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By periodically inspecting your
roof and making asphalt shingle roofing repairs as needed, you can avoid
costly water damage to your home. Though working on roof tops is dangerous
work, asphalt shingle roofing repair is not so difficult. To make asphalt
shingle roofing repairs all you need in most cases is a few spare shingles,
some roofing cement and roofing nails, a flatbar, putty knife and a hammer.
When inspecting your asphalt
shingle roof look for missing or cracked shingles and popped nails.
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Also look carefully at the ridge
vent for missing shingle caps or popped nails. Metal ridge vents are
notorious for having popped nails. If left unchecked water can seep in
around the nails that are holding the ridge vent down, and in some cases the
metal ridge vent can literally blow off of the house.
Also check around chimneys, vent
pipes and flashing areas. Make sure the flashing is all intact and not
corroded. In addition, inspect for dried out and cracked roofing cement
around these areas. |
Photo by Mark Donovan |
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Once you have identified the
necessary asphalt shingle roofing repairs, it is important to make them as
quickly as possible. Leaving a damage roof un-repaired puts your home at
risk of expensive water damage.
Roofing Repair
- Replacing Damaged Asphalt Shingles
To replace a damaged asphalt
shingle start by using a flatbar and working the nails loose on the shingle
just above the damaged one. |
Then, using the flatbar or a claw
hammer, remove the nails so that the damaged asphalt shingle can be slipped
out.
After removing the damaged asphalt
shingle insert a new one in its place. Next, fasten the new asphalt shingle to
the roof by replacing the roofing nails that you had previously removed on the
upper shingle. To complete the process, apply roofing cement over the nail heads
and press down firmly on the upper shingle.
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Roofing Repair – Using Roofing
Cement on Cracks and Popped Nails
When inspecting your asphalt shingle
roof for damage you may see some cracked shingles, or shingles with small holes
in them. In addition you may see some popped nails. Usually you can make these
minor asphalt shingle roofing repairs using roofing cement and a putty knife.
Roofing cement is available in large containers and in tubes that you can apply
with a caulking gun.
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For asphalt shingle cracks simply
lift the damaged roofing shingle a little and apply roofing cement underneath it
using your putty knife. In addition, cover the crack with roofing cement using
your putty knife.
In the case of popped nails, hammer
them back down and put a dab of roofing cement over them.
Roofing Repair – Around Chimneys,
Vent Pipes and Flashing Areas
In many cases you can resolve repairs
around chimneys, vent pipes and metal flashing areas with roofing cement. In
other cases you may need to replace the flashing if it is either missing or
damaged.
If you need to replace the metal
flashing you may want to call in a roofing professional. Replacing metal
flashing is a more complicated asphalt shingle roofing repair, as it involves
removing a series of shingles and some of the home siding along the flashing
area.
For help on Shingling Your Home's Roof, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet.
The
Asphalt Shingle Roofing Bid Sheet
will
help to ensure
that
your roof won't end up with a blue tarp over it and a dumpster sitting in your
yard for weeks
as you wait for the roofing contractor to come back and finish roofing your
home.
How to Finance your Roof Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
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