Breathable membranes can be great, but aren't they sometimes oversold? I've seen cases where homeowners relied too heavily on wraps alone and skipped proper flashing details around windows and doors... ended up with leaks anyway. Maybe it's more about the whole system rather than one product?
Totally agree with you there. When we bought our first house, the previous owner proudly showed off the fancy breathable membrane they'd installed. Honestly, I had no clue what it even was at first—just nodded along like I knew exactly what he was talking about. Fast forward to our first big storm, and guess what? Water trickling in around the windows. Turns out they'd skipped proper flashing because they thought the wrap alone was some miracle worker.
Lesson learned: it's definitely about the whole system working together. Membranes are great, sure, but they're not magic. You still gotta do all the boring stuff right—flashing, sealing, proper drainage. It's like wearing a fancy raincoat but forgetting your boots...your feet still get soaked.
Yeah, membranes alone definitely aren't a silver bullet. I've seen similar issues where folks rely too heavily on one component and overlook the basics. It's all about redundancy—multiple layers of protection working together. Personally, I've found green roofs pretty effective at managing runoff and protecting the underlying structure. Plus, they look great and help keep the house cooler in summer. But even then, proper flashing and drainage are non-negotiable...otherwise, you're just planting a garden on your roof and hoping for the best.
Couldn't agree more about redundancy. I've also seen good results with storm shutters and reinforced entry points—doors and windows are usually the weakest links. Even the best roof won't help much if wind-driven rain finds its way inside... learned that the hard way a few years back.
