Have you ever tried those silicone collars? I’m curious if they actually last or just another gimmick.
Funny you bring up the silicone collars—I’ve seen a few installed on newer builds and honestly, I was skeptical at first. Figured it was just another product trying to fix what wasn’t broken. But after poking around on a couple roofs during inspections the past year, I gotta admit, they’re holding up better than I expected, especially compared to the cheap rubber stuff that’s labeled “UV-resistant” (which, like you said, is a pretty loose term).
One thing I noticed: the silicone doesn’t seem to get brittle or chalky like rubber does after baking in the sun for a couple seasons. They’re a bit more of a pain to fit if your pipe isn’t perfectly plumb, but nothing too wild. Still, I’d keep an eye on the sealant around them—if the metal boots are cracking at the seams, the same could happen here if you use the wrong caulk.
If you’re in an area with brutal summers, I’d say silicone is worth a shot. Not magic, but not snake oil either.
Had a job last spring where we swapped out cracked EPDM boots for silicone collars after a hailstorm. Honestly, I was surprised how well the silicone handled freeze-thaw cycles—no splitting or peeling after the first winter. Only catch was getting a tight seal on older, out-of-round vent pipes... took a bit of extra time, but worth it compared to replacing boots every few years. If you’re in a spot with wild temp swings, they’re not a bad upgrade.
When the stitching starts to show
Man, you nailed it with the silicone collars. I used to be a die-hard EPDM boot guy—mainly because that’s what everyone stocked and it was cheap. But after the third or fourth time crawling up to swap out boots that looked like they’d been through a cheese grater, I started rethinking my life choices. Hail, squirrels, sun, you name it... those things just don’t hold up around here (I’m in central Nebraska, so we get the full four seasons, sometimes in one week).
The silicone ones are a pain to get seated on those old, oval pipes, though. I’ve had to break out the heat gun more than once just to get a halfway decent fit. Sometimes I wonder if the vent pipes are actually round when they leave the factory, or if they just get banged up in shipping. Either way, I’d rather wrestle with a stubborn collar for an extra 20 minutes than come back in two years to replace another split boot.
One thing I’ve noticed—if you’re dealing with a metal roof, the silicone collars seem to handle the expansion and contraction better too. Less cracking around the base. I did have one job where the homeowner insisted on painting the collars to match the roof color, and that didn’t go so well... paint started peeling after the first freeze. Lesson learned: just leave ‘em as they are.
I still keep a couple EPDM boots in the truck for emergencies, but if I’ve got the choice, it’s silicone every time now. Costs a bit more up front, but my knees and back thank me for not having to climb up there as often.
- Totally agree on the silicone collars lasting longer.
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That’s exactly why I’m leaning that way for my first roof project.Costs a bit more up front, but my knees and back thank me for not having to climb up there as often.
- Curious—has anyone tried those “universal” retrofit collars? I’ve got some weird vent shapes and not sure if they’re worth the extra money or just marketing hype.
- Also, any tips for sealing around the base on a steep pitch? I’m worried about water sneaking in under the flashing.
I’ve used those universal retrofit collars on a couple of oddball vents—one was oval, the other had some weird offset. They did the job, but honestly, the fit wasn’t perfect and I had to use a fair bit of sealant to feel good about it. If you’re dealing with a steep pitch, I’d run a bead of high-quality roofing caulk under the flashing and make sure your shingles overlap tightly. Gravity’s not your friend on those slopes... water finds any little gap. If you can, tuck the flashing up under the course above for extra peace of mind.