Start by removing all damaged shingles and the underlying felt until you reach sound roofing material ready for new layers.

When replacing multiple adjacent asphalt shingles start by lifting the shingles above the repair area and carefully remove the nails from each damaged shingle and the row above if necessary so you can slide replacement shingles into place. Clear and inspect the deck for rot or soft spots by pressing with a firm tool and replace any compromised sheathing with plywood matched to existing thickness; secure it with ring shank nails driven to manufacturer spacing. Install a strip of roofing felt that overlaps the existing felt by two inches and tacks it flat to create a continuous underlayment and seal the edges with roofing caulk where the felt meets the old felt to prevent water wicking. When cutting new shingles use the damaged area as a template and stagger the joints so exposed seams will not align with seams on adjacent rows; always maintain the manufacturer recommended exposure which for typical three tab or laminate shingles will be indicated on the shingle but generally is about five and a half inches from the tab edge to the starter course. Slip the top edge of each replacement shingle under the lifted shingle above, align the adhesive strip, and drive corrosion resistant roofing nails in the nailing zone just below the sealant and level across the shingle; use four nails for a standard shingle and more for high wind areas following local code. Finally seal the nail heads and any cut edges with a compatible roofing caulk, press the adhesive strips together by warming them with a hand held heat source if cold, and reinstall or replace the starter row and ridge cap shingles as needed to restore water shedding and wind resistance.

Common mistakes include leaving rotted sheathing in place which will cause the repair to fail; cure that by replacing any soft deck and fastening the replacement deck to match surrounding panels. Another frequent issue is misaligned or under nailed shingles which leads to blow off during wind events; fix that by using the correct nail type and count and by spacing nails in the manufacturer recommended nailing zone. People also often fail to properly integrate the new underlayment with the existing felt which allows leaks at the transition; prevent that by overlapping felt by at least two inches, bedding the seam with roofing caulk, and flashing any vulnerable junctions before installing shingles.

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