Quick fixes definitely have their place. I've seen roofing tape hold flashing together longer than expected, but I've also had a few fails where temporary patches didn't make it through a heavy storm. A lot depends on the location and exposure—stuff tucked away under an eave tends to last longer than flashing taking direct hits from wind and rain.
Couple points from experience:
- Roofing tape and sealants can be great short-term solutions, especially if you're juggling multiple repair projects at once.
- Temporary fixes can sometimes hide deeper issues. Had one case where a quick patch masked underlying wood rot for months.
- If you're dealing with rental properties (like I do), sometimes a quick fix is necessary to minimize tenant disruption until you can schedule a proper repair.
Curious if anyone's found certain brands or types of sealants or tapes that stand out as more reliable than others? I've had mixed luck with the standard hardware store stuff and wouldn't mind hearing about any hidden gems out there.
"Curious if anyone's found certain brands or types of sealants or tapes that stand out as more reliable than others?"
I've had pretty good luck with Eternabond tape—sticks like crazy and holds up surprisingly well. Just make sure the surface is clean and dry first, otherwise you'll be redoing it sooner than you'd like...
Eternabond's definitely solid stuff—I used it last year to patch up some flashing around my chimney, and it's held up great through some pretty nasty storms. Funny thing is, I almost didn't trust it at first because it seemed too easy, you know? Just peel and stick felt suspiciously simple for something that important. But here we are, still dry inside.
On the other hand, I've tried a couple silicone-based sealants in the past that didn't hold up nearly as well. They looked good initially, but after a few months of sun exposure and temperature swings, they started peeling off at the edges. Maybe I just picked the wrong brand or something.
Speaking of that, has anyone here had better luck with silicone or polyurethane sealants for flashing repairs? I'm curious if my experience was just bad luck or if tape really is the better route overall...
I've had pretty similar experiences with silicone—looks great when you first put it on, but after a season or two of sun and rain, it starts lifting at the edges. Polyurethane sealants have been a bit better for me, especially the high-quality brands. I used some Sikaflex around my skylights last spring and it's still holding strong, no peeling yet. But honestly, Eternabond tape is just simpler and seems to last longer without fuss.
Funny thing is, I was skeptical about tape at first too. It felt like a shortcut or something temporary. But after using it to patch up an RV roof leak a couple years back, I'm pretty much sold. The RV sits outside year-round, through snow and blazing sun, and the tape hasn't budged at all. So yeah, silicone might be fine for minor indoor stuff or quick cosmetic fixes, but for outdoor flashing repairs exposed to weather extremes, tape or polyurethane seems like the way to go in my book.
I've had decent luck with Eternabond too, but I wouldn't completely write off silicone just yet. A lot of the lifting and peeling issues come down to prep work. If you clean the aluminum thoroughly—I'm talking scrub it down, remove all oxidation and dirt, then wipe it with alcohol or acetone—silicone can hold up surprisingly well. Still, I agree it's more finicky than tape or polyurethane.
One thing about Eternabond though: if you ever have to redo or remove it later on, it's a real pain. Had to replace some flashing around a chimney once that someone taped up years before, and man... getting that stuff off was brutal. Polyurethane sealants like Sikaflex strike a nice balance between durability and ease of future repairs.
Curious if anyone's tried hybrid sealants (like MS polymer)? I've heard good things but haven't personally tested them yet. Might be worth exploring as another option between tape and traditional sealants.
