Basic Roof Repair: Replacing Individual Asphalt Roof Shingles

By Bruce W. Maki, Editor

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

	This roof had about a dozen broken shingle tabs. Rain or melting snow can penetrate around the nails.
	The first step was to carefully lift the shingle tab above. The tabs stick to the shingle below.

Then, I lifted the tab two rows above. Why? Because this shingle covers the shingle above my target, and that neighboring shingle's nails will penetrate the very top of the shingle I am replacing.

	I used my flat pry bar to prop up the shingle tab. Then I positioned the bent pry bar at the edge of the nail head, and gave it a tap with a hammer.
	The bent bar digs into the shingle a little as it reaches under the nail head. Then I simply pushed down and the nail popped up.

Then I used the hammer's claw to pull the nail out completely. I also pulled out the neighboring nail.

Once I got the hang of it, this process became unbelievably easy. I can yank a nail out in about 15 seconds, most of the time.

Next, I lifted the tab directly above the broken shingle. I had just removed some of the nails that held this shingle, so it was fairly loose. I only removed the nail to the left of the pry bar. The other shingle can stay.

Then I repeated the above step on the next tab to the left.

	With two nails removed, I cut the faulty shingle with tin snips.
	I pulled out the upper section of the broken shingle.

I could have removed the entire shingle and avoided this cut, but I only had a few replacement shingles available. There is no law that says the shingles have to be replaced in full strips. (Each strip has three tabs. You could conceivably cover an entire roof with single tab shingles. The three-tab strip shingle is a time-saver, not a requirement.) 

I used second-hand shingles here, removed from the other side of the roof, because the home owner could not find new shingles that matched. These shingles were mostly gray with splashes of black. We decided to salvage the shingles removed from the back of the house where we installed a saddle. The repairs on the front were done with old (but still in good shape) shingles, while the back slope was repaired with new generic black shingles.

This is a prime example of what happens when a homeowner throws away the extra shingles after a roofing job. It is absolutely crucial to keep at least one bundle of spare shingles when a roof is installed. Anybody that thinks they will never lose a shingle tab in a wind storm just hasn't been around houses very long.

	I cut a single tab from a replacement shingle.
	And slid the tab into place.

	I aligned the tab with the other shingles...
	... and drove in two 1-1/4" roofing nails, one here...

	... and the second one at the other edge.
	I used a tube of asphalt roofing tar to coat the nail heads and the gaps between shingles. This also helps hold the new shingle from being pried up by strong winter winds.

	The roofing adhesive (tar) I used. It is also available in 1 gallon cans. The tube is the most convenient, although the most expensive per ounce.
	After applying the tar, I pressed each shingle down.

It is easy to forget about replacing the nails that were removed from the row above. These shingles received a dab of tar, too.

The completed repair. It is hard to tell which one was replaced. There is a small hint here... the faint brown dirt mark, second row from the top, from the old torn tab laying upside down on the roof for a long time. Look at the beginning pictures in this article to see what I mean.

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 when working on 6:12 roofs, which I can normally walk on without slipping off, I still install one row of roof jacks and planks at the eaves. This provides security and also a place to park my tools and materials.

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.

Read our Disclaimer.

Copyright © 1999, 2005  HammerZone.com

Written December 6, 1999
Revised January 15, 2005