Had a similar issue a couple winters back—got called out to a client's place after they'd tried every DIY fix imaginable. Flex Seal, duct tape, you name it... nothing held up once the ice and snow hit. Ended up swapping in silicone boots and sealing with a good roofing caulk. Honestly, silicone boots are worth the extra upfront cost; saves you from freezing your fingers off at 2 AM trying to patch leaks by flashlight.
"Honestly, silicone boots are worth the extra upfront cost; saves you from freezing your fingers off at 2 AM trying to patch leaks by flashlight."
Wish I'd read this thread last winter before I went through my own midnight roof drama. I ended up using roofing tar and some aluminum flashing as a temporary fix, and it held up surprisingly well through the season. But now I'm thinking silicone boots might be the smarter long-term solution. Quick question though—when you installed the silicone boots, did you have to remove the old flashing completely, or could you just fit them over the existing setup? I'm trying to gauge how much prep work is involved before I climb back up there again.
"Quick question though—when you installed the silicone boots, did you have to remove the old flashing completely, or could you just fit them over the existing setup?"
From what I've seen inspecting roofs, it's usually best practice to remove the old flashing entirely. Silicone boots are great, but fitting them over existing flashing can sometimes trap moisture or hide underlying issues. Did you check the condition of the decking underneath when you did your temporary fix? Might be worth a quick look before committing to the silicone boots...
I learned this the hard way last year when I tried to shortcut it by just slipping silicone boots over the old flashing. Thought I'd save myself some time, but a few months later I was back up there dealing with moisture buildup and rust spots underneath. Ended up having to rip everything out anyway and replace some decking too...lesson learned. Honestly, better off doing it right the first time around, even if it's a bit more work.
"Thought I'd save myself some time, but a few months later I was back up there dealing with moisture buildup and rust spots underneath."
Been there myself—tried a similar shortcut a couple years ago on a client's roof, thinking it'd hold up fine. Ended up costing me extra time and materials to fix properly. Definitely reinforced the value of thorough flashing replacements.
