I hear you on the felt—tried to save a few bucks with it on my garage, and of course we got a freak rainstorm before I could finish. Ended up with water spots on the plywood and a bunch of cursing. Switched to synthetic for the house roof last year and yeah, it cost more, but I slept way better knowing it could handle a few days of bad weather. Insurance stuff is a headache too... I’d rather not give them any reason to nitpick if something goes wrong.
Yeah, I learned the hard way too—felt just doesn’t cut it if the weather turns on you. I went with synthetic underlayment for my last roof and honestly, the peace of mind was worth the extra bucks. Insurance folks can be picky, and I’d rather not give them a reason to drag things out. If you’re already spending on CertainTeed, might as well protect the investment, right?
I’ve been going back and forth on the underlayment too. The contractor I talked to said synthetic’s a lot more durable, especially if there’s any delay before the shingles go on. But I’m still trying to figure out if the extra cost is justified for my area—Midwest, so we get a fair bit of wind and rain, but not crazy hurricanes or anything. I keep hearing insurance companies care about what’s underneath, but I haven’t seen anything in my policy that spells it out. Did you notice any difference in your premium after switching? Or is it more about avoiding hassle if there’s a claim?
I went through the same debate last fall when we replaced our roof (also in the Midwest, so I know what you mean about unpredictable weather but nothing extreme). Here’s how I broke it down for myself:
1. **Durability**: The synthetic underlayment my contractor showed me was way tougher than the old felt. We had a weird delay between tear-off and shingle delivery, and it rained twice during that window. The synthetic stuff didn’t budge or wrinkle, and no leaks inside. If it had been felt, I’m not sure we’d have been as lucky.
2. **Cost**: It was about $400 more for our roof (2,200 sq ft). Not nothing, but compared to the overall cost of a new roof, it felt like decent insurance for peace of mind.
3. **Insurance**: I combed through my policy too and didn’t see anything specific about underlayment type. When I called my agent, they said it wouldn’t change my premium directly, but if there was ever an issue—like water damage during a storm before the shingles are on—having a more durable underlayment *could* make a claim go smoother since there’s less chance of “improper installation” arguments. Basically, it’s more about avoiding headaches than saving money up front.
4. **Resale**: We’re not planning to move soon, but I did notice realtors in our area sometimes mention “synthetic underlayment” in listings for newer roofs. Not sure how much weight buyers give it, but it might be a minor selling point.
If your budget’s tight, the old-school felt does work (my neighbor used it last year and hasn’t had issues), but if you’re already spending thousands on the roof, the extra few hundred for synthetic just seemed worth it to me—especially with Midwest rainstorms rolling through out of nowhere.
One thing I’d double-check is that your contractor actually uses a good brand of synthetic. Some of the cheaper ones aren’t much better than felt from what I read.
Hope that helps you weigh things out. It’s one of those “pay a little more now or maybe regret it later” situations... at least that’s how I saw it.
I went with CertainTeed Landmark last summer and had the same back-and-forth about underlayment. Ended up paying a bit extra for synthetic, mostly because my neighbor’s roof job got rained on mid-project and the felt turned into a soggy mess. I figured if I’m already dropping a chunk of change, I’d rather not risk it. The only thing I’d add—double-check if your contractor is including ice and water shield in valleys and around chimneys. Mine tried to skip it at first, but that’s where leaks love to start, especially with Midwest freeze-thaw cycles.