Replacing roof shingles just needs a little good old fashioned know how and it can be one of those DIY projects perfect for the weekend warrior. If you have water damage showing up or worse, when it rains outside it rains inside too, then it is time to replace your roof shingles. It may not be necessary to replace the entire roof, which is a very costly situation, but replacing roof shingles that are missing or damaged will make a world of difference. You want to replace these shingles as quickly as possible to avoid inevitable water damage.
To replace missing or damaged shingles you will need to gather together some basic tools. You will need shingles of course, roof cement, chalk and glue guns, nail bar, hammers with claw head, extension ladders, roof common nails, and putty knives. All of these tools will need to be added to your job cost if you do not already own them.
Finding roof leaks is your first order of business. Once you have located the damaged shingles you need to remove them. It may be necessary to pry up some of the surrounding shingles that overlap the damaged or missing shingle area. Loosen the surrounding shingles using the pry bar just part of the way. This may mean you will need to replace some of these or at least use new nails. Remove the nails that are still securing the shingle that is damaged. The new shingle slides into the old spot replacing roof shingles you have removed or that were missing. Then new roofing nails are driven into place to hold all the shingles. When the shingles were installed they were nailed into wood bars in rows so you will need to follow the pattern that was established.
Shingles may not need to be replaced if they are only torn or cracked from age. These can be easily repaired by applying some roofing sealant in a thick bead underneath the cracked area. Put pressure on the shingle to hold it down and use another bead of the roof sealant over the top of the crack. Use your putty knife to spread this out. You can camouflage the repaired area by sprinkling some colored granules that have collected in the gutter so that everything will match.
There are a few precautions you should keep in mind before attempting your do it yourself roof repair. Repairing or replacing roof shingles that are damaged will extend the life of your roof for years and save the cost of a new roof which is very expensive. Before you begin a project for replacing roof shingles the roof needs to be very dry and to reach the roof you need to be sure the ladder is very well secured and study. When you go to purchase you replacement shingles you can get assistance from the clerk if you know the number that needs to be replaced. Also, bring one of the damaged shingles with you when you make your purchase so that you can match the new shingles to the old ones.