Chris Martin

Contrary to what roofers might tell you, roofing repair is not an intricately complex job that should always be handled by professionals. If you’ve noticed water leaking into your attic or home, the problem may be a leaky roof that you can fix yourself. Here are some common roof leak issues and how to take care of them.

How to Replace Shingles

If you have determined that broken or deteriorating shingles are the source of your leak, here’s how to replace them:

1. 1. Find the leaky shingle(s). Then lift up the tabs on the shingle above the problematic area.

1. 2. Pry out the nails of the leaky shingle with a pay bar or hammer claw. Then remove the bad shingle(s).

1. 3. Check the exposed underlayment. If you seen torn or missing pieces, patch over it with new underlayment. Cut off a piece that’s half a foot larger on either side, slip it in under the surrounding shingles, and staple it in place.

1. 4. To install the new shingles, start at the lowest part of your roof and work upward. Before driving nails in, lift up the necessary shingle tabs.

1. 5. Affix a bead of roofing cement to the underside of the final shingle before putting it into place.