The weather in the North Shore and Greater Boston area can sometimes be tough on roofs, causing shingles to become damaged or dislodged. If you’re in need of a quick fix before you have contact a roofing company for a full roof replacement, replacing old asphalt shingles isn’t a difficult task.
Our roofing company in Peabody recommends only doing a small patchwork of replacement shingles. Anything larger than a 10x10ft radius should be left to the professionals to take care of. If you’re replacing just a few shingles, be sure to first assess the damage and be sure to take extra safety precautions while on top of your roof.
- First, be sure that you replace the shingles in cooler weather because in hot weather the shingles tend to warp and become difficult to remove. If you must remove the shingles in hot weather, first douse them in cold water.
- Using a pry bar or crow bar, loosen the adhesive under the slab a few rows down from where the damage is. Work your way up to remove the damaged shingles. Be sure to remove the shingles in the row or two above the damage as well as to the side of the damage.
- Using a hammer or pry bar, loosen the exposed nails around the damaged portion while lifting up the slab to about 45 or 60 degrees. Be sure not to crack or break the shingles, so be gentle when lifting up the slabs.
- Loosen the adhesive under the tabs of the damaged shingles until they come off. Discard these along with any damaged or rusted nails. Be sure to remove all the damaged shingles before installing new ones of the same kind or similar style.
- Make sure you have the proper kind of shingles to replace the old ones with, as well as shingle cement and roofing nails. Don’t forget to purchase slightly more shingles than you think you’ll need just in case some end up cracking or breaking during the installation process.
- Next, place the new shingle in the space where the old one once was. Be mindful that some types of shingles may have their own adhesive back. Be sure to nail them securely into place afterwards.
- After nailing down the shingle, be sure to lift the tab up slightly and apply a dab of shingle cement, then press down to make sure the edges stick.
- Continue with steps 6 and 7 until all old shingles are replaced with new ones using the same technique.
If you’re having trouble replacing shingles on your roof or believe you need a new roof entirely, be sure to contact our Peabody roofers today for a free and accurate estimate!