Roof Cap Shingles

Roof Cap Shingles - The shingles at the peak of a roof are called cap shingles. (C) Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

"I did extensive research into why asphalt shingles are failing so fast. I interviewed a top executive and respected asphalt shingle expert who revealed the deep dark secrets of why your shingles look like crap in as little as eight years."

Roof Cap Shingles

DEAR TIM: I was inspecting my asphalt shingle roof the other day. At the top of the roof where the peak is, I noticed some defects. My shingles are only six years old so I was shocked to see deterioration. The shingles covering the peak of the roof don’t look like all the other shingles on my roof. The color is the same, but they have a strange shape. How can I replace the defective ones without damaging adjacent shingles? What’s causing the shingles to go bad so fast? Sheila P., Waynesville, OH

DEAR SHELIA: Congratulations on doing that roof inspection by yourself. Not many have the nerve to get up and walk on roofs. Just last week I was up on my friend’s steep roof helping to remove a tree that had fallen on his home. The only mistake I made was wearing nice work boots that have a fairly stiff sole. My sneakers that have a more flexible sole would have given me much better traction on the asphalt shingles.

Asphalt Shingles Failing FAST

Seven months ago, I published a small book that speaks to what you discovered. It’s called Roofing Ripoff. I was inspired to produce the book after my own 30-year-warranty asphalt shingle roof began to fall apart in just ten years!

I did extensive research into why asphalt shingles are failing so fast. I interviewed a top executive and respected asphalt shingle expert who revealed the deep dark secrets of why your shingles look like crap in as little as eight years. The evidence points to too much air being blown into the liquid asphalt as the shingles are being made. This extra oxygen pre-ages the shingles. I cover this in great detail in my short easy-to-read Roofing Ripoff book.

What Are Cap Shingles?

The shingles at the peak of your roof are commonly called cap shingles. If your shingles are standard three-tab shingles, the caps are made by cutting one shingle into three separate parts. It’s very simple to do and if you’re lucky enough to have some spare shingles left over in your garage or shed, you can make replacement caps in just minutes.

How Do You Cut or Make Cap Shingles?

A standard three-tab shingle can create three cap shingles. Watch this video:

Dimensional or architectural shingles have special cap shingles. You buy bundles of the cap shingles at the same time as you purchase the regular shingles. Both types of cap shingles are applied in the same way.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local roofers to repair cap shingles.

What Size are Cap Shingles?

The overall size of most cap shingles is 12 x 12 inches. The shingles overlap one another at the ridge like feathers on a bird. This overlap creates a watertight covering.

Can You Install These Over a Ridge Vent?

The cap shingles often are installed on top of a continuous ridge vent. The vent manufacturers make their products to match the size of the cap shingles so the caps cover the vent material leaving a 3/4-inch shadow line up at the ridge.

How Do You Replace a Cap Shingle?

A standard pry bar is required to replace a cap shingle. You also need some warmer weather. If it’s cold outside, there’s a good chance you’ll crack good cap shingles as you try to install new ones.

You need to gently pry up the overlapping cap shingle next to the cap you want to replace. Back about one inch you’ll see a roofing nail. Slide the pry bar under the nail head and gently pry the nail from the wood roof deck.

Often you need to go to the second overlapping shingle and pull up those nails to as they may be passing through the top edge of the cap you’re trying to replace.

What Length Nails Are Used With Cap Shingles?

Roofers frequently use nails that are too short when installing cap shingles. You’ll discover in a hurry there’s lots of roofing material up at the ridge. You’ll need nails that are at least 2 inches long to secure the caps. It’s not uncommon to use 2.5-inch-long nails!

Can You Install Cap Shingles in Cold Weather?

If it’s cold and you must do the work, try to work in the sun as even on a cold day the shingles can soak up enough heat from the sun to make them pliable. But don’t be surprised if you crack failing brittle shingles working in temperatures below 45 F.

Is There a Secret Tip to Patch Defective Cap Shingles?

Yes, I have a secret tip. Your best bet may be to patch any bad cap shingles with roofing cement for now. Who cares what it looks like for a few months?

Use this roofing cement to patch cracks in cap shingles. CLICK or TAP HERE to have it delivered to your home.

Here's a secret tip on how to make the repair invisible. If you have gutters, you’ll probably discover tens of thousands of colored granules from your shingles in the gutters. Collect some, wash and dry them.

Dab on the gooey roofing cement over the bad areas and immediately cover the sticky cement with the granules to disguise the black blobs. This will work until the air temperature is about 75 F and you can get up and do the job properly.

The colored granules also protect the roofing cement from the damaging ultraviolet rays from the sun. Without protection, the cement will fail in as little as two years.

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