With the roof of a house being so very important it should come as no surprise that of all the home repairs that need doing, roof repair ranks at the very top. With a leaking roof you put everyone and everything in the house at risk, and any sign whatsoever of wear or weather related damage calls for immediate action. When water is allowed to seep under the shingles, this will eventually rot the wood surface so ignoring even the smallest problem will only accelerate the damage which can easily lead to the need for a new roof altogether.
If the roof on your home is 20 years of age or older then you can expect roof repairs to become an issue, so much so that a roof that has reached this age may be ready for complete replacement. However, you the roof on your home is quite sound and the pitch is shallow enough that you are not frightened of working on it then you can do the two most common asphalt shingle repairs yourself. It goes without saying of course that if you are uncomfortable with working at heights then do not hesitate to call a professional roofing contractor.
The main issues with asphalt shingles that need repair are:
• Re-fixing a curled shingle
• Repairing cracked shingles
A couple of hints before you start any roof repair; do it on a warm day as the shingles are more flexible and never go on a roof which is wet.
Fixing curled corners:
As asphalt shingles age there is a tendency for them to curl either up or down. If you spot a shingle that is beginning to curl apply a dab of roofing sealant using a caulking gun under the curled corner. Weight it down for at least 24 hours until the sealant has fully set; quite simple.
Cracked shingles:
If a shingle has cracked or perhaps torn you may not have to replace it, the roofing sealant can come in handy again. Run a thick bead of sealant under the crack, push the shingle down and apply a second bead on top of the crack or rip, spread the top layer with a putty knife. Check your gutters, there will usually be an accumulation of the colored granular material that has washed down off the shingles, gather some up and spread them over the sealant and no-one will ever know a roof repair has been made.
It may be necessary to replace shingles that have been blown off but unless you are quite skilled and you have spare shingles this is usually a job for the pros.
