Reusing nails when replacing roof shingles is generally not advisable because it reduces holding strength and can compromise the roof’s waterproofing.

When you remove old asphalt shingles the nail shanks and heads are often damaged, stretched, or corroded, and those changes reduce withdrawal resistance and shear capacity. Proper practice is to discard nails and install new roofing nails sized to the shingle manufacturer recommendations, typically long enough to penetrate the roof deck by at least three quarters of an inch and have a large cap and ring shank or barbed profile if specified for high wind areas. Drive nails straight and flush so the nail head sits snug against the shingle without crushing it, and avoid overdriving which splits the shingle or underdriving which leaves a gap that lets water track beneath the shingle. Use hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel nails in coastal or high moisture environments to prevent corrosion that leads to future leaks. When working around flashings, valleys, and roof penetrations, place nails at the prescribed distance from edges and laps so fasteners do not interfere with waterproof seams. Keep a magnetic nail sweep and a nail bag on the roof to collect removed nails promptly and avoid accidentally reusing bent or rusted fasteners.

Three common mistakes are reusing nails because they look intact, driving new nails at the wrong angle, and choosing the wrong coating for the environment. Reusing nails that appear straight can still be stretched or have reduced diameter so always use new nails designed for roofing. Driving nails at an angle or overdriving them distorts the shingle and reduces holding power so hold the hammer perpendicular and seat the head flush without crushing the material. Using plain steel nails in corrosive environments accelerates rust and leaks so select hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel fasteners for durability.

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