Wednesday, April 4, 2012

FASTENERS 101





      A large percentage of the roofs that we replace are due to poor installation practices. How a roof is fastened is critical to the longevity. Whether due to wind or just simple gravity an improperly nailed roof is doomed to fail. After Hurricane Ike almost every roof that we replaced due to blow off was originally installed by companies who utilized roofing nail guns. Nail guns are unable to maintain a consistent level of pressure therefore many of the nails are set to shallow or to deep which forces the nail head through the fiberglass mat of the shingle rendering the fastener completely ineffective as well as creating a potential leak issue. Due to the problems that can result from nail gun installations Discount Roofing has always been a proponent of hand nailing shingles.
 
 
Aside from nail guns, proper placement of the nail is essential during installation. Even without hurricane force winds if your shingle is not nailed where specified by the manufacturer eventually slippage can and likely will occur. Dimensional shingles which are often simply referred to as 30 year, 40 year or lifetime shingles consist of two piece lamination that give an aggressive shadowed finish look to your roof. The installation of these laminated products calls for nailing along a designated line which drives the fastener through both sections of the shingle to prevent separation due to age, wind, heat and gravity.
 
 
 
Unfortunately most homeowners are unaware that their roof has been nailed improperly until the blow-off or slippage begins. Keep in mind that if the company who installed your roof cared about quality over profit they would have taken the time to hand nail. When it’s time to replace due to hail, hurricane or just shingle age know your contractor and his installation practices.
 
 
 
 Eric Powell
 DISCOUNT ROOFING 936-756-1170
 
 

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