A windy night, and in the morning there are two pieces of shingle in the flower bed. The house, or the detached garage out back, still has the flat 3-tab shingles it was built with, and now you’ve got bare spots. One roofer says a few new shingles will do. Another says your shingles aren’t made anymore and the whole roof has to go. If you have 3-tab shingle roofing in Lee’s Summit, it’s hard to know who’s giving you the straight story.
You just want the roof dry again without paying for more than you need.
APC Roofing is GAF Certified, licensed and insured, roofing since 2017, and the inspection is free. Call 913-398-5020 and we’ll take a look.
Where 3-tab shingles still turn up in Lee’s Summit
A 3-tab shingle is a single flat layer with two slots cut along the bottom edge, which makes three even tabs and those neat, uniform rows. For decades it was the standard shingle on Kansas City-area homes. You’ll still find it on:
- Older houses that haven’t been reroofed in a while
- Detached garages, sheds and workshops
- Additions and porches built to match an existing 3-tab roof
Most whole-house reroofs today use architectural shingles instead, so a 3-tab roof is often an older roof. That alone doesn’t mean it needs replacing. It does mean it’s worth knowing its weak spots.
Why 3-tab shingles struggle in Missouri storms
Wind. A 3-tab shingle is thin and light, and each tab acts a little like a sail. Every shingle has a sealant strip that bonds it to the row above, and once that bond breaks or ages out, storm winds can lift the tabs, crease them or tear them off. Shingles laid in late fall may not fully seal until warm weather, which leaves them vulnerable through a windy winter.
Hail. With only one layer, there’s less material between a hailstone and your roof deck. A hard strike can knock off granules and crack the mat underneath. Those bruises often can’t be seen from the ground.
Cold. Old 3-tab shingles get brittle. In a Missouri winter, a creased tab can snap off rather than bend back down.
Ice. Ice dams build along the eaves when snow melts and refreezes. Older 3-tab roofs were often installed without the self-adhering ice barrier that’s standard under new roofs, so meltwater has an easier path under the shingles.
Repairing a 3-tab roof: what’s realistic
Replacing a few blown-off tabs is often a reasonable fix, especially on a roof with plenty of life left. What makes it tricky is the age of the shingles around the damage.
To slide a new shingle in, the ones above it have to be lifted. On an older roof, those shingles can crack when they’re bent. A careful repair works around that, but on very brittle shingles it can turn a small fix into a bigger one.
Color is the other catch. Manufacturers offer far fewer 3-tab colors than they used to, and a new shingle looks brighter than one that’s been in the sun for years. Sometimes a close match is easy to find. Sometimes the patch will show. You’ll know which before any work starts.
3-tab shingle roofing in Lee’s Summit: stay or switch?
Staying with 3-tab can make sense when:
- It’s a shed, workshop or detached garage where looks matter less
- A small addition needs to match a 3-tab roof that’s still in good shape
- The repair is small and a decent color match exists
Moving to architectural shingles usually makes more sense when the whole house is being reroofed. They’re thicker, generally carry higher wind ratings and come in many more colors, so future repairs are easier to match. Both go over the same underlayment and flashing, so the switch doesn’t change what’s underneath. Read more about architectural shingle roofing in Lee’s Summit, or see the full range on our asphalt shingle roofing in Lee’s Summit page.
Signs a 3-tab roof is near the end
Look from the yard, or with binoculars, for tabs that curl up at the corners, cracks running across several tabs, bare spots where the granules have worn away and a pile of grit at the bottom of the downspouts. Inside, check the attic after a hard rain for damp spots on the wood. Any one of these on an older 3-tab roof is a good reason to have it inspected.
After wind or hail damage
If a storm damaged your roof, you file the claim with your insurance company and pay your deductible. We document the damage, provide a written estimate and work with your adjuster. Whether the policy covers a repair or a full replacement is up to your insurer. Be wary of anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible.
For wind damage specifically, our page on wind damage roof repair in Lee’s Summit goes into more detail.
How it works
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free online estimate.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll hear whether a repair will hold, how close a match is possible, and what a reroof would involve if it comes to that. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- The work gets done and the site gets cleaned up. Many residential reroofs are finished in a single day, and the crew cleans up before leaving.
A few missing tabs leave the underlayment open to sun and rain. It breaks down fast once it’s exposed, and water can reach the decking within a season or two. Getting it looked at early keeps a small repair small.
3-tab shingle questions
Are 3-tab shingles still made?
Yes, though in fewer colors than before. Most manufacturers have shifted their color range to architectural lines.
Can you fix just a few blown-off tabs?
Usually, yes. The age and condition of the surrounding shingles decide whether a repair will hold and blend in.
Should my garage roof match my house?
It doesn’t have to. Plenty of homeowners put architectural shingles on the house and leave a sound 3-tab roof on a detached garage. If the garage is attached and shares a roofline, a match looks better.
Do 3-tab shingles hold up to hail?
They’re thinner than architectural shingles, so they bruise more easily. After a storm, an inspection is the only reliable way to know.
Book your free 3-tab roof inspection
Call 913-398-5020 or start your estimate online. You’ll get an honest answer on repair versus replacement, a roof that keeps the rain out and a bill with no surprises in it. Trust matters.
