I've sealed minor flashing damage temporarily before—used a roofing sealant to patch it up, thinking I'd bought myself some time. Worked fine for a few months, but then winter hit, and the freeze-thaw cycles did their thing... ended up with water sneaking in anyway. Had to redo the whole section come spring. Makes me wonder if temporary fixes ever really save time in the long run, or if they're just delaying the inevitable. Has anyone had better luck with specific sealants or techniques?
Temporary fixes can definitely buy you some breathing room, but aluminum flashing is tricky—especially with freeze-thaw cycles. Roofing sealants like silicone or polyurethane usually hold up better than basic asphalt-based ones. I've had decent luck using a high-quality polyurethane sealant (like Sikaflex or Loctite PL) along with proper surface prep—cleaning thoroughly and roughing the metal slightly for adhesion. Still, if the damage is extensive or recurring, biting the bullet and replacing that section properly tends to save headaches down the road... learned that one the hard way myself.
"Roofing sealants like silicone or polyurethane usually hold up better than basic asphalt-based ones."
Totally agree with you there—especially about avoiding asphalt-based sealants. I tried one of those cheaper asphalt sealants on a flashing repair a few winters ago, and it turned into a bit of a mess once the freeze-thaw cycles kicked in. It seemed fine at first, but after just one harsh winter, it cracked and started leaking again...right back to square one.
After that fiasco, I switched to a good silicone-based sealant and made sure I really cleaned and roughed up the aluminum surface first. It held up pretty well for about two years, but eventually the flashing itself was just too compromised from repeated repairs and weathering. Ended up replacing the whole section with new flashing, and honestly, I wish I'd done it sooner. It wasn't as complicated or expensive as I'd expected, and knowing it's done right gives me peace of mind.
If you're seeing recurring issues or extensive damage, it's probably worth considering biting the bullet sooner rather than later. Temporary fixes are great to get you through a rough patch—but speaking from experience, they can end up costing you more time and money if you're not careful.
Yeah, silicone sealants definitely seem like the way to go. I haven't had to deal with flashing yet, but I used an asphalt-based product on a small roof leak last fall, and it didn't even last through spring. It looked solid at first, but after a few months of rain and temperature swings, it started cracking again. Pretty frustrating.
I'm curious though—when you replaced the flashing, did you have to remove shingles or siding around it? I'm still getting comfortable with DIY projects and worry about causing more damage than I fix. If it's straightforward enough, I'd rather just replace it once and be done with it instead of patching repeatedly. Seems like the smarter move in the long run...
"I'm curious though—when you replaced the flashing, did you have to remove shingles or siding around it?"
Yeah, when I replaced mine last summer, I had to carefully lift up a few shingles around the area. Honestly, it wasn't as daunting as I expected. I used a flat pry bar and took my time to gently loosen the shingles without damaging them. The key was patience—rushing it definitely makes things worse (learned that the hard way on a previous project...). Once the shingles were lifted, swapping out the flashing was pretty straightforward.
I totally agree with your thinking about doing it right once instead of patching repeatedly. I tried a quick fix with sealant before, and it just ended up being a temporary headache. After replacing it properly, it's held up perfectly through rain and snow. So yeah, if you're comfortable taking your time and working carefully, I'd say go for the replacement. It's worth the peace of mind.
