Once rot sets in though, it’s like playing whack-a-mole with leaks.
That’s the truth. I’ve seen more than a few “quick fixes” turn into full-blown water features by spring. Peel-and-stick has its place, but if the OSB is already punky, you’re basically slapping a Band-Aid on a broken dam. The marine butyl tape is interesting—those boat folks know a thing or two about keeping water out—but even the best tape can’t save you if the substrate is mush.
I always tell people: if you can poke a screwdriver through your sheathing, it’s time to stop patching and start replacing. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with more rot and probably some creative new stains on your ceiling. And yeah, it hurts the wallet, but nothing empties a bank account faster than chasing leaks all winter.
Funny enough, I once tried to “stretch” a season with some high-end sealant and a prayer. Lasted until the first nor’easter... then I got an indoor waterfall. Lesson learned—do it right when you can, or prepare for soggy surprises.
You nailed it—patches are tempting, but they’re usually just buying time. I’ve seen folks spend more on “temporary” fixes than a proper replacement would’ve cost. Still, I get wanting to stretch things out when budgets are tight. Sometimes you just have to weigh the risk and hope for a mild winter...
I’m right there with you. I tried patching a section of my flashing last fall, thinking it’d get me through the winter. Ended up spending more on caulk and sealant than I expected, and sure enough, the leak came back anyway once we got a couple heavy rains. My neighbor kept saying to just replace the whole strip, but I figured I could squeeze another year out of it… hindsight’s 20/20, I guess.
Honestly, if your budget can swing it at all, just do the full replacement. The stress of checking for leaks every time it storms isn’t worth it. That said, I get why people go for patches—money doesn’t grow on trees and sometimes you have to make do. But from what I've seen (and learned the hard way), those “temporary” fixes usually end up costing more in the long run—and not just in cash, but in headaches too.
Curious if anyone’s had luck with those aluminum repair tapes? They look easy enough, but I’m skeptical after my experience...
I hear you on the patching—been there, done that, and honestly, I regret it every time. The aluminum repair tapes are tempting, especially when you’re staring at the price of new flashing, but in my experience they’re really just a band-aid. I tried one of those tapes last year after a windstorm peeled up a section by my chimney. Looked good for about two months, then the first real freeze/thaw cycle hit and the adhesive started peeling up at the edges. Water found its way in anyway.
I get why people try to stretch things out—money’s tight for a lot of us—but if you can swing it, just replace the whole strip. The peace of mind alone is worth it. Plus, if water gets behind your siding or into your attic, you’re looking at way bigger bills down the road. If you do end up using tape as a stopgap, make sure everything’s bone dry and clean before sticking it down... but don’t count on it to last through a full season of wild weather.
I get why people try to stretch things out—money’s tight for a lot of us—but if you can swing it, just replace the whole strip. The peace of mind alone is worth it.
That’s the part I keep wrestling with. I tried patching a section over my porch last fall, thinking I’d just buy myself a year or two. Used the “good” tape and everything, but after one bad rainstorm, it started bubbling up. Ended up spending more on supplies than if I’d just replaced that bit of flashing in the first place. Still hurts the wallet, but you’re right—the stress of worrying about water getting in is worse.
