I’ve looked into those “flashingless” mounts too, but honestly, I’m not convinced they’re a long-term fix for our kind of rain. The idea sounds great—less roof penetration, less chance for leaks—but I haven’t seen enough real-world data yet. My neighbor had a system like that installed last year and already had to call the installer back after a windstorm shifted a couple panels and water started seeping in. Maybe the tech will get there, but for now, I’d rather pay extra for proper flashing and have a roofer involved from the start. Just seems safer, especially with how picky warranties can get if there’s any sign of water damage.
I get where you’re coming from about wanting the extra peace of mind with traditional flashing, especially with all the rain we get. But I’ve been crunching the numbers, and the cost difference between flashingless and standard mounts is pretty significant—at least in my area. I did a lot of reading before going with a flashingless system last fall, and so far, no leaks or issues (knock on wood). The installer used a butyl sealant that’s supposed to hold up for decades. I do check after big storms, though. Maybe it’s a calculated risk, but for my budget, it made sense to try something newer. If it fails, I’ll probably regret it... but for now, I’m cautiously optimistic.
I hear you on the budget side—those install costs add up fast, especially when you’re juggling a bunch of units like I do. I’ve had both traditional flashing and flashingless mounts on different roofs over the years. Honestly, the butyl sealant stuff has held up better than I expected, even through some gnarly windstorms. That said, I did have one spot where a lazy installer skimped on the sealant and we got a slow leak after a winter freeze-thaw cycle. Fixed it quick, but it was a reminder that technique matters as much as materials. If zombies ever start climbing roofs, I’m betting they’ll find the weak spots before the rain does...
- Had a similar issue with a shoddy seal job—one tiny gap and the meltwater found it right away.
- My Malarkey shingles have been solid so far, but I’m in the Midwest, so mostly wind and hail, not zombies (yet).
- Curious if anyone’s seen how these shingles hold up with solar mounts long-term? I keep hearing mixed things about the granules wearing off faster around the brackets.
- Also, does anyone actually trust flashingless installs for more than a few years? I’m a little skeptical, especially with all the freeze-thaw cycles here.
Curious if anyone’s seen how these shingles hold up with solar mounts long-term? I keep hearing mixed things about the granules wearing off faster around the brackets.
I’ve noticed some granule loss right where the mounts are, but nothing major after 5 years. Midwest freeze-thaw is rough, though—definitely wouldn’t skip flashing. Had a neighbor try it and he’s patching leaks every spring now.