How do you fix loose shingles on a roof?
Short answer. A shingle that has lifted but is not creased can be resealed by placing a few quarter-size dabs of asphalt roofing cement under the tab and pressing it down, and backed-out nails should be pulled and replaced beside the old hole with the hole sealed. A shingle that is creased, torn or missing has lost its strength and should be replaced, not glued.
Why shingles come loose
- The seal strip never bonded, common on shingles installed in cool weather that never saw a hot enough day, or on heavily shaded slopes.
- Wind lifted the tab and broke the bond. Shingles can look fine but sit unsealed after a storm.
- Nails backing out from deck movement or angled nailing, pushing up the shingle above.
- High nailing above the manufacturer's nail line, so the shingle is not held where it should be.
- Age, as the asphalt dries out and the sealant loses its grip.
Fixing a lifted shingle
- Work on a mild, dry day; cold shingles crack, and hot ones scuff and tear.
- Gently lift the tab and clear out debris.
- Place several quarter-size dabs of asphalt roofing cement under the tab.
- Press it down and hold or weight it briefly.
Fixing a popped nail
- Break the seal on the shingle above, pull the nail with a flat bar, and drive a new nail just beside the old hole.
- Seal the old hole and the new nail head with cement, then reseal the shingle above.
When to replace or look closer
- A crease across the shingle means the mat is broken, and it will tear off in the next wind.
- Many loose shingles across a slope after a storm may mean wind damage worth documenting, which may be covered depending on your policy; see wind damage roof claims.
- If shingles lift all over the roof, the cause is the installation or the roof's age, and spot repairs will not keep up.
Stay off steep or wet roofs. See wind damage to roofs in Georgia and signs you need a new roof.