Nail pops can be an immense roofing headache if they go unchecked. Allowing water under raised shingles, they allow leakage into roof spaces causing leakage and interior damage that leads to interior flooding as well.
They may also serve as an indicator that it may be time for roof replacement, though hammering in replacement nails might appear like a simple solution. Unfortunately, however, it’s often not.
1. Remove the Shingles
Prior to getting started, safety should always come first; make sure you use a sturdy ladder and wear appropriate footwear. A professional roofer has the knowledge and expertise to identify underlying issues quickly and ensure repairs comply with building codes for long-term solutions.
Every night and morning, your roof sheathing undergoes a heating-and-cooling cycle which causes its wood sheathing to expand and contract, causing nails to protrude through shingles and cause leakage into your home, leading to ceiling stains and mold growth. This process causes nails to get forced up through shingles forcing nails through them and creating nail holes for rainwater seepage through which can result in ceiling stains or mold growth in your ceiling if left unchecked.
Left unattended, small leaks can quickly lead to sheathing rot and further compromise your roof system. By responding promptly when nail pops arise, nail pops can help prevent larger leaks from developing and extend the lifespan of your roof system.
2. Removing the Nail
Nail pops are an indication of subpar roof installation. When not addressed immediately, they can cause serious water damage in both your attic and ceiling, particularly during extreme weather conditions. Fixing nail pops immediately upon being noticed will ensure longer lifespan for your roof.
Nail pops are tent-like rises on roof shingles that expose the nails that hold it together, usually as the result of improper installation or using inappropriate nails. There can be various reasons for nail pops; including incorrect installation or using inappropriate nails.
Nail pops are easily fixed by extracting the offending nail and hammering in a replacement one. A straight claw hammer or flat bar are useful tools for this task; to minimize damage to surrounding shingles, place a block of wood under its pivot point for extra safety.
3. Removing the Damaged Shingle
the sooner nail pops are identified and addressed, the easier they’ll be to repair. A nail left unattended could wear through its shingle layer and cause leaks on your roof system.
To solve the issue, begin by prioritizing safety by making sure your ladder is stable and you are wearing proper footwear. Next, locate the area of roof using nail pop by visually inspecting or listening for hollow sounds with a hammer.
Next, use a pry bar with its flat edge to pry away damaged shingles from their row of nails, before repeating this process for all adjacent shingles to expose and remove their row of nails.
4. Hammering in a New Nail
Roof nails may pop due to weather conditions or poor fastening methods, allowing rainwater and snow to penetrate shingles into your home, potentially leading to water damage, ceiling stains and mold growth. Most commonly this happens due to nails not being driven in securely enough or fully installed through sheathing layers – usually because their installation was incomplete. When this occurs rainwater and snow penetrate shingles through these nail pops and enter your home through leaks in shingles which allows rainwater or snow enter through cracks in sheathing layers and into your home causing interior water damage, ceiling stains or mold growth within walls causing ceiling stains or mold growth within walls as a result of leakage through and penetrate roof causing interior water leakage causing interior water damage or ceiling staining ceiling stains which then penetrates sheathing panels not fully installed fully enough allowing rain/snow water/snow penetration into homes through roof leaking into ceiling causing interior water leakage through gaps allowing rain/snow enter through leakage through, leading to water penetration through roof shingle roof allowing rain/snow penetration leading to interior water leakage into home with interior damage such as ceiling stains/mold damage/mold ceiling stains/mold growth on ceiling causing water damage with ceiling stains/mold issues as well as ceiling mold issues inside.
Nail pops should always be fixed promptly for safety’s sake; otherwise they can lead to leakage in your roof and shorten its lifespan significantly.
Professional roofing tools and knowledge should be employed in order to address nail pops. A skilled technician should remove damaged shingles, hammer in new nails and caulk around their edges before sealing the area with caulking. Now is also an opportune time to contact an expert roofing inspector and request repairs on your shingle roof.
5. Reinstalling the Shingles
Nail pops may seem harmless at first, but they can lead to major complications over time if left unaddressed. Nail pops can create roof leaks allowing rainwater through holes created by nail pops to seep into your attic resulting in moisture damage, ceiling stains, and mold growth if left unaddressed.
Nail pops can increase the risk of wind-blown debris tearing off roof shingles, which will necessitate extensive roof repair and replacement costs, costing more money in repairs than anticipated.
Nail pops can also be unsightly, creating bumps and humps on your roof. Caulking over these nails may only provide temporary relief before eventually wearing out and leaving an exposed nail exposed again.