How do roofers fix shingles that blew off a roof?
Short answer. A roofer fixes blown-off shingles by removing torn remnants and their nails, checking and patching the underlayment, then sliding new shingles into the gap under the course above, nailing each one on the manufacturer's nail line and resealing every tab that was lifted. The neighboring shingles get checked for broken seals and creases, since they are often weakened too.
The repair, step by step
- Clear the area. Remove torn remnants and pull leftover nails, including those in the course above that held the missing shingle.
- Check the layers below. Patch torn underlayment with a lapped piece, and replace any decking that got soaked or damaged.
- Work from the bottom up. Each new shingle slides in with its top under the course above, offset to match the existing pattern.
- Nail on the nail line. Nails go through the reinforced nailing zone, through both layers of a laminated shingle, using the count the manufacturer specifies. Nailing too high is a leading reason shingles blow off in the first place.
- Renail the course above where its old nails came out.
- Seal. In warm weather the factory sealant strip bonds on its own; in cool weather, hand sealing with roofing cement under each tab helps it hold until then.
Matching
Shingle lines and colors change, and older shingles fade. A good repair uses the same manufacturer and color where possible. If the shingle is discontinued or the match is poor, the patch may show. On an insurance claim, a mismatched repair across a visible slope can become part of the discussion about how much of the roof to replace.
Why blow-offs happen
- Shingles that never sealed, often installed in cool weather or on shaded slopes.
- Nails above the nail line, or too few nails.
- Eaves and rakes without proper starter strips.
- Aging shingles whose sealant has dried out.
Repeated blow-offs from the same slope usually mean an installation problem or a roof near the end of its life. See wind damage to roofs in Georgia and architectural vs 3-tab shingles.