Need advice on roof vent replacement

[Reed]

High winds just tore the top off one of my roof vents. It is of the flat square metal type. Pitched roof, Tamko T-Lok shingles, 12 years old.

Any tips or tricks to removing old vent and installing new ??

I see they are about $9-10 at Lowes. I guess I'm most concerned about how to lift the T-Loks to get the old vent out and the new vent in without tearing the shingles.

What might a pro charge to do this ??

Thanks, Reed

[maradcliff]

They sell flat wide bladed pry bars. You want to go right under the nail with that bar and pop it up. Your do this from UNDER the shingle. Do it carefully Get a tube of roofing cement in a caulking cartridge. Use that to fill any nail holes or patch any rips if you make any. If you have spare shingles, you are better off. If it's cold outside, heat the shingles first with a heat gun or hair dryer (dont melt them). You dont have to remove full shingles, jsut fold them back enough to work on the vent.

Replace vent.

Fold down, or replace shingles and nail similar to where the nails were, but not in the same holes. Tar the old nail holes row by row as you nail them on.

Shingles have black strips that "glue" them together so the wind done lift the tabs. These will not restick, so use that tar caulk to glue them the same as they were.

This is not as hard as it seems, as long as you got a solid footing up there.

(If the shingles are stapled instead of nails, they are actually easier to remove, but you will have to use nails to reapply).

Mark

[Reed]

Mark, info sounds good. I'll check it out closer when weather improves (9 below tonite). For now I've screwed the cover to the base to keep snow out. Might be OK til spring now that I think of it !

--reed