Have you noticed that there is a broken three-tab shingle on your home's roof, and you want to know how to fix it? If so, this may be a job that you can do on your own. Here are some tips that will help you successfully replace that shingle.

Pop the Nails Attached to the Damaged Shingle

You'll need to use a flat bar to get underneath the shingles that you are replacing, which will help you pop out the nails that are holding it in place. Hopefully, the nails were not driven too far into the roof deck and you can get underneath them and easily lift them. Remember that you have to go underneath the entire width of the shingle and remove the nails, not just the tab section that is damaged.

Break the Seal Above the Damaged Shingle

You can also use a flat bar to break the seal along the top of the damaged shingle. There should be shingles in good condition above it that are stuck to the damaged shingle, and you can break those seals using your flat bar. Try to be gentle and not damage the good shingle that is above the damaged once, since you can still reuse it. Keep in mind that there will likely be two shingles that you need to break the seal

Pop the Nails Attached to the Good Shingles 

That row above the damaged shingle is also going to have nails that go through to the one you are trying to replace. Use your flat bar to pop out those nails as well, being careful not to damage the good shingles. Now you should be able to slide out that entire damaged three-tab shingle

Secure the New Shingle

Now you can take your replacement shingle and slide it into place. You'll want to make sure that the new shingle is lined up as perfectly as possible so that it doesn't look out of place. Now you can take roofing nails to secure the new shingle in place, going directly through the new shingle and into the top of the shingle beneath it. Just make sure to keep the nails above where they will be seen, but low enough where they'll go through the shingle beneath it. Since you broke the seal from the old roofing shingles, you can use roofing cement to create a new seal along the shingles. A bead of roofing cement along the edge should do the trick. 

To learn more, contact residential roof services. 

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