
Nail pops aren’t just an eyesore; they’re also worrisome to many homeowners. What can JES do to ensure your nail pops don’t indicate a deeper problem?
Understanding Drywall Nail Pops & Causes, Virginia, MD, DC
If you’re still unsure if you have a foundation problem, take a quick look around your home. If your home also has drywall cracks, stuck windows, or cracked bricks, in addition to nail pops, then your home may have a foundation issue.
Drywall Nail Pops are Symptoms of Foundation Settlement









Foundation Problems: Drywall Nail Pops
If you’ve ever seen small, circular cracks in your drywall, you may be dealing with nail pops. It’s not entirely uncommon to have nail pops in drywall, but it’s important that you know how to deal with them. It’s true that nail pops can be a big problem. It’s concerning to see nails popping out of the ceiling or nail pops in walls. However, there’s a path to fixing them.
People have lots of questions about nail pops. What are nail pops? Are they bad? Why do they happen? What causes them? You don’t have to worry about the uncertainty of dealing with nail pops. Keep reading to get more information regarding your nail pops. With a free inspection from JES, you can craft a personalized plan to handle your nail pop problems.
Drywall Nail Pops FAQ
If you’ve ever had these questions regarding the nail pops in walls, floorboards, or ceilings that you’re dealing with, rest assured there are answers.
One of the bigger worries people have regarding nail pops is whether or not you can fix them everywhere. This is especially true when it comes to nail pops in older homes, which are more likely to suffer from structural integrity problems. Whether you have only a few nail pops or you’re dealing with lots of nails coming through the ceiling, here’s what you can expect.
One or Two Nail Pops
When you’re first starting to see nail pops, that’s when you should get in contact with someone. That’s because this could portend a deeper issue, or it could just be a cosmetic problem.
It’s true that sometimes, nail pops are only cosmetic. Although this cosmetic issue can be frustrating, it at least doesn’t mean you’re dealing with a serious structural problem that can lead to additional issues in the future.
When you schedule a free inspection with JES, you’ll get in contact with a foundation repair expert who will perform a thorough foundation inspection. If that expert finds the issue is only cosmetic, you’ll be the first to know.
A Few Nail Pops All Over the House
What if your nail pops are only somewhat common, but they’re coming up all over your home? If you’re seeing nail pops all across your home, it’s more likely that you’re dealing with a structural problem.
Alternately, the nails behind your drywall may be improperly positioned. This could showcase a different problem, although it’s still one you should address as soon as possible.
This is another problem a JES foundation repair expert can tackle for you. Foundation repair experts have plenty of experience with nail pops in older homes, nail pops in walls, and many other types of nail pops. They’ll be able to give you more understanding of what’s going on.
Nail Pops Everywhere
It’s most concerning if you’re starting to see nail pops everywhere, including in the ceiling, in the walls, and more. That means there’s a deep structural problem.
Ideally, you want to get in contact with an expert long before this happens. If you get in contact when you start to see only a few nail pops, it’ll be easier for you to fix whatever’s happening.
This is the point where you absolutely need to contact a JES foundation repair expert. If you don’t fix the foundational problems you’re experiencing, you run the risk of a much larger foundation issue, up to and even including having your home collapse.
Even after reading all this helpful information, you may still be wondering if it’s worth it to fix your nail pops right now. Especially if you only have a few, why can’t you wait until you have more money, time, or energy to fix the problem? There are lots of reasons you should get to fixing this problem as soon as possible.
Foundation Problems Can Mount Quickly
If you have foundation problems right now, they might not be causing serious issues at the moment. However, what happens when that “small” foundation problem turns into a very serious one?
The problem is, nail pops that stem from foundation problems typically come from problems like uneven settling, which doesn’t just impact the nails in your drywall. That’s a problem that impacts your whole home.
You need to talk to a JES expert as soon as possible because your foundation problems can go from unimportant to hugely important in a flash. You don’t want to be caught on the wrong end of that.
A Thorough Foundation Inspection Will Tell You What’s Wrong
As a homeowner, you probably don’t have the tools to do a foundation inspection. There’s nothing wrong with that. After all, that’s not something people expect you to have.
That’s why you consult experts who do have the right tools. A foundation inspection is an important part of determining what’s causing nail pops, and it’ll uncover any additional problems you’re facing.
The precision tools that JES foundation repair experts use are cutting-edge. They make sure you have the most useful information. That way, you can make a truly informed decision about what to do about your nail pops and any other problems.
Thoughtful Contractors Will Let You Know If It’s a Cosmetic Issue
Many people worry about consulting a contractor for potentially cosmetic issues like nail pops. It’s unfortunately common for contractors to try and “get the job” by making up problems to charge you for fixing.
However, a good contractor cares about their company’s reputation. A company gets a good reputation by performing quality, necessary work at a reasonable price.
