Roof Repair: Patching A Hole In A Roof

By Bruce W. Maki, Editor

Important: Read the Tips On Not Dying at the end of this article.

	This roof had two vents that were unused. A previous owner had used them as dryer vents, and they leaked during heavy rains.
	I scraped the roofing tar from the deck screws that held the vents to the roof.

After this, I used a cordless drill to remove the deck screws.

	I used a flat pry bar to scrape away the roofing tar that once sealed the vent to the roof.
	Then I peeled up the shingles to expose all edges of the vent.

	I pried the metal flange up...
	... from all sides. It came off without a fight.

Note that the photos above are a great example of how NOT to install a roof flange. The top of the flange is barely covered by shingles. It's clear to me that whoever installed these vents could not be bothered to removed a few shingles and cover the flange properly. Read this article for more info. 

	The vent lifted straight up.
	Upon closer inspection, I discovered that this device is actually a chimney "B-vent", for a furnace or gas water heater. It was never intended to be used for venting a clothes dryer.

	The roof, after both vents were removed.
	Just out of curiosity, I wanted to see what was down that hole. Nothing but some unused pieces of vent pipe insulation.

This is one of the handiest features of a digital camera: being able to stick the camera in a hole and shoot a picture with the flash on, and then immediately view the image.

Removing The Shingles:

	The shingle I'm pointing at is the highest level that needs to be removed...
	... but first I have to remove the nails holding the shingle above.

When shingles are installed properly, the nails in one row will pierce the very top of the shingle below. That way, almost every shingle has eight nails holding it down

	I used the pry bar to lift the shingle tab and expose the nails.
	I used the flat pry bar to prop up the tab, and the bent mechanic's pry bar to get under the nail head.

	The bent pry bar is very effective at removing roofing nails, at least part way.
	Like that...

	Then I used the flat bar to pull the nail out.
	Instead of removing the entire shingle, I just cut out the bad tabs with a pair of tin snips.

	The shingle just slid out
	The entire top row of bad shingles has been removed, exposing the darker material underneath.

All of the damaged shingles have been removed.

Filling The Holes In The Roof Sheathing:

	I inserted a long board (About 3 times longer than the hole diameter) into the hole and held it up while I drove in some deck screws.
	Then I installed a circular cut-out to fill the hole. I used a jig saw to cut the disc.

Fixing The Shingles: 

	I attached a piece of tar paper (roofing felt) to the work area, tucking it under the upper shingles.
	Then I went to work installing shingles.

	I put a dab of roofing tar on each nail head, and along the adhesive strip, just to make sure the shingles stick together properly.
	Only one more row remains to be done. Installing the shingles up to this point is easy, just like doing a new roof.

	I used the flat bar as a prop and drove the nails in.
	Then I applied some roofing tar.

The completed patch. If done correctly, you should not be able to see the patch work.

Notes On Roof Safety Or
Tips On Not Dying:

Working on a roof is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of home improvement. A fall from even 8 or 10 feet can be fatal, or worse, render a person paralyzed.

Working on the edge of a roof is best done from a ladder or scaffolding. Leaning over the edge of a roof, while on the roof, is very dangerous.

The roof slope, measured as units of rise per 12 units of horizontal run, can make a big difference in what safety equipment is needed. The roof in this article had a low pitch of 3:12, meaning that the roof rose 3" in 12" of horizontal travel.

I have worked on a lot of roofs with a 4:12 pitch, and I believe they are quite safe when the weather is dry and not windy. I have also climbed up roofs with a 9:12 pitch and almost fallen off. Certainly a roof with a 9:12 pitch or steeper requires roof jacks and planks to be adequately safe. Roof jacks are metal brackets that are nailed into the roof sheathing and/or rafters, to which 2x8 or 2x10 boards are affixed. The boards become stable surfaces to walk on. Several rows of roof jacks and planks are typically needed. A steep roof may require a dozen or more roof jacks to safely work on any face.

Even a roof with a slope of 6:12  is steep enough to fall off.  I recommend setting up a row of roof jacks and planks at the lower edge.

In general, any person who is planning to work on a roof should consult someone with a lot of experience, if they are uncertain of their own abilities.

In no way will this author, or HammerZone.com, be responsible for any injuries or damages incurred by any person who follows any procedures shown on this web site.

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Copyright © 1999, 2005  HammerZone.com

Written December 7, 1999
Revised January 15, 2005