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How Damaged or Missing Shingles Are Replaced

  • Published November 7, 2026

A damaged shingle is replaced by releasing the seals on the shingles above it, pulling its nails and the nails from the course above that pass through it, sliding in a matching shingle, nailing it in the maker’s nail zone, and re-sealing the tabs. Skip the last two steps and the next strong wind can lift the repair. This is roof-surface work for a roofer; the steps below are written so you can check that the crew did each one, using photos and the checks you can make from the ground.

The part that surprises homeowners is the course above. On a strip shingle roof, each shingle’s nails sit just below its sealant strip, covered by the next course up, and that upper course’s nails pass through the top edge of the shingle below. A correct repair therefore works the course above as well. Because that course’s own nails are covered by the course above it, the seals come up on two courses above the damaged shingle, not one. That is also why “slide a new one in and glue it” fails: the new shingle has nothing holding its top edge.

When a Shingle Repair Should Wait

Shingle work needs a dry roof, calm air and a temperature the shingles can tolerate. A wet or frosty roof is a fall hazard, wind can catch a loose shingle mid-repair, and cold shingles can crack when bent. On a hot afternoon, the opposite happens: shingles soften and scuff underfoot. A roofer who postpones for weather is protecting the roof as well as the crew.

Storm damage adds a step before the repair. Photograph the damage from the ground first, and if you may file an insurance claim, call the insurer before any permanent repair is made.

One line is firm: the replacement itself is done on the roof surface, which makes it roofer work. Your part is to spot the damage from the ground, photograph it, keep the damaged piece if it has blown into the yard, and check the finished work. If you are weighing whether to do it yourself, the DIY decision sorts roof tasks by where you would stand.

The Replacement Sequence, Step by Step

The roofer needs replacement shingles of the same product line or a close fit, roofing nails that meet the maker’s specification, an approved asphalt roofing cement for sealing, and a flat bar. Finding a match for an older roof is its own problem, covered in finding a matching shingle.

  1. Break the seal under the damaged shingle’s tab and under the tabs of the two courses above it, sliding the flat bar in gently. Cold shingles crack at this step if forced.
  2. Pull the nails that hold the damaged shingle. That means its own nails, under the course above, and the nails from the course above that pass through its top edge.
  3. Slide out the damaged shingle. Keep it as a sample until any warranty question is settled. If the underlayment beneath is torn or the deck feels soft, the job is no longer a shingle swap; ask for a photo and a separate price before work continues.
  4. Slide the replacement into place, aligned with the neighboring shingles’ exposure and cutouts.
  5. Nail the replacement in the maker’s nail zone with the required number of nails.
  6. Re-nail the course above in its own nail zone, and seal any old nail holes left exposed.
  7. Hand-seal the tabs of the replacement and of the shingles above that were released.

The nailing rules come from the manufacturer, and they vary. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association’s nail application guidance says that “for most asphalt shingles, a minimum of four nails is required per full-size strip shingle,” that nails go below the sealant strip but above the area that will be visible, and that nails must be long enough to penetrate at least 3/4 inch into the roof deck. ARMA notes that counts may differ by product.

As one maker’s example, the Owens Corning Duration Series installation instructions require fasteners in the marked SureNail fastening area and specify galvanized steel, stainless steel or aluminum nails with a minimum 12-gauge shank and 3/8-inch head. On slopes steeper than 21 inches per foot, the same instructions call for 6 fasteners and 4 spots of asphalt roof cement per shingle. Other manufacturers set their own patterns, so ask the roofer which instructions they are following and what nail pattern those require. Nail type, length and placement problems are covered in roofing nail specs.

Installation instructions are written for new roofs. Ask whether the manufacturer publishes separate repair guidance for your product; if it does not, a careful roofer applies the new-roof nailing and sealing rules to the replacement shingle and to every shingle disturbed around it.

Re-Sealing the Tabs, Including in Cold Weather

Every shingle the roofer lifted has lost its bond, and every one needs to bond again. Factory sealant strips bond with heat from the sun. ARMA’s cold weather recommendations (March 28, 2022) state that sealing time varies with the roof’s slope, its orientation and the amount of sun and heat exposure. A north-facing slope in late fall may sit unsealed for a long stretch.

That is why hand-sealing matters on a repair. ARMA says that for improved protection from wind blow-off in very cold weather, shingles “can be hand-sealed with an approved asphalt roofing cement or other adhesive.” ARMA gives no temperature threshold and refers to the manufacturer for that.

Owens Corning sets one. Its Duration Series instructions say that below 40°F, perimeter shingles “must be hand-sealed with four 1 inch dabs of ASTM D4586-compliant asphalt cement,” and that shingles need extra care in handling below 40°F. That rule is written for new installations and one product line; for a repair, ask whether the roofer will hand-seal the replacement and the released tabs whatever the season.

More cement is not better. Large globs keep a tab from lying flat and can bleed onto the surface. The pattern is small dabs in the locations the maker specifies. For scheduling around cold weather on bigger jobs, see how temperature limits shape roofing work.

How to Check the Finished Repair

You can verify the key parts of a shingle repair without climbing, if you ask for photos at the right moment. Ask the roofer to photograph the replacement after nailing and before the tabs are sealed down, and again when finished.

Check the photos against this list:

  • Nails sit in the maker’s nail zone, below the sealant strip and above the visible part of the shingle.
  • The nail count matches what the maker requires for that slope.
  • Nail heads are flush with the shingle surface, not driven through it and not standing proud.
  • The course above was re-nailed, and no old nail holes are left open.
  • The replacement lines up with its neighbors in exposure and cutout position.
  • Sealant dabs sit under the tabs, and no cement is smeared on the exposed surface.
  • No nail heads are exposed anywhere on the repair.

Then check from the ground with binoculars after the next windy day. A tab that lifts or flutters has not sealed and needs another visit.

Warranty Steps Before the Old Shingle Is Thrown Away

If the shingle failed rather than blew off in a storm, the warranty may matter, and the notice window can be short. The GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty (form RESWT160L-0426, for GAF products installed after January 1, 2025) says to “notify GAF about any claim within 30 days after you notice a problem.” Other manufacturers set their own terms; find yours before the repair.

Keep the damaged shingle, photos of it in place, and a note of the date you first noticed the problem. If the roof is still in a contractor’s workmanship warranty period, call the original installer before hiring anyone else. And before a different roofer touches a roof under a manufacturer warranty, ask the manufacturer, in writing, whether a repair by that roofer affects coverage.

Fix One Shingle Now or Plan a Bigger Repair?

Repair the shingle when the damage is isolated and the shingles around it bend without cracking and are sealed down. Weigh a larger repair or replacement when the surrounding shingles crack as they are lifted, when lifted or missing shingles show up on more than one slope, or when the same area keeps failing in wind; the patterns of wind damage help you tell a single loose shingle from a roof-wide problem.

Before the work starts, ask the roofer what nail pattern the manufacturer requires, request a nail photo before sealing, and keep the damaged sample. Then add the repaired spot to your next seasonal binocular scan.

This guide is general information for U.S. homeowners, not legal, insurance, tax, or engineering advice. Codes, laws, and policy terms vary by location and change over time; confirm details with your local building department, your insurer, or a licensed professional.

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