A shingled roof is only as protective as its weakest shingle. One torn asphalt shingle in need of roofing repair may not seem like much of a problem; however, it can open a bigger can of worms that leads to extensive damage.
Making minor repairs is an essential part of roofing maintenance. If you are handy with tools, you may be able to repair a torn shingle without having to arrange for professional roofing services.
When Shingles Are Damaged
Asphalt shingles are durable against rain, wind, and even impact to a certain degree. Still, a loose shingle or one that is hit in just the right way by flying debris or a tree branch can be easily torn. If you find a ripped shingle while doing the routine inspections that are a part of regular roofing maintenance, make that repair right away. This will reduce the chance of the bottom layers of the structure being exposed to moisture that could spread and lead to rotting of the decking or some other type of damage.
What You Need to Repair a Torn Shingle
To make the correct roofing repair on a torn asphalt shingle in the same way professional roofing services would, you will need the following supplies:
- Asphalt roofing cement or sealant
- A putty knife
- A few roofing nails
- A light hammer
- A safe outdoor ladder that reaches your roof
- A dry, sunny day
Making a Simple Repair to a Torn Shingle
Once you have the supplies listed above and waited for a sunny day to do roofing repair, carefully climb onto the roof. This simple roofing maintenance repair is for torn shingles that are not missing any pieces. If the shingle is not complete, you must do a replacement repair rather than a tear repair.
Follow the simple instructions below to fix the torn shingle just as roofing services would do; you'll be done in minutes:
- Slide the putty knife under the torn flaps of the shingle to gently separate it from the underlying shingle. Avoid lifting it too much or it could break. If any pieces do break off, the entire damaged shingle must be replaced.
- Put cement or sealant on the shingle below the torn flaps and spread it out evenly with the putty knife. Spread the cement under the entire lifted area, being careful not to get any on the exposed parts of the underlying shingles.
- Lay the torn flaps down on top of the sealant so they fit together and the tear matches uniformly and no exposed sealant is visible. Tap in one roofing nail on each side of the tear to further secure the flaps.
- Put another layer of sealant on top of the tacked tear and over the nail heads, then smooth it out. This should keep moisture from getting under the nails or seeping through the remaining crack from the repaired tear. Once the sealant dries, the shingle should be watertight and secure.
By using this easy method, you should have little difficulty doing a simple roofing repair on one or two torn shingles. If more than a few shingles appear damaged during your regular roofing maintenance inspection, it is best is to arrange for professional roofing services to inspect the structure. Multiple torn or broken shingles could indicate a problem with the shingles or a need for a more complete repair!
