Roofs
Shingle roofing is not likely to last beyond 20-30 years and wear will appear within 10-15 years. If you are able to climb a ladder and look at your roof, you can easily see damage to shingles and missing shingles although you will not necessarily see the places where gaps or damage may cause leaks that will allow water into your house. Look for buckling, warping, cupping, dips, and loose or missing shingles. Look for sagging or unevenness and look inside in your attic to see if you can see any leaks or damage or dips that might mean the roof is leaking or sagging. Roofing is another one of those things that a novice should probably not tackle, especially since working on all but the lowest or flattest roofs is a dangerous bargain. If you are up to the challenge of roof repair, you may be able to accomplish this, depending on the scope of the repairs, but a total roof tear-off, underlayment and replacement is probably beyond the skills of most beginners. Let’s talk about the various types of shingles and the types of repairs you can do: Asphalt - The most common shingle, is reinforced with paper or fiberglass and will last 20-30 years. These shingles are produced in what manufacturers call ‘tabs’ and are usually about three feet long. Roofing cement or tar is used to hold the shingle in place. If you have to fix these shingles, you can repair them by using roofing cement to refresh the adhesive. To take out a shingle or replace one that is damaged, bend back the shingle above the area that requires a new shingle and remove nails and scraps. Slide the new shingle into place under the shingle above it and nail in the new shingle. Then glue it into place with roofing cement and glue the lifted shingle down to prevent drainage or leakage. Laminated - These are designed to provide decorative options, with more choices for color.

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Laminated shingles are laid in staggered layers to add a look of texture and depth. To repair a laminated shingle, you will use the same process you would use for an asphalt single (see above), except you will need longer nails to accommodate the layers and varying depth of the laminated shingle layout. Slate – These shingles are very durable, and because they are essentially made of stone, they will last a long time (perhaps 100 years). And because they are made of stone, these shingles are heavier and stiffer than regular shingles and may break more easily if they are not handled carefully. Because slate shingles are made of stone, you will need a hammer or cutter to cut the shingles to the right size. To repair the shingles, you can cut them away using a hacksaw, size a new shingle and slide it into place to test it before you set the shingle in place. Carefully mark and punch the nail holes from the back of the stone shingle. Place a piece of ‘builder’s felt’ beneath the upper shingles so that the nail-heads are not exposed. Then place the new shingle in place. Wood – Wood shingles (shakes) are made from spruce, pre-treated pine or cedar. They are often hand split and give your home an interesting, textured look. Machine cut wood shingles are also popular. These shingles will often last 25-30 years. Because wood does warp and split when exposed to weather, you can expect some of this to happen with your wood shingle roof. To repair your wood shingles, remove the nails from the shingle you are replacing, using a nail ripper. Be sure you remove scraps before you fit the new shingle in place. Nail the new shingle in place so that it completely fills the hole left by the old shingle and provides not area where water may pool or gather. Apply roofing cement on the newly placed nail-heads so that water does not seep in through these holes.


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