Checking To See If Your Shingles Installed Correctly
Important rules of thumb…
- 4 nails per shingle
- 6 nails per shingle (sometimes in areas of high wind)
- 1 inch from each edge for three-tab shingle, and 1 nail over cut-out. All nails should be placed right below the self-sealing material (1/2″-1″ above the top cut-out)
- Shingle bundles usually have the directions printed on the wrapper, and they are always available from the manufacturer.
What If Your Shingles Are Falling Off?
If your home was built by a national spec home builder:
you may have an extended warranty on the roofing work, like the 10-year structure defect warranty some national home builders provide.
If your home was built by a custom home builder:
you are past the standard one-year construction warranty period, but you may still have recourse via non-code compliance. You may need an attorney to help you get your shingles issue resolved, however, it may be as simple as as he or she writing a letter to the contractor.
Build a plan of action
- Inspect the shingle nailing.
- Take some pictures that show the nailing placement and frequency.
- Send a letter to the contractor, if the work does not meet the standard manufacturer’s instructions.
- Write that the nails are not as required per building code, in number and placement as appropriate, and request that contractor remedy the work, along with a written plan of action within 14 days, and that the remedy be implemented within 60 days. Let the contractor know you will take legal action!
- Talk to an attorney if no action is taken by the contractor, in the time specified.
Next time you need a roofing company make sure you hire a professional!
