After hurricane Isabel a couple months ago, I found a couple shingles in my front yard. So I patched the roof myself with new shingles. I was pretty careful, and thought I did a good job, but had never done it before.
Last night was really windy, and one of the new shingles blew off. When I looked at it closely, I could see that the nail holes had opened up larger, allowing the shingle to blow off. So the nails apparently held, and the shingle ripped slightly around the nail head. I used galvanized roofing nails with the standard wide heads.
So my question is, did I do anything wrong? Should I do anything differently when I climb back up there this weekend?
The weather was cool when I repaired the roof two months ago, and it is getting downright cold now. Do you need warm weather for the tar in the shingles to stick to the shingle below? Could that be my problem? The shingle in question is a whole three tab shingle that was held with three nails. It was new. I don’t remember if it is fiberglass or not, but I paid about $10-15 for the pack. It was right at the edge of the roof, so the wind was able to get up underneath it on one side.
So did I do something wrong, or is it just one of those things that sometimes happens? I want my next fix to last.
Thanks.
-Dan
Replies
A couple of things I would do differently.
First, three nails isn't enough. The shingle manufacturers recommend either 4 or 6. (Read the directions on the package) I always put 6 in them, and have never had a single shingle blow off.
The cool/cold weather probably didn't help you any. The tar needs some warm weather and sun to seal the tabs down. You could slap a tube of roofing cement in your caulk gun and seal them down temporarily next time you replace one.
Thanks for the advice!
Be careful not to 'overdrive' the nails into the shingle surface. That will make a weak area around the heads.
Good point. I don't remember what I did last time, but that's exactly what the damage around the nail hole looked like. Thanks.
That copuld be part of it. If it was too cold, the asphalt was brittle and the hammer head could have fractured it on impact.
But boss is right, use six nails which is the requirement in high wind ares. Read the package for placement location. If the nails are too high, the wind can play games with the shingle until the nail loses and the wind wins..
Excellence is its own reward!
We used to call it wind nailing . A nail on each end and one on each side and slightly above each slot.
I'd bet you never had enough ratiant heat on it to "set" the tar. If you are going to do it in the cold, and you expect winds, you might want to add a couple of dabs of roofing tar/cement next to the stock tar locations to give the shingles a head start.
But listen to real roofers before you listen to me! ;)
Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
what boss hog said plus..on cold days the backs won't melt down to give it that seal so on repairs I use a bead of construction adhesive or KArnak Flashing cement outta the tube to be sure the shingle sticks.....no biggie...caulking guns rock for so many things....
BE glued
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
All that is true about the sealdown strips but I think he also said that his decking is boarding boards instead of solid ply sheathing. Tjhere is a gap that lets wind get extra lift on it right where he has a high wind zone on his roof. Some areas like this you can watch a whole section lift off as one, even when it is sealed, if it is not nailed down tight..
Excellence is its own reward!