Roof nail pops may seem innocuous enough, but left unchecked they can lead to leakage and interior damage that necessitate costly repairs. Tackle these nail pops immediately in order to safeguard your home while prolonging its lifespan and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Nail pops occur when wood sheathing expands and contracts as temperatures fluctuate throughout the day and night, gradually pushing roofing nails through their shingles into exposed locations.
Identify the Nail
Nail pops are loose roofing nails that become exposed when left unchecked and can start wearing down your shingle, lifting it up and exposing roof decking and insulation to moisture damage. As soon as a raised shingle appears, call in professional help immediately as this is usually easier (and cheaper!) to resolve than more involved repairs later.
Nails may pop for many different reasons, ranging from improper installation practices by roofers or using nails that were inappropriate to the project to climate changes shifting sheathing boards that push up loose nails and push them out from underfoot.
An earthquake or major shift can rattle and bump nails, providing rainwater with direct entry through shingle holes into homes. Accurate claims assessments require insurance adjusters to identify nail pops as leakage threats for accurate claims assessments.
Remove the Nail
Nail pops may seem inconsequential at first glance, but left untreated they can lead to major roof leaks that require extensive repairs or even full replacement of your roof deck. Luckily, nail pops can usually be fixed easily with just some knowledge and effort.
Nail pops are caused when roofing nails swell and contract, forcing themselves upward into the shingle. This typically results from improper fastening methods or placement during initial installation of the roof.
Sheathing nail holes may also become compromised over time if the appropriate type of nail isn’t used, with long nails with ring shanks to create tight seals that ward off rain penetration and reduce ceiling leakage. Nails with smooth shanks may come loose over time and allow water to seep into sheathing panels causing sheathing rot and visible ceiling leakage; for pop nails professional roofers simply remove and replace with another ring-shank nail placed above its original hole.
Relocate the Nail
Sticky roof nails may seem like an innocuous nuisance, but they’re actually an indicator that a roof requires repairs. Their presence could be the result of improper installation or simply temperature and humidity fluctuations that cause wood sheathing to expand or contract, forcing loose nails outward or working them loose from their sockets altogether. Nails sticking out at the top of sheathing are likely ring shank nails; these feature rings around their nail shank that provide twice the withdrawal resistance as regular smooth shank nails.
Popped nails are unsightly and potentially hazardous; they create a path for wind-driven rain to enter your roof sheathing through leaks, leading to additional leaks into your home as a leak. Repairing nail holes immediately can help stop this water intrusion from occurring.
Proper installation techniques, regular maintenance and adequate roof ventilation can all help to eliminate nail pops. Furthermore, unlicensed repairs that do not comply with manufacturer recommendations could void your warranty and put the roofer at risk of incurring extra expenses from his warranty being voided.
Repair the Nail
Nail pops may appear harmless at first glance, but they should be addressed immediately to avoid leaks and moisture damage in your home. Popped nails allow rainwater to seep in through their hole and pool under your shingle roof covering, potentially leading to leakage issues and moisture damage.
Roof repair specialists face this type of repair issue daily. Nail pops are typically caused by improper roof installation and/or use of subpar nails; specifically shingle nails must have special ring shanks in order to properly secure shingles to the wood roof decking while short nails tend to loosen over time and pop.
Nail popping may also be caused by age-related roof sheathing damage, water/ice damage, multiple replacement roof replacements or ventilation issues; nail popping becomes especially severe when sheathing does not properly ventilate; to resolve this problem properly repair weakened sheathing during your next roofing project while using appropriate nails.