Had the same inspector headache last fall—thought I was being clever with a second layer, but rules are rules. Ripping it all off was a pain, but at least I found some rotten decking before it got worse. Anyone tried ice and water shield around skylights? Wondering if that’s overkill or just smart in stormy spots...
Ice and water shield around skylights isn’t overkill in my book, especially if you get sideways rain or snow melt. I learned the hard way—skylight leaked during a Nor’easter, and the only thing that stopped it was wrapping the curb with shield. It’s a bit of extra work, but way cheaper than fixing drywall after a storm.
Had a similar moment of regret with a skylight, except mine was on a “green” install—lots of extra layers for insulation, but the one thing we skimped on was the shield around the curb. Thought the overhang would take care of most rain, but then we got a wind-driven downpour that basically found every gap. Ended up with a soggy ceiling and a very unhappy partner.
After that, I started wrapping the curb with ice and water shield as standard practice, even if it felt like overkill at the time. It’s not just about rain, either—snow melt pooling up there has a sneaky way of working itself into places you’d never expect. I’ve seen some folks try to rely on caulk or just extra flashing, but none of that really compares once you get sideways rain and melting snow coming at odd angles.
What’s funny is, I used to think all these “extra” steps were just upselling from contractors. Now I’m the one insisting on it, especially with green roofs where you’ve got more weight and moisture hanging around. The upfront cost and hassle is nothing compared to pulling out drywall, insulation, and dealing with mold.
Also, for anyone doing green or living roofs—don’t forget how much longer water sits up there. Traditional shingle roofs shed water fast, but with soil and plants, you can have moisture lingering for days after a storm. The shield buys you peace of mind.
Wouldn’t say it’s 100% foolproof, but it’s gotten me through two hurricanes and a couple of nasty winter storms since. I’m convinced it’s worth the extra roll of shield and half hour of work, even if it feels a bit much at first.
Not totally sold on the “ice and water shield everywhere” approach, especially with green/living roofs. A few things I’ve noticed:
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True, but if the curb isn’t built up high enough above the roofline or flashed right, no amount of shield will save you from a bad design.“The shield buys you peace of mind.”
- Seen a few cases where over-reliance on self-adhered membranes led to folks skipping proper metal flashing or not tying in layers correctly—ended up with leaks anyway.
- In my area (Pacific NW), ventilation is just as critical. Too much waterproofing without letting things breathe can trap moisture and rot out wood from the inside.
Not saying don’t use it, but sometimes people treat it like a magic fix when basics like slope and flashing matter more.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen folks slap ice and water shield everywhere and just assume they’re set, but if you skip the basics, it’s just a Band-Aid. Like you said,
I’ve been on jobs after big storms where the only thing holding back leaks was proper flashing—shield had already failed. In the PNW, moisture’s sneaky... too much sealing and suddenly you’re battling mold instead of leaks. Balance is everything.“no amount of shield will save you from a bad design.”
