Exposed Nails On Roof Shingles

I ve always considered it necessary to caulk any exposed nail heads on a shingle roof there shouldn t be many.

Exposed nails on roof shingles. Align shingles properly to avoid nail exposure. It is important to apply roofing nails in the right quantity and location to securely lock a shingle into its place. Where to nail shingles. Covering the exposed nail with any type of roof cement or caulk is not a permanent repair and will be excluded from coverage under gaf s limited warranties.

That last cap alone will have nails exposed and covered with tar plastic cement winter or summer grade depending upon the season. Remove any shingle with exposed nails and replace it with a new shingle. Position the nails appropriately according to the shingle installation instructions. Unfortunately many people and even some less experienced roofers will simply caulk an exposed nail or nail pop.

More if the shingles were not installed according to the manufacturer s specifications the shingle warranty will probably not be honored. Bitumen roof shingles may be one of the simplest roofing materials to install but nevertheless they also require specialized and exact rules on how to be fastened. I would recommend doing this on a sunny day and after exposed to sun for a few hours. Be sure to use the manufacturer recommended number of nails to fasten the shingle to the roof deck.

The shingles are asphalt backed and this asphalt forms an adequate seal around the nail. Lift a tab above the repair to drive a nail into the shingle through the flasher to keep it in place. I must admit i ve seen many builders that do not seal the nail heads. Accurate nailing affects the performance of roofing shingles and it is also required by the international building.

Each shingle manufacturer has its own requirements for proper nailing including where roofing nails should be placed. There should be no fasteners at all exposed on a shingle roof. The claim was that nails have to pass through a minimum of two layers of shingles. However on pipe boots and the last cap shingle you will find exposed nails that are caulked.

Tom the guy who roofed my old house has agreed to try and replace each of the shingles with exposed nails but he said he has to get it on the right day or the shingles will want to tear when he tries to release them from. If you see shingle exposure more than 5 5 8 or if you see exposed shingle nails or self sealing tar strips then the shingles were over extended and most likely will have a reduced life. That part of the roof leaks 01 percent and less of the time. Over time the caulk will age and deteriorate which becomes a roof maintenance issue.

Apply a glob of roofing cement to the spatula or putty knife. I heard an opposing opinion recently. Make sure the shingle has the proper number of nails in it also. This is not the correct way to fix the problem.

Wipe the glob of roofing cement over the nail head. Make sure the roofing cement extends to each side of the nail head covering it completely.