A Step-by-Step Guide to Removing Shingles from Your Roof

Are there damaged shingles on your roof that you want to replace? Or is there granule loss on the shingles that need replacement? Knowing how to remove shingles will help keep your roof in good shape all year round, even without the immediate help of a professional.

For this post, I outlined some steps on how to take shingles off roof properly, some safety tips, and where you can get help if you don’t want to deal with the ‘elbow grease’. Keep reading to learn how roofers do it!

Steps on How to Remove Shingles from A Roof

With some tools and a few handyman skills, knowing how to strip shingles off your roof could be easier than you think. Here’s how it usually goes:

1. Prepare the Shingle Removal Tools

First, you need to gather all the needed materials for the job, including a roof shingle removal tool. You’ll also need a safety harness system, hammer, pry bar, work gloves, safety glasses, push broom, roofing shovel, and roof jacks.

Make sure you bring it all on the roof before starting your shingle roof removal. The last thing you want is climbing up and down the roof because you forgot something – it’s dangerous and a big hassle.

2. Secure the Perimeter

Next, you need to secure the perimeter of your home where you’re taking the shingles off. Shingles are heavier than they look, and they can damage your exterior and hurt someone below if they fall off.

For this, you should board up nearby windows and cover surrounding vegetation with tarp. Also, make sure you install the roof jacks on your roof to prevent the risk of the shingles or you sliding off such a tall height.

3. Pry the Shingles Off the Roof

After everything is set, you can now start removing the shingles from your roof. Using a roofing shovel, slowly lift the topmost layer of your roof shingles. You can also use a pry bar to pop them off the roof deck for complete removal.

You can purchase the best shingle removal tool in your local hardware store if you want to perform some DIY fixes.

Once the shingles are loose, just let them slide into the roof jack, where you can collect them for disposal later on.

4. Replace the Roof Flashing

Next, you should carefully check the flashing under the shingles you just removed. I highly suggest you replace this to ensure that you’ll have a watertight seal. This is especially true if the shingles have been heavily damaged.

Just like earlier, you can also use a pry bar or shingle shovels to remove the flashing. However, if you’re not planning to replace it anytime soon, you should remove it carefully to avoid damaging the material.

5. Cover or Replace

Lastly, cover the spot where you removed the shingle and flashing. This way, it won’t get rained on while getting a replacement or waiting for a professional to install the new shingles for you.

Also, don’t forget to collect the shingles from the jacks and you should also watch out for stray nails. Make sure you do a quick sweep of the area to make sure you didn’t leave anything that could cause injury the next time you set foot on your roof.

Safety Reminders During Shingle Removal

Knowing how to remove asphalt shingles also includes observing some safety reminders. Here are a few that I want to highlight:

• Use the right tools. As much as you can use improvised tools, getting a real roofing tear-off shovel will save you from a lot of trouble. It will also spare your roof from unnecessary damage that could be brought by the wrong tools.
• Be mindful of the weather. Before you strip roofing shingles, make sure that you check the weather first. If there’s a negative forecast for the day, you should reschedule it sometime later to avoid potential accidents.
• Wear safety gear. No one is exempted from gravity, so make sure you’re properly harnessed before you start working on your roof. Also, you should wear protective eyeglasses and be careful on slippery surfaces.
• Keep the area underneath clear. Make sure that no one can access the area under the spot where you’re working on your roof. So, in case something falls, no one will get hurt.

Do You Need Professional Help in Removing Roof Shingles?

The good news is that you don’t have to know how to remove shingles from the roof – you can call a licensed professional instead. You can call a roofing company near Mankato to handle the shingle removal and replacement for your safety. This way, you’ll have the assurance that your property has the best roof quality across seasons.

On top of that companies like Boelter is Better is also a licensed window installer near Mankato. Aside from fixing your roof, they can also provide full exterior services to spruce up the function and curb appeal of your home. Feel free to reach out to them for a free quote and consultation!