With Christmas over now, soon you’ll be up on the ladder taking down your Christmas lights. Maybe you notice something shiny on your roof — that’s out of place! Shingles aren’t shiny, and it’s too small to be one of Santa’s sleigh bells left behind. When you take a closer look, it’s pretty clear what it is: a nail head.

Exposed nail heads on a roof aren’t great — but they’re also not uncommon, and something we see pretty frequently. Here’s a quick-hitter of why you don’t want to see them on your roof:

  • Moisture can seep in around the nail. The shingle is supposed to protect your roof; a nail, by definition, pokes a hole in that. When the nail is covered up, no problem, but when it’s exposed to the rain and snow, that can get around the head and into your house.
  • Once moisture gets past the shingles, it can start to rot out your wooden roof deck prematurely. Yikes.
  • In some cases, water can even get past the decking and into your attic, which can lead to actual leaking inside your home. Double yikes.

So what can you do about these? Sometimes you can apply some caulk over the nail, for a more temporary solution. If your roof is getting to be toward the end of its life, and you just noticed this, and you’re comfortable doing a little DIY work on your roof, this can be a viable solution. However, if your roof is newer, under a warranty from your shingle manufacturer, or you just want to get more than a few more years out of the roof’s life, it’s better to replace the shingle. When we spot exposed nails, that’s what we prefer to do, because White Castle Roofing is about longevity more than quick fixes — and replacing the shingle really isn’t that difficult for a qualified, experienced contractor or well-versed handy homeowner.

If you aren’t up for doing it yourself, give us a call or request a free estimate online (just select “Roof Repair” for the type of estimate you’re looking for), and one of our repair specialists will be happy to get it taken care of for you. After all, Christmas is over — no need for those shiny decorations on your roof anymore!