Good points, especially about heating the aluminum—I've found that helpful too. One thing I'd add is considering the age of the flashing. Older aluminum tends to be more brittle, so reshaping might not hold up as well long-term...might be safer to replace altogether in those cases.
Good call on the age factor—I learned that the hard way. Couple years back, had some aluminum flashing around my chimney that looked just a little dinged up. Thought it'd be an easy fix, heated it gently and reshaped it, seemed solid enough at first. Fast forward one winter storm later, and I'm climbing back up there in icy weather because a chunk of it snapped off and was flapping around like a flag... not exactly fun.
Older aluminum definitely doesn't have the flex it used to. Once it gets brittle, it's just buying time before you'll have to replace it anyway. I know replacement feels like more hassle upfront, but trust me, it's better than having to redo the job again in worse weather conditions. Learned my lesson—now if flashing even hints at brittleness or serious aging, it gets swapped out.
Yeah, brittle flashing is a ticking clock for sure. Also worth noting—sometimes the damage you see is just the tip of the iceberg. I've seen plenty of cases where water sneaks underneath and causes hidden issues... better safe than sorry.
"sometimes the damage you see is just the tip of the iceberg."
Yeah, learned that the hard way. Thought mine was just minor surface rust, but when I pulled it off, found rotted wood underneath. Definitely worth checking thoroughly before deciding on a quick fix.
Haha, been there myself—thought I'd get away with just swapping out a small section, ended up finding a mini swamp underneath. Good times.
- Aluminum flashing can hide some nasty surprises underneath.
- Quick fixes usually turn into repeat fixes down the line... learned that lesson more than once.
- If there's wood rot, moisture's probably been sneaking in for a while.
- Might be worth seeing if your underlayment or sheathing took a hit too.
Did you notice any water stains or damp spots inside before you pulled it apart, or was it totally hidden?
