Say you're up on the roof and you spot a small tear or hole in the aluminum flashing around your chimney or vent pipe—would you just slap on some sealant and call it good, or is it better to replace the whole section? Curious how others handle this kinda thing...
If it's just a small tear, sealing it up with a roofing-specific sealant is usually fine as a temporary fix—especially if you're tight on time or budget. But I'd always ask myself: what's the flashing's overall condition like? Is it already corroded, bent, or showing signs of age? If so, patching might just be kicking the can down the road. In that case, replacing the section properly saves headaches down the line...depends on your situation and patience for roof work, honestly.
"If so, patching might just be kicking the can down the road."
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way last summer. Had a small tear, figured I'd just slap some sealant on it and call it good. Worked fine for a few months, but then winter hit and the leak came back worse. Ended up replacing the whole flashing anyway. So I'd say if you're seeing any corrosion or bending already, might as well bite the bullet now rather than later...
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way last summer. Had a small tear, figured I'd just slap some sealant on it and call it good.
Yeah, been there myself. Last job I was on, homeowner insisted on patching up some flashing that was clearly past its prime. Sure enough, two storms later we were back replacing the whole thing anyway. Better to tackle it head-on than deal with headaches down the line...
Sure enough, two storms later we were back replacing the whole thing anyway.
Yeah, patching aluminum flashing is usually just a temporary fix at best. Sealant might buy you some time, but aluminum expands and contracts quite a bit with temperature changes, so even the best sealants eventually fail. I've managed properties where we've tried quick fixes to save on immediate costs, and almost every time it ended up costing more in the long run—water damage repairs aren't cheap.
If it's just a tiny puncture or tear and you're pressed for time or budget, sure, sealant can hold you over briefly. But honestly, replacing the damaged section is the smarter move. Flashing isn't that expensive compared to dealing with mold remediation or structural repairs down the road. Plus, once water finds its way in, it can travel pretty far before you even notice there's an issue.
I get why people try to patch first—it's tempting—but from experience, biting the bullet and doing it right the first time saves headaches later.
