How to Repair or Replace Shingles Missing from Your Roof

Have you ever walked out onto your lawn after a wind or rain storm and picked up pieces of shingles from your roof? Yes, you knew the roof was looking a little ragged. You had really hoped it would last another year at least. Because, quite frankly, you simply can't afford a new roof at this time. So what are you supposed to do?

Sadly, some times it doesn't seem to matter how much or how little money you have in your pocket, some things simply can't wait to be repaired. But just because you can't replace the roof doesn't mean you can't repair it. And finding shingles on your lawn is a clear indication that you need to do some repairs.

There's no need to panic, at least not until you've actually checked out how bad the roof is, from a bird's eye view, preferably. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, get the trusty old ladder out and check the roof out. Make sure you secure your ladder and you may want to wear a safety harness, especially if the roof is very steep. If climbing up on roofs is not your thing, you may have to get a friend or family member to check it for you. And if you don't have anyone that is willing and able to check it for you, then you may have to break down and call a contractor. Either way, the roof needs to be checked to see what repairs need to be done.

Once on the roof, check it thoroughly for missing or loose shingles. If there are not very many, you may be in luck and can do some patching that will hold until you can afford a new roof. If you are missing whole shingles and quite a few, you may want to consider trying to come up with the money to roof the house. If that is just not possible, then you may can patch in a few shingles and use roofing cement to help seal them.

While on the roof, check the flashing around the house's chimney, if it has one. Look for flaky tar or cement around the edges. Check to see if any pieces of the flashing are missing or loose.

You should now have a pretty good idea of how much patching or repairing your roof will need. Carefully come down off the roof and remove the ladder. Never leave a ladder unattended, especially if you have children around. If you will need to buy some shingles, take one of the pieces you picked up in the yard and take it with you to the home improvement store. You can use it to try to match the color and texture of the shingles you will need to patch the roof. Of course, if you bought the house after it was roofed, you might want to check in the garage or storage shed. The previous owner may have kept a few shingles for this very purpose. If not, try to match the shingles as closely as possible.

You will also need roof tar or roofing cement. You can buy this by the gallon or by the tube, if your repairs are minimal. You will also need a small box of roofing nails one and one quarter inches long. You will also need either a caulking gun for tubes of roof tar or a small trowel if using the gallon can.

Back on the roof, you will need to gently pry up the section of the shingle directly above the broken section. Remove the nails holding the broken shingle section with a flat prybar. You may also have to remove the nails in the shingle above if they catch the broken shingle section. Shingles come in three sections, so don't try to remove the whole shingle, only the broken section. You may need a utility knife to cut the section. Just be careful not to cut through to the tar paper below. Then gently pry up the broken shingle and discard it. Cut a section from a new shingle the same size and work the top section up under the shingle above it. Get it even with the surrounding shingles. Gently lift the bottom of the section and spread tar underneath along the edges and some in the middle. Press it down firmly. Nail two roofing nails in the top of the shingle. Using the tar, seal the nail heads.

Again, using the tar, generously spread it on the around the top of the new section, then press the shingle above it down firmly. If you had removed the nails from the shingle above it, you will need to glue it down also.

Do all missing sections like this. If the flashing around the chimney needs repaired, remove any flaked caulking or tar and re-tar it.

These repairs may not last forever, but maybe they will get you through another year.