Gravity’s not your friend on those slopes... water finds any little gap.
Ain’t that the truth. I’ve lost count of how many times I thought I’d sealed something up tight, only to find a little drip after the next big rain. Those universal collars are a lifesaver for weird-shaped vents, but yeah, I always end up with a Frankenstein-looking patch job and a tube of caulk that’s seen better days.
On steep pitches, I’ve had the best luck sliding the flashing as far up as possible, even if it means loosening a few extra shingles. Sometimes I’ll even double up on the caulk—one bead under the flashing, another around the collar—just for my own peace of mind. It’s not pretty, but it keeps the ceiling dry.
Funny thing, I once tried to “eyeball” the overlap on a 10/12 roof. Let’s just say, gravity won that round and I got a crash course in water stains. Lesson learned: water always finds the shortcut.
Ever tried using a flexible flashing tape instead of doubling up on caulk? I get wanting that extra peace of mind, but I’ve found the tape holds up better over time, especially if you’re dealing with a lot of freeze-thaw cycles. Caulk always seems to crack on me after a couple seasons... Maybe it’s just our wild temperature swings here, but I started switching to more “permanent” solutions and it’s saved me some headaches. Curious if anyone else has had luck with that approach?
- Tried the tape route last winter after my caulk job basically peeled off like a bad sunburn.
- Tape’s holding up way better, but I did notice it gets a bit gummy in the summer heat—anyone else see that?
- Still beats crawling around with a caulk gun every spring, though.
- Wondering if anyone’s used it on metal roofs? I’ve only done asphalt so far, not sure if it sticks as well.
Tape on metal roofs is a bit of a mixed bag in my experience. I tried it on my old shed, which has a standing seam metal roof, and it stuck okay at first, but once the summer sun hit, it started to creep and got that gummy feel you mentioned. Still, it didn’t peel up like caulk tends to do after a rough winter. If you’re in a spot with big temp swings, you might see some ooze, but honestly, it’s less hassle than re-caulking every year. Just keep an eye out for spots where water might sneak under if the tape shifts.
That’s been my experience too, honestly. I used butyl tape on a corrugated roof section last year and while it held better than caulk over the winter, come July it started to soften up. Like you mentioned,
—I’ve seen that exact thing. Still, for the price and the fact that I don’t have to climb up there every spring scraping off old caulk, it’s hard to argue against tape if you’re watching your budget. Maybe not perfect, but definitely less work year to year. Just wish there was something that didn’t attract all that dust when it gets sticky...“once the summer sun hit, it started to creep and got that gummy feel”