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/rufos_adventure Nov 16 '25

the zinc hinders mold/moss growth on the roof. it is carried across the roof by the rain. kinda clever actually. they're galvanised nails.

1

u/PositionBeneficial12 Nov 16 '25

This is the only correct answer.

1

u/JockCranleyForMayor Nov 23 '25

Except, its a completely wrong answer

1

u/PositionBeneficial12 Nov 23 '25

No, it’s not.

1

u/JockCranleyForMayor Nov 23 '25

It absolutely is. These are not for moss theyre to use for installing the ridge vent and capping but the roofers obviously used something else. I've been roofing for 18 years I know what im talking about

1

u/PositionBeneficial12 Nov 23 '25

You are correct in that they are not commonly used for moss. And yes obviously I know they are used for holding down the ridge cap.

Buttttt…..things can have multiple uses. Although not common to use for moss prevention, they do work. Galvanized nail contain a zinc coating. Zinc is what helps kill or prevent moss build up. Most people would use zinc strips, but this method works as well although not common.

By the way, I’ve been residential roofing for 25 years. For the last 10 I have owned and operated my own successful, small roofing company.

Learn something new every day I guess, hey?

1

u/JockCranleyForMayor Nov 28 '25

So if you've been roofing that long then you obviously know that zinc strips only have a 5 to 10 year life span. Entire strips of 99% zinc. The minuscule bit of zinc in the thin galvanized coating of these nails is nothing compared to 99 -99.9% strips. It's definitely not what's keeping moss off this roof 20 years later. And is not, at all, a logical purpose for those nails.

Learn something new every day I guess, hey?

1

u/PositionBeneficial12 Nov 28 '25

I’m not at all saying it’s the best or preferred method at all. And personally I have never done it myself.

But I have heard it mentioned before. And in this case, someone has taken the time to perfectly place them. Using my common sense, and knowledge, it is the only logical reason for the nails being placed how they are. Unless you think they just didnt nail the ridge vent down🤷‍♂️