Had a similar experience myself when we bought our house. The previous owner had done the whole tape-and-sealant thing around the chimney flashing, and it looked decent enough at first glance. But after about a year, I noticed water stains appearing in the attic ceiling drywall—never a good sign.
When I climbed up to check, sure enough, the tape was peeling back at the edges, and water was sneaking underneath. Honestly, aluminum flashing just moves way too much with temperature swings for tape alone to hold reliably long-term. I ended up pulling off all the old stuff and starting fresh.
Here's what worked really well for me:
First, I removed all the old tape and sealant residue—tedious but necessary. Then I measured and cut new aluminum flashing pieces, making sure they overlapped properly (at least 4 inches). After dry-fitting everything to make sure it lined up nicely, I secured each piece with galvanized roofing nails spaced about every 6 inches along the edges. The key here is not to nail too tightly; leave just enough wiggle room so the aluminum can expand and contract without buckling or warping.
Once nailed down, I applied a quality roofing sealant along all seams and nail heads—something flexible like polyurethane-based caulk works great because it stays pliable through temperature changes. Finally, as an extra precaution (maybe overkill?), I brushed on some roof coating over the sealed areas for added waterproofing.
It's been almost four years now, and no leaks or lifting edges yet... knock on wood. Yeah, it's definitely more work upfront than slapping down some tape—but honestly worth it in peace of mind alone.
That's a really solid approach you took—especially giving the flashing some wiggle room. Aluminum definitely likes to move around with temperature swings, and I've seen my share of DIY fixes that looked great initially but ended up peeling back later. Tape's tempting because it's quick, but yeah... it rarely holds up long-term on its own.
One thing I'd add (just from my experience): when you're applying that roofing sealant, make sure the surfaces are super clean and dry first. It's a small detail but makes all the difference in how well things stick. And polyurethane-based caulk is spot-on for flexibility—I recommend it all the time.
The roof coating at the end might've been extra cautious, but honestly, better safe than sorry. Roof leaks are sneaky... by the time you notice them inside, they've usually been causing trouble for a while.
Four years leak-free is a good sign you've nailed it (no pun intended). Sounds like your fix will last quite a while. Nice work!
Totally agree about the tape—learned that lesson the hard way myself. I patched up some flashing with tape once, looked perfect at first, but after a couple seasons of sun and snow... yeah, not pretty. Your point about cleaning surfaces is spot-on too. I'd also suggest checking the flashing periodically, even if it's holding up well. Aluminum can surprise you sometimes, and catching minor issues early saves a ton of hassle later.
"I'd also suggest checking the flashing periodically, even if it's holding up well."
Good call on regular checks—wish I'd known that sooner. Just bought my first place and found out the previous owner was a big fan of quick fixes... tape EVERYWHERE, man. Spent last weekend peeling off crusty old patches and wondering why aluminum flashing seems to hate me personally, lol.
Quick question though: anyone tried sealants instead of tape for minor flashing repairs? Heard mixed opinions—some swear by it, others say it's just another temporary fix that'll haunt me later. Thoughts?
"Spent last weekend peeling off crusty old patches and wondering why aluminum flashing seems to hate me personally, lol."
Sounds like you've met my old nemesis—DIY tape fixes. Sealants can buy you time, but honestly they're often just "slightly better" temporary fixes. Proper redo saves headaches down the road... hang in there.
