Nail pops in your roof are more than aesthetically unpleasing; they also signal that its materials have become compromised and require maintenance immediately to avoid leakage causing water damage in your home. Left unattended, these holes could allow rainwater into the sheathing and enter your home through leaks causing extensive water damage to both property and possessions.
So it is crucial that regular inspections be conducted, by visiting the attic. Nail pops are usually due to improper roof installation – for instance if installers used nails that were too short.
Removing the Damaged Shingles
Every home settles over time, which causes its sheathing underneath shingles to shift ever so slightly. Damage from water damage or swelling of this sheathing may put pressure on nails holding down shingles causing pressure on their nail heads that push up into them creating what roofers refer to as nail pops.
Nail pops are often the telltale signs of impending leaks; however, they can also be easily repaired by roofers at a fraction of the cost. With some experience and tools at your disposal, nail pops may even be manageable without professional intervention – all it really requires is some hammering!
Nail pops are typically caused by using too short nails during roof installation. Such nails can penetrate sheathing before expanding in length and becoming lodged beneath shingles causing them to pop back out, possibly leading to damage both for them and any exposed framing underneath the roof.
Relocating the Nails
Many homeowners find nail pops on their roof irritating or an indication of more serious problems, but if caught early enough it may be easy to address. Assuming you’re doing it yourself with safety glasses on, repairing most nail pops requires no special tools other than a standard hammer with smooth head.
Nail pops are caused when wooden studs lose their grip on the nails that hold them in place over time, as the wood expands and shifts its position, pushing upward the nails held in place by them. Furthermore, rings around nail shanks wear down over time and eventually rust away, further dislodging them and forcing the nail up towards its intended position.
Poor roof installation is another cause of nail pops. This could occur for various reasons, such as using nails that are too short – some roofers use the shortest nails they can to save both time and money; other roofers may not take as great a care when roofing over an existing roof, so may not know exactly how long the sheathing will be.
Repairing the Damaged Shingles
Homeowners should keep a toolbox with essential work tools in it, including hammers, crowbars, two types of wrenches and pliers. By having such tools handy you can take care of many repairs without hiring professionals – saving both money and time while providing peace of mind.
To repair nail pops, climb up onto your roof and carefully loosen a shingle by sliding a flat pry bar under it with care, breaking the sealant bond that connects it to its predecessor shingle below. For optimal results in cool weather conditions this task should be completed as asphalt sealant will more readily shear off by using this technique.
Once the shingle has been loosed, slide a new one onto its place and nail it securely using waterproof roofing nails to avoid water leakage. Furthermore, use roof cement on each nail hole to further seal it and help prevent future nail pops.
Sealing the Damaged Shingles
Nail pops in roofs may seem harmless at first, but they can quickly lead to more serious issues if left unrepaired. Therefore, it is vitally important that nail pops are addressed prior to them worsening further.
In order to repair nail pops, first remove the damaged shingle using a flat pry bar or crowbar. Next, loosen adhesive under tabs two rows above damage with the pry bar in order to reveal nails underneath.
Moisture can lead to nail pops in roofs for numerous reasons. For instance, moisture can cause sheathing boards to swell and expand over time, pushing up any loose or smooth (not ribbed) shingle nails that were installed incorrectly; additionally it may wear down their rings over time until their holding power diminishes completely. Nail pops may also occur from inadequate attic ventilation or improper installation of the shingles themselves.