How to Replace Damaged Roof Shingles

Buy Replacement Shingles

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Once you’ve identified the roof area that needs repairing, check to see whether you have replacement shingles at home before buying new ones. When professional roofers install new roofs, they often leave behind extra shingles. Check your basement, garage, or other storage areas to find leftover shingles from your roofing contractor.

If not, home improvement stores and lumber centers carry replacement asphalt shingles. They cost an average of $15 to $35 per bundle.

Mixing and Matching Shingles 

If you need a specific type of shingle for your roof or it’s more than a few years old, you may have difficulty ordering shingles that perfectly match the current ones. If you live in a sunny area, the sun will bleach your shingles over time, causing the color to change. Similarly, if your roof has an algae stain, the new unstained shingles will stand out among the rest.

If you’re having trouble matching shingles, consider uninstalling shingles from one of the less visible parts of your roof (the back or near the chimney, for example) and moving them into the more visible area. Then, you can install the new shingles that are slightly off-color in the less-visible area. Keep in mind that this process will add at least an hour or two to your project time.

Access the Broken Shingles

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Before getting on the roof to make the repair, ensure that you take safety precautions when climbing on a ladder to access your roof. Make sure your ladder is secure, and have someone at the base to help assist you.

To get to the damaged shingles, you first need to remove any overlapping roofing material. Doing so prevents damage to any intact shingles. Use a shingle pry bar to carefully raise up and remove the surrounding shingles. Be sure to remove the nails attached to the shingles, too. 

Put them in a safe space before you proceed. It's also a good idea to use a magnet to make sure you've picked up any stray nails.

Remove the Broken Shingles

Since you’ve previously pried up the overlapping shingles, you can now remove the damaged shingles. 

Slide your flat pry bar underneath the damaged shingle and run it along the edge. This method should break the glue seal holding the shingle down. Complete this process gently and slowly so you don't tear any of the shingles you’re not planning to replace.

Then, locate the nail underneath the broken shingle. Use the same flat pry bar to pull the nail up and out, then slide the damaged shingle free. If you can’t pull the shingle free after removing the nail, you may have to take the nail out from the shingle directly above it, too. 

Be careful not to damage any functioning shingles surrounding the broken one. If you do, you’ll also need to replace them.

Install the New Shingles

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After pulling out the damaged roof shingles, set them aside for now, or drop them on the ground if it’s safe to do so. To install a new shingle, slide it into the open space left by the old shingle. You’ll need to hammer in four roofing nails to secure each new full shingle.

Remember that asphalt shingles are generally layered on top of each other to prevent leaks. You should cover all nails by the shingle above the one in question, and ensure that the bottom edge of the shingle doesn’t have any nails in it.

Nail in the Surrounding Shingles

If you removed the nail on an undamaged shingle while extracting the old shingle, replace that nail before proceeding to the final step. At this point, you should ensure that all of the shingles in the repair zone are nailed down and secure.

Keep in mind, you should never "face nail" a shingle where it will be exposed to the elements—meaning the nail isn’t covered by the shingle above it. But if you must nail a shingle (for instance, if an old roof is so brittle that you can’t find a good stopping point, because each shingle you pull up keeps taking up the next one), put sealant on the exposed nail.

Apply a New Coat of Roof Sealant

Lay a bead of roof sealant (which costs between $10 and $20 at home improvement stores) along the glue strip at the base of your new shingle. Firmly press it onto the shingle below to seal it. Applying sealant to any areas where you broke the original seal is important because the old sealant will likely never “reseal” again. Putting a dab of sealant in these areas will ensure that the next wind storm doesn’t tear off your new handiwork. 

You did it! Once your work is complete, safely descend your ladder. Now, you can enjoy the peace of mind knowing your roof is protected from Mother Nature's hands (or branches).