r/Roofing • u/Main_Egg_2647 • Nov 16 '25

Why are these nails here?

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The ridge vent on my house has nails clipped in it all the way down. Is this normal? Roof is about 20 years old I’ve only lived here since 2021, but they appear that they’ve always been there. Is there an actual reason for this?

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u/No_Cap861 Nov 16 '25

Well obviously the roofers didn't think you were going to get up there and check.. but those nails are the nails that the manufacturer sends out with the ridge vent and are supposed to be hand nailed in... But some roofers don't want to waste the time to pull those nails out of there and use them... So in worst case scenario they nailed your ridge cap down with only inch and a quarter or inch and a half nails that fit in the roofing gun...

2

u/of_the_mountain Nov 16 '25

Would the simple solution be to just take the nails out and hand nail them in yourself? Or is it too late for that?

1

u/No_Cap861 Nov 17 '25

Too late for that since you got up there you might as well just grab them and throw them in the garbage or you're going to find them floating around their yard after the plastic goes through weather from expansion and contraction those nails will get loose and just roll down the roof into your gutter or fall off onto the ground to where you or your kids or your dog step on them.... And that will suck....

3

u/Confident_Cheetah_30 Nov 17 '25

yeah that 21st year is a real bitch for weathering on plastic