposes the underlayment to moisture that can cause serious damage to your roof and interior of your home.

Most people may think that a single missing shingle is not a big deal, but they are wrong. This is especially true if the shingle that is missing was directly above a seam. Water that seeps into the gap caused by a missing shingle can then saturate the underlayment, causing a leak very quickly.

Missing shingles also expose the sheathing to moisture that can cause rot. This can be very difficult to repair once it has happened, making a missing shingle an important issue that should not be ignored. A professional can easily fix a missing shingle by tarping the area safely (a job that should only be done by a professional as climbing on your roof is dangerous). This will stop the leak and protect the sheathing until a permanent solution can be found.

Damaged Flashing

Roof flashing is usually more durable than shingles and other roof elements, but it can still suffer from damage. Often, flashing will develop small holes caused by corrosion from repeated dripping water. These are relatively easy to repair with a good bit of roofing cement. It’s important that roofing professionals perform this work to ensure they do it correctly. It’s also not a job that homeowners should attempt to do themselves. If they’re not familiar with the details of roofing, it’s quite possible that a small mistake will lead to serious problems and expensive repairs.

Flashing can also be damaged from weather or from improper installation during a roof’s original construction. The best way to prevent problems with your flashing is to have a professional roofer inspect it during regular Roof Repair. This can help to catch any problems before they cause major water leaks in your home. These leaks can lead to wood rot in joists and timber framing, which will require extensive and costly repairs.

Old Shingles

When a shingle is old and brittle it’s time to replace it. If you leave it, the deteriorating material can infiltrate your attic and wreak havoc with electrical wiring, outlets, and other components.

The good news is that shingles are fairly easy to repair. If you’ve got some basic tools and a little time, you can make your roof look brand new again.

Start by gently prying up the shingle. There may be four nails holding it in place, and those nails also hold the shingle above it, so loosen them all with a pry bar.

Once the shingle is removed, scrape off any protruding roofing nails with a utility knife. Next, put down a thick coat of roof cement and place the replacement shingle over it. It should fit snugly against the shingles on either side and be hidden under shingles in the row above. If you’re not able to match the color, cut a patch out of sheet aluminum or copper and glue it on.