Will Your Roof Leak With One Shingle Missing

Just like every other building material that we use for our home, there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ roofing material. Almost all roofing materials are susceptible to hailstorms, high winds horizontally propelled rain, and several different elements of the weather. Although most manufacturers would advertise their roofing materials as almost impervious to leaks and high winds, there are still factors that we have to consider.

Is your roof missing a single shingle? This is usually a common problem among homes that are situated in areas with strong winds. Although you won’t really have to worry about a missing shingle since it won’t necessarily cause a leak, this is not always the case. Even though a leak isn’t occurring, having a part of the roof’s interiors exposed to the different elements of the weather will greatly increase the likelihood of water getting inside.

Should I Worry About a Missing Shingle?

Even though it’s just a single missing shingle, it can still cause damages to your roof. Moreover, this can cause a domino effect of damages that might cause even more problems if left unchecked. But before we do look into what these damages are and start replacing your missing shingles, you’ll need to hire a professional roofing contractor and specialists who can give you an extensive inspection of your roof for damages and leaks.

Replacing a Missing Shingle

Although replacing a missing shingle can be quickly remedied, there are still some factors that you have to take into account. For example, if you have 3-tab shingles as your original roofing material, you wouldn’t be putting a cedar shingle there as a replacement, would you?

Another part of the roof that you’ll have to check is the surrounding area of the missing shingle. Are there any tears or large holes? This could give you a clue about what happened to your missing shingle so you could make the necessary preparations for future shingles. Fungal and organic growths in the form of mildews and mosses could also accelerate the rotting process in your roof’s interiors. If ever this happens, you’ll need a professional roofing specialist to inspect and repair your roof.

There is usually a reason why there’s a missing shingle on your roof and most of the time, it’s because of rotting or damage to the roof decking which can corrode the integrity of your nails and other fastening materials or the improper installation of the nails. Another case could be that the nails on the roof might have been driven too close to the border, nailed in place, and sometimes outside the manufacturer’s designated nailing zone.

There are some roofing leaks that can be identified easily by the naked eye, but there are also some leaks that can only be spotted by people who have been trained for years in roofing. One of the tell-tale signs that your roof is leaking is that there’s bulging and warping on the ceiling of your roof.

If you look more closely at your roof, you’ll notice that the area with the missing shingle is a darker surrounding area than the other parts of your roof. This is because the upper part of the shingle that’s holding things in place contains less than normal protective mineral granules. If ever you do see this, it’s best to contact a roofing professional who can help you remedy this issue.

Again, there’s no hurt in contacting a professional roofing contractor in making the necessary repairs for your roof. Yes, you’ll need to pay for the labor and the replacement materials, but at the end of the day, this is a long-term investment. Having a properly installed shingle and repairing the right damages can help extend the life of your roof for years to come.

Ultimately, a missing shingle isn’t really a cause for too much concern since it can be easily remedied. However, roof leaks and other damages that a missing shingle can cause can still pose a threat to your roof and should be treated with concern and care. Moreover, repairing and replacing roofing Montgomery County MD materials means that they have to also blend in with the color, tone, shape, and measurement of the other shingles.