We hand nail our roofs!
When choosing a roofer to install your new roof, picture how hard it would be for someone on a steep slope, in the heat of the day, holding a heavy nail gun, working as fast as they can, to hit a nailing strip an inch wide, the nail properly driven and not crooked....every time! Not very likely right? That's why we hand nail our roofs. If you had the choice between a hand nailed roof and a roof put on with nail guns, for the same price, why not choose peace of mind and a quality hand nailed roof?
Below are the main issues with using nail guns...problem is, most don't show up until after your workmanship warranty has expired and can invalidate your warranty with the shingle manufacturer.
Overdriven Nails
When the pressure on compressors is not set properly roofing guns can drive nails through the shingles and actually indent them. This causes shingle failure and a leak point often times all the way through the roof deck. This also tears the shingle making them easier to blow off. This is near impossible with hand nailing because the hammer hits the shingle decreasing the pressure on the nail head. This can invalidate your shingle warranty due to improper installation.
Side Driven Nail
A side driven nail leaves part of the nail head sticking up creating several problems. The sharp edge of the nail head can cut a hole in the shingle above and tear the shingle below. This can create a hole in the top shingle and lead to a leak. The head sticking up can also lift the shingle edge just enough to allow wind blown rain to get under the shingle and cause a leak. Because a crooked nail can tear a shingle it makes it more likely to blow off in high wind. This can invalidate your shingle warranty due to improper installation.
Under Driven Nail
An under driven nail occurs when the compressor is not set correctly and does not set the nail properly. This problem leads to the head of the nail cutting through the shingle above creating a leak. This also affects the attached shingle making it easier to blow off. If a roofer used hammers they would just hit the nail one more time to set it properly. This can invalidate your shingle warranty due to improper installation.
Missing the Nailing Strip
When a roofer using a nail gun is in too much of a hurry or is inexperienced they can regularly miss the nailing strip. This can lead to high nailing which not only affects the shingle being attached but also causes the shingle below to be missed. This can lead to shingles sliding out or being easily blown off. Nails that miss the strip low can be exposed because they are not covered by the shingle above. This can invalidate your shingle warranty due to improper installation.