When it comes to replacing and repairing tiles and shingles, many homeowners want to save the cost of hiring a professional roofer and attempt to repair it themselves. This is never advisable due to the fact that it can be very dangerous to climb on your roof. Only experienced roofing contractors should climb on roofs as they are used to the various angles that many roofs have and can handle repairing and replacing tiles and shingles safely.

Additionally, a professional roofer can let you know if it is worth repairing shingles or whether you should just replace the roof. Most local roofers will give you a free estimate regarding the cost of the job and give you all of your options as well. It is always wise to contact a professional roofing contractor first.

Many times, homeowners do not have matching shingles or tiles on hand to make needed repairs. The roofing contractor can help you find the correct shingles needed and ensure that the project will be completed with matching materials.

However, if you have experience and want to tackle the project yourself, you will need to remove each shingle or tile before replacing them with new ones. You will need to use a hammer pry bar and a utility knife to carefully pry the old nails and remove the shingles or tiles. You will need to remove the first row of nails and then pry the damaged shingle up. Once it is removed you will then replace it with a new shingle. If you find that the existing shingles are very dry or brittle, the remaining shingles may crack or tear if you try to remove them. In these cases, it is best to hire a professional contractor who can repair and replace shingles and tiles without damaging the other remaining shingles.

If you have damaged shingles or your roof is just leaking, you may also have damage to the underlayment of your roof. This is an additional reason why hiring an experienced roofing contractor will get the job done right the first time and reduce the amount of damage that can occur from letting this type of problem persist.