Are Broken Shingles A Big Deal?
It's a good idea to look at your roof closely sometimes. If you're not comfortable climbing on the roof, you can just stand on a ladder and take a look. If you are not comfortable on a ladder, you can get as good a look as possible from the ground. The key thing you're looking for is missing shingles, but you may also see broken shingles from time to time. Here's a closer look at broken shingles and how to deal with them.
What do broken shingles look like?
Sometimes it is immediately obvious that shingles are broken. Half the shingle is missing, or a whole end of the shingle has been lifted off the roof. Other times, the shingle damage may be less obvious, or you might initially assume it's not actually damage. Here are some things that definitely qualify as broken shingles:
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The shingles are missing a corner or corners
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The shingles have big, smooth spots where they are missing granules
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The shingles look like they have a crease down the middle
Why are broken shingles a bad sign?
Broken shingles are still there, so they are still offering your home some protection. However, they are not protecting your roof as well as an intact shingle could. Water can work its way under the edges of broken shingles. This is most likely to happen during a storm or when wind-driven rain is an issue. If it happens during the winter, the water could freeze, expand, and pry the shingle further off the roof, leading to missing shingles and more serious leaks.
What should you do about broken shingles?
Broken shingles should be removed from the roof and replaced. This should be done sooner, rather than later, in order to prevent leaks and other roof problems.
To replace broken shingles, a roofer will also have to lift the shingles above the missing ones. They'll then push the new shingles under those existing shingles that are still on the roof. Next, they will lay those top shingles back down and secure them with some new nails and often some roofing cement.
A few broken shingles are usually a problem that a roofer can fix quite easily. However, in some cases, they may notice that you have a lot of broken and missing shingles. In this case, they may instead recommend a roof replacement. Follow their lead. They should be happy to answer any questions you still have.
Contact a roofing contractor for more information.
