No one ever wants to have to deal with roof repair, but it’s something that unfortunately sometimes happens. If you’re faced with this task, here are a few tips to help you out.

Roof Repair or Roof Replacement?

When faced with significant roof damage, the first step is to decide either whether to repair your current roof or go forward and choose a replacement. If you’re inclined towards repairing, this article will help you out. If you’ve decided on a replacement, we recommend getting quotes from multiple contractors before making any decisions.

Assess the Damage

As part of your roof repair project, you’ll likely need to assess the damage and determine what materials need to be replaced. For instance, if your shingles were torn off during a storm and the plywood beneath is damaged or rotted, you’ll need to install new shingles and plywood.

Remove Loose or Damaged Material

Before you can begin repairing any section of your roof, it’s important that you remove any loose or damaged material from that section first. This includes shingles as well as underlayment (if applicable). In order to do this safely, make sure that your ladder is placed securely on solid ground – not on gravel – and make sure there’s nothing underneath it should it slip because of the weight of the shingles.

Install Underlayment for Waterproofing

Before you install any new roofing materials, make sure that your roof is completely dry. If it’s not, this could cause problems with your roof in the future because, in order to properly install new protective materials, they need to adhere tightly to the surface underneath them. If this isn’t possible, water will seep in and damage can occur after just one big storm. New underlayment comes in many forms, including an asphalt-based felt paper which is good for several years, or mineral-based roll roofing which can last upwards of 50 years if installed correctly.

Repair Leaks & Replace Damaged Shingles

Once you’ve completed your underlayment installation and made sure that the roof is completely dry, you’ll need to find all of the areas where water has leaked into your home and fix them. After this, it’s time to replace any damaged shingles. If they’re fairly intact but simply curled up at one end, you can nail these down again across the existing course (from eave to ridge).

If shingles are ripped and torn and too far gone for a simple repair job, simply remove them by prying them up with a flat bar or pry bar before nailing down new ones in their place.

Check for Leaks Again & Secure Downspouts

It’s essential to wait until your roof is completely dry before attempting any sort of repair job because you need to make sure that the new material you’re using will adhere properly and stay in place. However, it’s also important to make sure that everything is sealed up tightly enough so leaks won’t occur again because once they do, more damage could be done inside your home. To prevent leaks, use a tuckpointing trowel or hawk with cement around all vents, chimneys, skylights, and other places where shingles or tiles are missing, damaged or loose.

After this, you’ll need to secure the downspouts on your gutter system by re-attaching them with nails. This is important because if water isn’t moved away from your roof effectively, leaks will occur again during the next big storm.

Apply New Tar & Felt Paper (if necessary)

If you’ve completed all of these steps and still notice some leakage after a new rainstorm, it might be time to apply new tar and felt paper underneath new shingles. These days, some people prefer to use roll roofing underlayment instead of felting paper because it can last upwards of 50 years and is also quick and easy to install. However, if you have a steeper roof on your home, the weight of the roll roofing might cause problems with your shingles so it’s best to stick with tar and felts which won’t add too much weight at all.

Note: If you do apply felt paper, just be sure that you overlap each layer by 4 inches before installing any new shingles on top. This will ensure that there are no leaks after a big storm hits since water needs lots of room in order to enter through any cracks or crevices.

Finish Shingling

Finally, once your roof is completely dry and you’ve applied any new tar or underlayment as needed, you’ll need to complete the final stages of your roofing job by finishing up with shingles. To start, simply remove the ridge cap on each side of your house and install a full row of shingles all the way from one eave to the other – starting at an upper corner and working your way down toward the gutter on either side. This will ensure that water doesn’t drip into your home and cause problems after just one big storm. After this, lay a second layer perpendicular to the first course (running from left to right) by using both tile valleys and starter shingles.

Note: Be sure not to skimp on the amount of adhesive you use when laying your tiles – otherwise, they could pop up with just one big storm or high wind gusts so be sure to follow directions carefully and always buy quality material for best results.

After this, install ridge cap shingles along both sides of your roof until you reach the peak of it. These are simply full pieces that will go on top of every course of tiles before the final step is completed.

Add Any Modification & Enjoy!

Finally, make any modifications as desired to your roof (eaves, vent pipe covers, vents). Don’t forget to check gutters for blockages or leaks if they’re not draining properly and clean them out right away so more damage isn’t done to your home. After all of these steps are followed, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor with a brand-new-looking roof that will surely last for many years to come!

Keep Track of Future Maintenance

Finally, be sure to keep an eye on any areas that may give you trouble down the road. Areas that are prone to leaking or holding moisture more than usual (eaves, chimneys) will need to be monitored more closely so that further damage is avoided and leaks can be prevented with proper care. Roofs aren’t cheap to replace so keeping them in great condition is essential for the life of your home!