When replacing damaged shingles there are three common steps you need to follow such as repairing shingles that have cracked, replacing damaged shingles and gluing down badly curled shingles. Roofing repairs should always be done when the weather is warm and dry, as the shingles will be less likely to crack and more supple. Never attempt repairing a roof when covered in morning dew, wet or icy. If you find this a challenging task you should contact roofing specialists in your area that will provide you with fast preventative maintenance and effective repairs.

Proper safety precautions must be taken when assessing a roof and replacing damaged roof shingles. Wear gripping boots appropriate for walking on roofs, heavy duty gloves and protective eye-wear. Roof jacks should be installed to provide a platform to stand on and harnesses for added protection and safety. When climbing on a roof use a secure sturdy ladder and have a helper secure the ladder at the base. Assess the extent of the damage and how many new shingles you will need, look at the corners to determine if they have pulled up and curled from the roof.

Check for damage to the flashing and moisture barrier and signs of seepage. If there is moisture, replace everything around the area that is damaged. Shingles must be removed when cool as asphalt sealant and asphalt heat up during hot weather making the shingles mouldable and difficult to remove. If necessary, wet the shingles down which helps to firm and tighten them making removal easier. Split or cracked shingles in good condition can be repaired without removing them. When fixing shingles you require a crow bar or pry bar, a utility knife, nail puller or screwdriver, galvanized nails, a caulking gun and silicone caulk, roofing cement and matching singles.

Start by taking off shingles two rows above the damaged shingles. Use a nail puller or screwdriver to raise the nails in the Hail damage on roof shingles spot. Loosen exposed nails then slide a flat pry bar under the shingle and pull it up working around the nail surrounding the damaged section. Lift the surrounding tabs in the first row carefully preventing breakage or cracking. Loosen the adhesive under the tabs of the shingle, pull them out and discard. Continue removing all damaged shingles before replacing them.

When replacing them attach a new shingle onto the bottom row, overlapping the one below it and follow the line of the rest of the shingles in the row. When you get to the last shingle use the utility knife to cut off the nail strip on top. Apply roofing cement to the back of the shingle and slip it under the above shingle and press both shingles firmly. Using galvanized nails, nail the shingle to the roof.

If the existing holes cannot be used, fill them with roofing cement and also cover the nail heads with cement to prevent water seepage and wood damage underneath. If the surrounding shingles are in good nick, reattach them once you have replaced the damaged ones as this saves effort and money. If your roofing is in need of urgent repairs, it is better to remove all the shingles especially if brittle and dry as it is not worth re-securing them to the roof.