Shingle roofs installed by residential roofing services are designed to remain watertight through their layered, offset application that prevents water from seeping beneath them.
This installation arrangement also helps to keep the shingles lying flat, which adds to the water-tightness of these roofing systems.
Noting this, residential roofing contractors are frequently asked whether one or even a few missing shingles cause the roof to leak.
The answer is both yes and no.
Does One Broken or Missing Shingle Cause Problems?
One of the great qualities gained when having a residential roofing service install shingles of some type is the peace of mind knowing that shingles all act to provide multiple layers of protection to the same spot on the roof.
This suggests that in most cases, if a single shingle breaks or gets blown off the roof, this minor damage will not automatically result in a leak or any water damage, at least not initially.
There is still a layer of underneath shingles providing protection in place where the top shingle used to be.
What If A Missing Shingle Problem Is Ignored?
The problems usually start when a missing shingle or two are ignored for a while, without residential roofing repair being made to replace the missing one.
After some time, the nail heads on the now exposed under-layer of shingles will start to corrode or pop up due to being exposed to moisture and that invites additional troubles.
Loosening or corroding nail heads allow the now exposed layer of shingles to loosen, letting water underneath or through the nail holes, eventually resulting in a leak.
What About Several Missing Shingles In One Location?
Alternately, while a single missing shingle here and there may not cause extensive damage and take a while to start leaking, residential roofing contractors warn that when a few shingles are removed from the same area, the added protection of those different layers may be removed with them.
Multiple shingles missing from the same spots often leave the underlayment exposed and that will definitely lead to leaking sooner rather than later.
Missing Shingles? Call A Roof Repair Service Right Away!
What should homeowners who notice missing shingles do?
If there is one or a few shingles missing from various parts of the roof, arrange for residential roofing repair when it can be conveniently scheduled for both parties, as there is no real emergency as long as there is only a single shingle missing from each location and the under-layers are intact.
If there are multiple shingles missing from the same area, arranging for those residential roofing services as soon as possible and protecting the area of damage in the meantime is recommended.
In Summary
Missing shingles, whether one or many, should always be replaced by a residential roofing contractor.
Rest assured that one or two missing shingles are not likely to cause immediate leaking.
When in doubt, homeowners should call a reliable residential roofing repair service and discuss the issue with them.