One of the main benefits of replacing a shingle roof by a professional is that they need little maintenance. There are times when your roof requires a small fix, but this only happens occasionally, otherwise once your roof work is done by a professional roofer keeping up with the maintenance rate is very low. Asphalt shingles are easy to remove and replaced and this whole process requires seven steps. We recommend you get your roofing done by well trained and professional contractors who have an exposure in roof repair.
Step One – Breaking the seal where the replacement is required.
- When you see a damage shingle and recognize the area of damage (due to a falling object or roof pests).
- After locating the damaged shingle, the first step will be the removal of the damaged shingle. Remove the nails that hold the shingle to the roof deck. To reach the nails, shingles need to be lifted, but it is going to be cemented with the shingle below by the shingles’ asphalt sealant spots. This sealant bond is very strong that holds the wind and other natural disasters to some extent that is why their removal is a bit hard. Removing the shingle with the flat pry bar is the only way to avoid any further damage.
- This sealant separation is done best under the cool weather conditions. As sliding the pry bar below the sealant bond works best in cool weather rather than in hot weather, because in hot weather the sealant becomes more sticky and harder to be managed.
Step Two – Break the adjacent seals.
- After removing the sealant bond from the shingle, the next step is breaking the overlying shingles to reach the exposed nails in the target shingle.
Step Three – Removal of the nails.
- When the nails pry out directly from above the shingle this process can damage the granular surface though it can be removed by direct access but that is not always the case. The best approach will be to remove the nails and the shingles at the same time. So, for that you will need direct access at the bottom of the target shingle.
Place the pry bar tight where the nail area is present then pry upwards on the shingle, this process will nail out of the deck. Now lift all the four nails out of the target shingle.
Step Four – Now remove the adjacent nails.
- When all the nails have been scooped up and removed by the targeted shingles. You will see that you are still unable to remove it. Because of the nails that penetrate deep into the upper edges of the shingle. Every shingle that is placed on the roof is held by two rows of nails. That is the leading cause as the wind barrier or resistance.
- So, for that you must perform the sealant bond breaking step into two courses that are above the shingle as well, and then remove the nails immediately along with the shingles.
Step Five – Out with the old one (replace the old shingles).
- Now that the nails are removed as well as the sealant bond, you can now easily remove the targeted shingles as they are loose and can be removed with applying any force or any kind of instrument. Carefully remove all the shingles without getting hurt or get slipped.
Step Six – In with the new shingle (adding new shingles).
- Now start replacing the old shingles with the new one. Be careful with the size, the new shingles must be the same size as the old ones were. Little mismanagement can ruin your whole hard work. Now slide the shingles into the same place they were. Nail them and then re-nail the overlying shingles every time other nails have been previously removed.
Step Seven – Reseal the shingles manually.
Lastly, reseal all the shingles manually, shingles sealants are important as they protect the shingles from any natural disaster and from strong wind. Removing the sealant process was tiring and time taken but as long as they are under the shingles, they add a great help from wind and rain. New shingles can be sealed naturally by the sunlight warmth but resealing them manually is what the professional roofer would always recommend. Apply three small spots of asphalt plastic roof cement under the new installed shingles. After applying the sealant press the shingle flat down into the place.
Thoroughly see all the roof shingles if there are any left out spaces where you missed applying the sealant. If yes then apply the sealant. This will save your roof from the wind as before.
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