Ever had a patch job that looked fine from the outside, but turned into a bigger headache later?
Oh man, story of my life. I once used a piece of scrap aluminum and some duct tape to fix a flashing issue behind my chimney—looked solid, but come spring, the inside wall was bubbling like a bad science project. My rule now: if I can patch it and actually see what’s going on underneath, I’ll risk it. If it’s hidden, I usually end up ripping it out and doing it right...eventually. The “if it ain’t broke” thing is great until you start smelling mold.
Patch jobs are tempting, but I learned the hard way that flashing is one spot you don’t want to skimp on. I tried a quick fix with caulk and some leftover metal around a vent pipe—looked fine until a heavy rain, then water found its way in and trashed the drywall. If there’s any sign of damage or hidden rot, I’d just bite the bullet and pull it all out. It’s a pain, but chasing leaks behind walls is way worse. If you can see everything and it’s dry, maybe a patch works...but I wouldn’t gamble on it twice.
Had a tenant who thought duct tape was the answer to everything, including flashing. Spoiler: it’s not waterproof, and neither is wishful thinking. I get the urge to just patch and move on—no one wants to rip up half their roof for a tiny leak—but honestly, every time I’ve tried to shortcut flashing repairs, it’s come back to bite me. Sometimes literally...mold is no joke. If there’s even a whiff of rot or soft spots, I yank it all out and do it right. Otherwise, you’re just setting up future-you for a headache (and probably some angry phone calls).
Had a seller once who tried to “fix” a flashing leak with a combo of duct tape and what looked like some kind of craft glue. I only found it because the attic smelled weird, and when I poked around, the insulation was damp and there was this little patchwork masterpiece above the chimney. The thing is, from the outside, you’d never know—shingles looked fine, no obvious gaps. But inside? Water had been sneaking in for months. Mold was already starting behind the drywall.
I get why people want to just slap something on and hope for the best—especially if it’s just a drip or two—but every time I’ve seen that, it’s ended up costing way more in the long run. Once you’ve got rot or mold, you’re not just replacing flashing anymore...it’s framing, insulation, sometimes even electrical if it’s bad enough.
I do wonder if there’s ever a “good enough” quick fix for flashing, though. Maybe some of those newer tapes or sealants? But honestly, I haven’t seen one yet that holds up through a couple seasons of freeze/thaw.
That “craft glue and duct tape” combo sounds like something my uncle would’ve tried after a few beers. I’ve seen those miracle tapes advertised, but in my experience, nothing really stands up to a proper metal-to-masonry seal—especially once winter hits and everything expands and contracts. I did try one of those butyl rubber tapes on a vent boot last year as a stopgap, and it held for maybe six months before the leak came back. At that point, I just bit the bullet and replaced the flashing. Honestly, if you’re already seeing moisture or mold, it’s past the point of quick fixes anyway.
