Maintaining a roof is one of crucial-most parts of home maintenance. The roof is an integral part of your home that keeps you and your family safe from rain and other elemental damage. Any sign of damage or broken shingles calls for immediate action to keep water from seeping under and damaging the sheathing beneath.

The good news is that broken shingles are one of the easiest things to detect. Whenever you see broken or cracked shingles, here is what you need to do.

Assess the Damage

The first thing you need to do as soon as you identify a broken roof shingle is to assess the damage. Broken roof shingles can cause issues like tearing of the insulation or leakage in the ceiling. Assessing the damage will give you an idea about what remedies are in front of you.

If the damage is too extensive, you have to call in experts to fix the issue properly.

Roof problems aggravate and spread fast if neglected, so you need to take quick action whenever you discover a damaged shingle.

Replace the Shingles

If the damage causes part of the shingle to go missing, you have to replace the whole piece. First, see if you have any shingles left from your previous roof repair work. If you do not, buy get yourself a bundle from your local hardware store.

To replace a shingle, you need to slip a flat pry bar under the shingle immediately above the damaged one. Gently lift the bar, and you will see a row of nails under the sealer strip.

Pry the nails, press the shingle down and pull out the nails. After you have pulled out the nails, the shingles become free, and you can slip the shingle off to replace it with a new piece.

Repair the Cracks

If your broken roof shingles are due to cracks, then you need to repair them only. To fix the shingle, start by applying a thick layer of sealant under the crack and spread it with a putty knife. Put some pressure on the shingle and apply another coat of sealant above the crack. Keep the pressure on the crack until the adhesive glues the cracks, and then let it dry for some time.

Clear the Roof Gutters

Broken roof shingles mean there are granules, dust, leaves, and dirt present underneath. It all reaches the roof gutters and eventually causes the drainage system to block.

You might not notice the problem until the clogged rainwater starts to make its way into the roof and causes dripping. Whenever you notice a broken shingle, check for the gutter blockage to save yourself from expensive roof repairs.

Call the Professionals

The wisest thing to do is call a professional roofing service to take care of broken shingles. They have the resources and expertise to handle roof issues and give you the service at reasonable rates.

Calling the professionals will also give you identification of any underlying roof issues that you can address immediately.

Broken roof shingles top the list of roofing issues that need immediate attention. It is best to call professional roofing solutions to help you rather than attempting repairs yourself.