LESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Dan in Florida who’s dealing with a roofing issue. Tell us what’s going on at your money pit.
DAN: I have an asphalt-shingle roof and I’ve noticed some of the nails from the wood are popping up but not coming through or protruding through the shingles.
TOM: OK.
DAN: And I’m wondering how is the best way to correct that and what other measures can I take for future problems that may occur with other areas of the roof?
TOM: Well, sometimes with – wood starts to expand and contract, it tends to spit the nail out, so to speak. And as long as those nails aren’t breaking through the surface, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
If you do have any that are pushing up a shingle, Dan, what I would do is I would get up there and lift up the loose tab of the shingle and try to nail those back down again. Or you could put another nail next to the one that’s loose and cover the head of the loose nail with the new one that you’re putting in. Because this way, you’ll be biting into some new wood. Do you follow me?
DAN: Yes, I do. Would you recommend any sealant while I have that ability to …?
TOM: It’s not a sealant issue; it’s a nailing issue. And unless the shingle is sticking up for some reason, there’s really no need to seal anything. Because the nails are covered by the shingles; they’re not exposed to the weather.
DAN: That is correct, yes.
TOM: OK?
DAN: Alright. I appreciate it. I just thought, perhaps, I should seal it. And should I change it and go with a different nail or anything like that?
TOM: Nope. Just use a standard roofing nail and overlap the head of the old nail and you’ll be good to go.
DAN: Alright, great. Thank you.
TOM: You’re welcome, Dan. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
All of this information is so helpful. Roofs are kind of a mystery to most of us laymen. Popped nail can create big issue for roofs. Thanks for sharing the right information.