Your roof needs to be able to resist hot and cold temperatures, high winds, and wet conditions. As soon as the elements lift or damage any shingles, you’ll need to make repairs a top priority. Otherwise, your roof could lose more shingles and water will damage the sheathing. Learning how to fix loose shingles should only require an hour or two of your time. As with all roof repairs, you should act with caution when using a ladder and working in high places. Your ladder needs to extend beyond the roof edge and have stable footing.

How to Fix Loose Shingles Directions

1. Gently lift the shingle tabs covering the nails holding the loose shingles.
2. Ease the notched end of the pry bar beneath the damaged shingle and lift each nail slightly.
3. Position the pry bar on top of the loose shingle and grab each lifted nail.
4. Push on the pry bar or hit it with a hammer to pull the nail out completely.
   1. Repeat this process with each shingle.
   2. Nails going through the row of undamaged shingles above the loose ones should be securing the lower row as well.
   3. Gently lift the undamaged shingles and remove the nails holding the lower row.
5. Pull off or cut away damaged shingles with a utility knife.
6. If you see cracks or tears in the roofing paper, seal them with roofing cement.
7. Spread roofing cement with trowel and wipe with a rag.
8. Fit new shingles into place. Cut pieces with utility knife as necessary to position new pieces.
9. Put roofing cement beneath new shingles to ensure they stick down.
10. Use the holes where you removed the original nails when nailing new shingles.
11. Be sure to nail back down any undamaged shingles that had to be loosened to release damaged shingles.
12. Seal each nail head with a bit of roofing cement.