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In no way will this author,
or
Roofinginlosangels.com, or any one referred or recommended be
responsible for any injuries or damages incurred by any person who follows
any procedures shown on this web site |
By Bruce W. Maki, Editor...
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This roof had about a dozen broken shingle tabs. Rain or
melting snow can penetrate around the nails. |
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The first step was to carefully lift the shingle tab
above. The tabs stick to the shingle below. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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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.
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With two nails removed, I cut the faulty shingle with tin
snips. |
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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.
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I cut a single tab from a replacement shingle. |
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And slid the tab into place. |
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I aligned the tab with the other shingles... |
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... and drove in two 1-1/4" roofing nails, one here... |
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... and the second one at the other edge. |
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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. |
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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. |
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After applying the tar, I pressed each shingle down. |
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It is easy to forget about replacing the nails that were
removed from the row above. These shingles received a dab of tar, too. |
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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
Roofinginlosangels.com, or any one referred or recommended be
responsible for any injuries or damages incurred by any person who follows any
procedures shown on this web site
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Tools Used:
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Hammer
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Flat Pry Bar
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Small Mechanic's Pry Bar
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Tin Snips
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Caulk Gun
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Materials
Used:
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