An essential part of home maintenance is maintaining the roof. In addition to keeping you and your family safe from the elements, your roof is also an important structural component of your home. Even a few broken shingles can be a risk, so when you notice shingles are damaged or broken, you need to repair them immediately. Keeping your shingles in top shape will prevent water from seeping under and damaging the sheathing. Not to worry, though. Replacing broken shingles is a reasonably inexpensive job, so whenever you see broken or cracked shingles, here are a few things you should do.
Check the Damage
As soon as you discover a broken roof shingle, you should assess the damage. Roofing shingles that are damaged can cause leaks and tears in the ceiling and insulation. By considering the damage, you will determine what solutions are available. Specialists must handle damages that are too extensive.
Remember that problems related to roofing can aggravate and spread quickly if left unattended, so you need to act quickly whenever you notice a shingle that is damaged.
Get Shingles Replaced
Whenever shingles are damaged, they have to be replaced as a whole. First, check if your previous roof work left any shingles behind. Do you have any? If not, head to your local hardware store and pick up a bundle.
A flat pry bar needs to be slipped under the damaged shingle immediately above it to replace it. You will see a row of nails under the sealer strip if you lift the bar gently. Press down the shingle and pull out the nails. As soon as you pull the nails out of the shingles, the shingles become loose, and you can replace them with new ones.
Repair the Cracks
If your shingles only have a few cracks, you can fix them. Apply a thick layer of sealant under the gap and spread it with a putty knife to repair the shingle. Press down firmly to apply pressure and add another coat of sealant on top of the cracked shingle. After applying pressure to the crack, let the adhesive glue the crack, and then let it dry for a while.
Clean the Roof Gutters
Experts like, Top Ridge Roofing & Restoration mention that debris can be the worst enemy to roofing shingles. There could be granules, dust, leaves, and dirt under broken roof shingles, and the debris eventually reaches the roof gutters. Over time, it causes the drainage system to become clogged. If left unchecked, you might not even notice the problem until the rain starts backing up on your roof and may cause water filtration into the room underneath. While you are repairing shingles be sure to clear out the gutters to prevent damage to roof shingles.
Call the Professionals
The best thing to do is call in a professional roofing contractor to help you repair or replace broken shingles. They have the experience needed for handling even minor repairs like this. If exterior maintenance ever becomes too complicated to handle alone, it’s always best to find someone with the equipment and experience needed to get the job done right.
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