When it comes to a roofing project you may want to look around and get some advice on which is considered the best shingle roof for your home.  Depending on the amount of money you want to spend you can purchase anything from metal, tile, asphalt, and cedar.  Decide if you want a company to install the shingles or if you want to do it yourself. 

Sears for example handles home improvements and does roofing projects.  They could easily be one company to consider with regarding the types of shingles you should consider when thinking of replacing your roof.  Your goal would be to find something that would be of high quality so you would have years of leak free shingles.  If you are thinking of installing the shingles yourself, you must realize that it is back breaking work and if it gets above seventy degrees it is going to be hot on that roof.  You risk dehydration, fatigue and dizziness the hotter the temperature gets up on the roof.  You run the risk of falling too.

Asphalt roof shingles can be made to look like slate; they come in all colors and vary in quality.  If this is your first roofing job you may want to consider do one with a shallow pitch that you can walk across with the fear of falling.  When it comes to color, if you are not sure what to use, you can easily pick up one bundle and lay them out on the roof and step away and look at it to see how the texture and color looks.  Your best bet if you do it yourself it to purchase your supplies from a roofing wholesaler.  The managers are the best to give you a quick lesson on quality.  The price per square foot is a good indicator of the quality too.  The higher it goes the higher the quality of the shingle you are purchasing.

If you are thinking of putting an asphalt roof over your existing roof check with your local building department making sure it is an acceptable building code.  Most roofing companies will take the old roof off before putting on the new one.  This accomplishes a couple of things, it allows an inspection of the existing roof and if there is wood damage then it can be repaired.  It there is a moisture problem it can be dealt with before the new roof is put on.  This comes in very handy if you have sky lights or a chimney or even exhaust fans.  Look over the roof and make sure the wood is fastened securely and take care of any small repairs while it is exposed before placing the shingles on the roof.

If you are in a high humid area then you may want to consider buying roof shingles that contain copper in the colored ceramic granules.  Copper is a natural biocide that kills common roof algae.  This is what is responsible for the black streaks that you see on many residential roof shingles.  Attention to detail is very important when you replacing your roof.  Whether you do it yourself or decide to have a company come in and install the roof for you, take your time and have the job done right.

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Trying to decide if a roofing nailer will make life easier will depend on the definition of easier. Something else to consider is this; are you a professional roofer in need of a professional nailer? Or, are you a home owner and are looking for a nailer to help you make your own repairs? If you decide to go ahead and purchase a roofing nailer you will need to be decided on the type based upon your needs (like everything else…). Keep in mind that nailers are available with pneumatic power, electric and rechargeable, and made by various manufacturers.

To put it simply, a roofing nailer will save your arms and hands from pounding with a hammer all day long. The other nice add is that since most nailers have adjustable power settings; you don’t have to worry about over driving a nail into the roof, damaging your new roofing material. This can be especially helpful if installing slate or tile roof since too much power can crack one of the expensive tiles. On asphalt shingles too much power can tear through the shingle and, if left unnoticed, this can cause a leak in the future.

The first feature to look at is a nailers durability. It will have to hold up to hours on a hot roof without being damaged by the sun. It should also be able to live through a two-story drop onto the ground or concrete without breaking into a thousand pieces. Typically, no matter careful you think you’re going to be; you will no doubt drop your nailer from the roof at least once.

Choosing Clutter Or Convenience

While most professionals swear by a pneumatic roofing nailer there are some who are not interested in being connected by a long air hose and having to have an air compressor running all day. Although they can usually be adjusted for air power of between 70 and 120 pounds per square inch, they can be tough to maneuver in tight spots such as under second story eaves or around chimneys.

An electric power roofing nailer obviously does not require the air compressor but the user will still be dragging a long extension cord behind them as they work. Something else to consider is that adjustable depth gauges and built-in features to help keep nail lines straight into the shingles, while they’re great on paper, can make the nailing gun slightly heavier than a pneumatic roofing nailer as the driving power is located in the nailer itself.

Most rechargeable roofing nailers have the same power, with a minimum voltage of around 20, and do everything the electric roofing nailer can do. Typically, most companies claim the battery charge lasts long enough to nail down about two square of roofing material. Extra batteries are available for use on large jobs, but the ability of them to survive a 15 of 20-foot fall is questionable.

So before you buy check out the manufacturers specs and see if they’ll meet your needs. Consider how much use you’ll be giving the nailer and what kind of roofing you’ll be doing. With these things in mind you’ll be on your way to selecting the ‘perfect’ nail gun for your needs.

Be sure to check out our store for a complete line up of roofing nailers.