"sealant can help temporarily, but it's no substitute for solid flashing underneath..."
Yeah, been there myself. Had a similar issue at one of my properties—thought silicone would do the trick too. Ended up replacing the flashing entirely. Bit more work upfront, but zero leaks since.
Yeah, silicone's tempting because it's quick and easy, but honestly, it's just kicking the can down the road. Flashing is there for a reason—it's designed to channel water away properly. Sealant might patch things up for a season or two, but eventually, weather and temperature swings will break it down. Learned that the hard way myself... ended up redoing the flashing after a nasty leak. Better to bite the bullet early and save yourself the headache later.
That's a solid point about silicone being more of a temporary band-aid than a lasting fix. I've seen plenty of cases where homeowners tried the quick-fix route, and it didn't end well. Aluminum flashing is specifically designed to handle expansion and contraction due to temperature fluctuations, so relying solely on sealant can definitely lead to problems down the line.
One thing I'm curious about though—have you (or anyone else here) experimented with some of the newer hybrid sealants on the market? I've heard claims that they're more durable and flexible than traditional silicone, potentially handling temperature swings better. Personally, I'm still skeptical about skipping proper flashing altogether... but maybe as an interim step or backup layer they could be useful. Wondering if anyone has hands-on experience with these products and can share some insights.
I've looked into those hybrid sealants too, and honestly, I'm still pretty skeptical. Sure, they might stretch and flex better than silicone, but at the end of the day, sealant is still sealant—it's not designed to replace flashing. Maybe as a temporary patch-up they'd be okay, but I'd worry about relying on them long-term. Personally, I'd rather bite the bullet and do it right once than risk water damage down the road... repairs get expensive fast.
Yeah, I get where you're coming from—sealants definitely have their limits. Have you had a chance to see how these hybrid sealants hold up over time, though? I've seen a couple of jobs where they were used as temporary fixes, and honestly, they did better than I expected. But you're right, they're not meant to replace proper flashing.
Have you thought about how long you'd need the temporary fix to last? If it's just a short-term thing until you can schedule a proper repair, it might be worth giving it a shot. But if you're looking at months or even longer... yeah, I'd be cautious too. Water damage is no joke—I've seen some pretty nasty stuff when people try to cut corners.
One thing I've learned so far is that quick fixes usually end up costing more in the long run. My mentor always says something like "cheap repairs are expensive," and I'm starting to see why. Have you priced out what it'd cost to redo the flashing properly? Sometimes it's not as bad as you'd think, especially if you're handy enough to tackle some of it yourself.
Either way, sounds like you're thinking this through carefully, which is smart. Better to ask these questions now than deal with mold or rot later on... trust me on that one.
