I’ve noticed the same thing with the “lifetime” rubber boots—on paper they sound great, but in practice, Midwest weather seems to chew them up. I replaced one on my folks’ house after six years; it was already brittle and starting to curl away from the pipe. Metal flashings do seem to last much longer, but like you said, they’re trickier to install without bending or scratching them. I try to use a dab of high-quality sealant where the pipe meets the metal, just in case. The extra time upfront beats patching leaks later on.
I try to use a dab of high-quality sealant where the pipe meets the metal, just in case. The extra time upfront beats patching leaks later on.
I get what you’re saying about metal flashings lasting longer, but I’ve actually had decent luck with the newer silicone boots. They’re pricier up front, but they seem to handle wild temperature swings better than the standard rubber ones. Midwest winters are brutal, but after eight years, mine still looks flexible—no cracks or curling yet. Maybe it’s just luck, but I’d take that over wrestling with sharp metal edges any day.
I hear you on the silicone boots. I was pretty skeptical at first, but after seeing how the regular black rubber ones basically turned into potato chips after a couple of summers and winters, I figured it was worth a shot. The price tag stings a little, but not as much as crawling up there every other year to swap out cracked boots.
Honestly, wrestling with metal flashings is not my favorite part of the job either—those edges are like cheese graters if you’re not careful. Still, I’ve noticed some of the older metal ones on roofs around here (central Illinois) are still holding up after 20+ years, which is wild. Maybe it’s just luck or maybe folks were using better stuff back then.
Anyway, I’m with you—if the silicone keeps doing its thing through these Midwest freeze-thaw cycles, I’ll stick with it. Haven’t had to patch any leaks since switching over, so fingers crossed it stays that way...
- Totally get where you’re coming from with the rubber boots—those things just don’t seem to last in our weather.
- I’ve seen the same thing with old metal flashings holding up way longer than expected, but man, they are a pain to work with.
- Silicone boots cost more up front, but if you’re not patching leaks every year, that’s a win in my book.
- Midwest freeze-thaw cycles are brutal... sounds like you made the right call switching over.
- Haven’t seen any major issues on inspections since folks started using silicone, so fingers crossed it keeps working for you.