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Roof Shingles
Leak
Problem: Home’s roof leaks.
Background: Damaged or missing asphalt or
fiberglass shingles can cause roof leaks. Seriously
consider the risks of doing the job yourself, especially
if the roof is steep, if the repairs seem complicated, or
if you do not have the equipment you need (such as the
right ladders). Try to repair asphalt shingles when the
weather is relatively warm, because they can become
brittle in cold weather.
What to do: If the roof is leaking, determine the
general area by looking inside the attic. Shingles with
only small cracks may be fixed with roofing cement. If a
shingle is dam aged or torn, but does not need re placing,
raise it and apply a good amount of roofing cement to the
underside. Press the shingle into place and nail it down
with galvanized roofing nails. If the shingle needs re
placing, raise the shingles above the damaged one. Pull
the nails from the damaged shingle with a claw ham mer.
(If the nails can’t be reached with a hammer, cut off with
a hacksaw blade or use a flat pry bar to remove them.)
Remove the shingle, install the new shingle, and nail in
place.
Special advice: Generally use 2 nails to secure
each tab of a shingle strip; this means you would use 6
nails for each full strip. The shingle should be blind
nailed, or covered by the upper shingles when they are
lowered in place. After nailing, remember to apply a dab
of asphalt cement over the nail heads, before lowering the
upper shingles into place.
Helpful hint:
Sometimes, if you don’t have a replacement shingle, you
can use a section of metal flashing under the damaged
shingle. Slip it underneath and nail it to the roof, then
coat the underside of the damaged shingle with roofing
cement and press it into place. |
