Even though a roof replacement is best left to professionals, it’s understandable that you would want to replace a few cracked or missing shingles yourself. If you’re interested in this kind of do-it-yourself roof repair, here are the basics of replacing asphalt shingles.
Gather the Proper Tools and Equipment
Before you do anything, make sure that you have all the right tools and safety equipment for the job. You’ll need a flat pry bar or shingle remover, a hammer, galvanized roofing nails, a utility knife for cutting shingles down to size, and some roofing cement. As for safety equipment, you should have a roofing harness with an anchor, rubber-soled shoes, a sturdy extension ladder, heavy work gloves, and safety glasses.
Remove the Damaged Shingles
Since asphalt shingles overlap with one another, you’ll need to lift a few shingles surrounding the damaged ones. Slide your pry bar underneath a shingle above one that you need to replace. Gently lift the shingle to gain access to the damaged shingle. Be careful that you don’t damage any of the good shingles.
Once you have access to a damaged shingle, use the pry bar to remove the nails holding it in place. Do this slowly and carefully; avoid ripping the nails out since it can damage the underlayment. A shingle should slide out easily once you’ve removed all the nails.
Inspect the Deck Underneath the Shingles
After you’ve removed some shingles, check the underlying deck for signs of rot or moisture. If the wood feels soft and spongy to the touch or is visibly rotting, you have underlying structural damage that can’t be fixed with new shingles. In fact, applying new shingles to a bad deck could make your problems much worse. Contact a professional roofing company and ask about more extensive repairs.
Install Your New Shingles
If your deck is in good condition, you can install your new shingles. Slide a shingle into position with its lower edge aligned with the shingles on either side. Drive four roofing nails across the shingle’s nail line while keeping each nail about an inch from the shingle’s edges. Apply a quarter-size dab of roofing cement over each exposed nail head and press down on the overlapping shingles. Repeat the process until all of your new shingles are in place.
While installing new shingles may not seem like a difficult task, there is still a lot of risk involved whenever you’re working on a roof. If you have any doubts that you can complete a roofing job safely, contact a professional roofer instead of tackling the job yourself. When you need asphalt shingle roofing services in Manalapan Township, NJ, contact A-Top Roofing & Construction.