That’s exactly why you need a thoughtful contractor like the ones at JES. These contractors want to make sure you’re safe. If you don’t need a foundation repair for your nail pops, a JES foundation repair expert will let you know.
When people first experience nail pops, they tend to first ask what causes them. That’s because the cause of nail pops in walls and ceilings can give you an idea of how serious the problem is.
Although you should definitely tackle nail pops in ceilings, walls, and floors as soon as you see them, the problem can vary wildly. They typically stem from some sort of foundation problem, but the problem in question may be different from home to home. These are just a few of the most common reasons for nail pops.
Water and Drainage Problems
Has it been a particularly rainy season? Have you noticed cracks and creaks in your home? You may be dealing with too much water. This can essentially mix the soil under your home into the mud, which will press against the foundation and create weakness in it.
If you’re handling water problems that are causing your nail pops, you’ll probably notice other cracking issues as well. Nail pops may be the first sign of a problem, but if you’re noticing brick cracking, uneven floors, or other common signs of the house settling, this should be your first thought.
Hot Summers
On the other side, what if the summer has been hotter than usual? In fact, an unusually hot, dry summer can have a similar effect as a wet season. Although soil expands when it gets wet, it shrinks and cracks when it starts to dry.
This shrinking is what creates gaps between your foundation and the ground around it. When the soil creates these gaps, the foundation will start to lean and settle against it. That can lead to a lot of problems, including leaning walls and wide cracks in the foundation.
Poor Foundation Preparation
Before the home builders even lay the foundation for the home, the soil underneath needs careful preparation. It needs to be compact and firm so the foundation has something to cling onto for years after laying it.
The problem arises if the original builders didn’t prepare the soil well enough. If the soil wasn’t compact enough, the dirt will shift even after laying the foundation. That results in settling, which can cause cracks and lean throughout the lifespan of the home.
Look through these pictures to see just a few examples of the ways that a nail pop in drywall may look. Here, you can see how nail pops may look different depending on their severity and the location in which they come up. If you start to see a number of these, it may be time to call JES to discover a fix.
It can be expensive to invest in any sort of home repairs. The question many people ask is, can you fix nail pops at home instead of talking to an expert? Although you may hope to save money with a DIY nail pop fix, the fact is that because nail pops are often a symptom of another problem, you should instead contact a professional expert. These are just a few of the reasons you probably shouldn’t try to DIY your nail pops fix.
A Symptom of a Deeper Issue
Sometimes, nail pops in walls can be purely cosmetic. However, it’s much more common for nail pops to show up because of a deeper problem, typically a foundational problem.
Especially if you’re dealing with nail pops everywhere, you don’t want to brush over these problems. Plus, if you try to DIY a fix for what appears to be a small problem, you may end up with nail pops all over your house instead.
A free inspection from JES can help alleviate these fears. JES is well-known for its honesty. If your home doesn’t need an expensive foundation solution, a JES foundation repair expert will be upfront with you about that.
Foundation Problems Can Be Deadly
The foundation of your home is the most important part, and it’s the part you want to keep solid. If you end up with a foundation problem, it can build to a place where it may even become deadly.
You don’t want to deal with that kind of serious foundation problem on your own. You should always take nail pops seriously because they could be indicative of an incredibly serious problem.
When you contact JES for a free inspection, you get the best of both worlds. If you do have a foundation problem, you’ll get immediate advice on how to fix that problem. However, if it’s just a cosmetic issue, a JES foundation repair expert will deliver you that information immediately.
You Can’t Know the Full Extent
If your nail pops are cosmetic, you can fix them on your own time, often with spackle and paint. However, if they’re a symptom of a foundation issue, you’re going to need to talk to a professional.
The problem is that without an expert who can tell the difference, you won’t be able to tell which nail pops you can cover over yourself and which ones you should pay more attention to.
A foundation inspection requires precision tools that you probably don’t have access to. That’s why it’s important to contact JES and request a free inspection. After the inspection, you’ll know that an expert took all the required measurements and processed that information to give you genuine advice on your nail pops problem.
Drywall Nail Pop Solutions
After your free inspection, we may recommend some of our house settling solutions, including JES Helical Piers, JES Push Piers, JES Slab Piers, and JES Wall Anchors.
Every home’s foundation repair needs are different. We’ll work with you – every step of the way – to create an economical, custom foundation repair solution for your home.
Nail Pops: Your Next Steps
Whether you’re dealing with seemingly endless nail pops everywhere or you’ve just started seeing one or two nail pops in your ceiling, you should deal with them before they get out of hand. If you deal with them now, you can stop future problems before they happen.
Don’t leave nail pops to potentially become a much more significant issue. When nail pops can potentially mean there’s something wrong with your foundation, you want to approach it now, rather than later. Request a free inspection to learn more about what’s causing your nail pops today.
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