How to fix a shingle roof that is leaking? First thing you need to do is determine what part of the roof the leak is coming from. Shingle roof Leaks are due typically to missing or damaged flashing , nails popping through the shingles, metal or shingle valleys leaking, roof dormers leaking, skylights leaking, chimneys leaking, pipe collars leaking, ridge vent leaking, step flashing leaking, counter flashing leaking, furnace flu leaking
Missing or damaged shingles, how to fix a roof with missing or damaged shingles:
First diagnose where to make the repair on the shingle roof, (keep in mind, that replacement of your shingle roof may be necessary, instead of a repair. Replacement of your shingles roof may be preferred instead of a repair if your shingles roof is 18 years or older, brittle, or shingle color is not available) . Remember when you repair a shingle roof, water runs down hill, water never runs up a shingled. If any shingles are missing or cracked, it will be a good indication that a repair is necessary in that area. You must remove the entire shingle first in order to repair the roof. Make sure the roofing felt or underlayment is not damaged or torn. If it is damaged or torn, replace with new underlayment. Take new shingle (GAF*, Certainteed, Owens Corning, Tamco) and slide top half underneath shingle directly above missing shingle. Nail the new shingle down onto the roof deck using a minimum of 4 non-corrosive 1 ¼” roofing nails. Lift up shingle slightly (directly above new shingle), using a caulking gun, apply roof cement to the underside of the shingle directly above the new shingle. The replacement shingles will adhere to the old shingles and prevent wind uplift.
Nails popping through the shingles is a problem, how to fix a shingle roof that has nails popping through it:
First diagnose where to make the repair on the shingle roof, (keep in mind, that replacement of your shingle roof may be necessary, instead of a repair. Replacement of your shingles roof may be preferred instead of a repair if your shingles roof is 18 years or older, brittle, or shingle color is not available). Remember when you repair a shingle roof, water runs down hill, water never runs up a shingle roof. When you are looking at the shingles on the roof, if any nails are popping through a shingle – it will be a good indication that a repair is necessary in that area. Remove shingle that has a nail popping through it from roof to repair the roof. Remove nail, install new 1 ¼” nail where removed. Make sure roofing felt or underlayment is not damaged or torn. If it is damaged, cut out damaged area and replace with new felt or underlayment. Install new (GAF*, Certainteed, Owens Corning, Tamco) shingle where removed using a minimum of 4 1 ¼” non-corrosive roofing nails directly onto caulk line of shingle properly spaced. Lift up shingle slightly (directly above new shingle), using a caulking gun, apply roof cement to the underside of the shingle directly above the new shingle. This will adhere the new shingle to the old shingles and prevent wind uplift.
Valley on a shingle roof leaking, how to fix a roof with a valley on a shingle roof leaking. First diagnose where to make the repair on the shingled roof, (keep in mind, that replacement of your shingled roof may be necessary, instead of a repair. Replacement of your shingles roof may be preferred instead of a repair if your shingles roof is 18 years or older, brittle, or shingle color is not available) .Remember when you repair a shingled roof, water runs down hill, water never runs up a shingled. If the valley is leaking and or has cracked and damaged shingles, that is a good indication that you need to repair the valley. You must remove the shingles and felt (underlayment) 3 feet on either side of valley. If there is a metal valley, remove the metal valley and throw away. Install new ice and water shield (leak barrier) onto the exposed roof deck. If metal valley was removed, install “W” metal valley where removed. Install new (GAF*, Certainteed, Owen Corning, Tamco) shingles where removed. Nail the new shingles down onto the roof deck using a minimum of 4 non-corrosive 1 ¼” roofing nails. Make sure you do not install any nails within 6” from the middle of the valley on either side. Lift up shingle slightly (directly above new shingle), using a caulking gun, apply roof cement to the underside of the shingle directly above the new shingle. This will adhere the new shingle to the old shingles and prevent wind uplift.
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