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Articles About Roofing

Missing shingles

These shingles were not installed properly, allowing them to blow off easily.

These shingles were not installed properly, allowing them to blow off easily.

A bad storm rolls through and causes tree branches to fall down, knocks garbage cans over, and tears some shingles off your roof. We all know that missing shingles are unsightly, but how do they cause leaks? After all, just because one shingle is missing doesn’t mean the roof is open, does it?

Actually, the truth is that if only one shingle or one shingle tab is missing, your roof may be okay for a little while. Felt paper is installed under the shingles for the purpose of keeping water out in case of a shingle failure. However, felt paper weathers quickly and is not completely waterproof. Eventually, it will age and deteriorate, causing a leak. The felt paper only gives you a little bit of time to have the shingles replaced.

So what about when there are many shingles missing? The best option is to have an experienced roofer permanently fix the damage. But what if there are no roofers available or you don’t have the time?  Do you simply go on the roof and nail on a tarp? You can, but in doing so you are putting more holes in your roof, adding to the amount of possible leaks.

Sometimes, high winds can blow up a single shingle tab, causing a leak.

Sometimes, high winds can blow up a single shingle tab, causing a leak.

If you need to nail a tarp on your roof to protect it from rain until you can have it properly repaired, be sure to nail it under the shingle tab so you’re not nailing on the face of the shingle. When you put a nail in a shingle, the nail can back out over time and allow water to seep in. So if you nail a tarp on straight on top of the shingles, you can see how you run the risk of causing more leaks. Even if you are only planning on leaving the tarp on for a few days until you can get a roofing company out, the more holes you put in your roof means the more shingles that have to be replaced. This can make for a more expensive repair for you.

Whether you are missing one little shingle tab, or have your roof, it is best to have it repaired as soon as possible. . That one missing shingle tab might not seem like much, but it could be slowly letting water in your roof, causing rotten wood, mildew, etc.

If you are in the Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, or Norfolk areas and have missing shingles or shingle damage, call Pro Systems, Inc. at (757)506-5019 or email us here to schedule an appointment. We can come out and repair any roofing problems you may have.

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