(2 Minute Read Time)
One of the more simple Austin roof repairs is sealing exposed nail heads and fasteners. Throughout the course of installing a roof, there will necessarily be a few exposed fasteners in the capping and around chimneys, vents and certain flashings. Sometimes there can be exposed nails that shouldn’t be there through installation error by nailing below the nail line, leaving nails exposed in the roof field where they shouldn’t be.
Roof Inspection
The tricky thing about this type of repair is that identifying the problem in the first place can take a careful eye, as oftentimes a small nail in the entire roof field can be difficult to identify depending on the location of the nail and color of the shingle. The first places to look for exposed nails should be the areas that will obviously have exposed nails such as capping, roof vents, chimneys and flashings. If you need help identifying exposures on your roof you can always call a quality roofing company in Austin such as The Roofing Artist for help addressing this issue.
Materials
If you’re able to identify the problem yourself, the repair is actually quite simple. All you will need is a roofers hatchet, a caulking gun and some caulking.
Repairing the Roof
If the nail is protruding up above the roof deck, first nail it down to secure it in its proper position so it doesn’t stick up. This will provide a nice flat surface to apply the caulking on top of to seal the nail up properly.
Once the nail is secure, use the caulking gun and apply a bead of sealant over the exposed nail head. Gently use your finger to “smear” the caulking a bit around the edges to ensure that the caulking seals properly around the edges and doesn’t end up as a singular dab which won’t create a full seal.
Double Check
Inspect the remainder of the roof thoroughly to ensure that there are no other areas of concern and address those as you find them. Often it can be very easy to overlook other minor issues while taking care of something else that catches your eye. Treat all exposed nail heads you find with the same process until everything is all sealed up.
Conclusion
Of course, if you simply want a professional roofer to handle these issues and ensure a quality roof repair, you can always contact an Austin roofing company to handle this for you or simply request advice on addressing a roofing issue like this. You can always reach us by phone at 210-417-7728 or by e-mail at [email protected] and we will be happy to address any of your concerns.
