Silicone washers always seem good on paper, but in practice... yeah, they don't hold up as well as you'd think. EPDM should be a solid upgrade—seen them last years without issues. Good luck, hope it works out better for you.
Gotta say, silicone washers aren't always the villain they're made out to be. When I first moved into my place, the previous owner had silicone washers on the shed roof. Thought they'd crumble in a year, tops... but surprisingly, they've held up pretty well through storms and heatwaves alike. Maybe it's just luck or some weird roofing voodoo, but I'm not ready to write them off completely yet. EPDM sounds solid though—might give it a shot if mine ever decide to retire early.
"Thought they'd crumble in a year, tops... but surprisingly, they've held up pretty well through storms and heatwaves alike."
Funny you mention that—I had a similar experience with silicone washers on my garage roof. I was skeptical too, figured they'd dry out and crack after one harsh winter. But nope, they've been hanging tough for almost five years now. Maybe there's some secret silicone washer society out there blessing random roofs?
That said, EPDM washers are definitely worth considering if you're replacing or starting fresh. They're usually more reliable long-term, especially if your area gets hit with extreme temperature swings or hailstorms. Silicone can surprise you, sure, but EPDM tends to be the safer bet overall.
Also curious about this mysterious metal roof sample you found—any idea what material it is yet? Aluminum? Galvalume? Or is it some alien alloy sent to confuse us all...?
Funny you bring up EPDM washers—I switched to them a couple years back after a nasty hailstorm shredded my silicone ones. Silicone held up surprisingly well before that, but the EPDM washers seem to handle impacts better overall. Still, silicone does have its moments...maybe it's luck or some secret washer voodoo?
About that mystery metal roof sample—did you notice if it feels lighter than steel? Aluminum usually has that distinct lightweight feel, and Galvalume tends to have a slightly different sheen. If it's neither of those, maybe you've stumbled onto something new or experimental. Any chance you could snap a close-up pic of the surface texture or edges? Might help narrow things down a bit.
Interesting point about the washers—I had no idea EPDM handled hail better. Just moved into my first house recently, and I'm still learning all these little details. Honestly, I didn't even know washers could make that much difference until I started lurking around here...
About your mystery metal roof sample, though—sounds intriguing. Aluminum definitely feels lighter to me whenever I've handled it, almost like it's too thin or something. Galvalume always seemed shinier, but maybe that's just me. Could be some new alloy or coating they're testing out? Either way, you're probably onto something cool. If you do manage to get a close-up pic, I'd love to see it—I'm weirdly curious about this now, haha. Good luck figuring it out!
