Corners and overlaps are always where things go sideways, no matter how careful you are. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen “perfect” tape jobs fail after the first real storm. Wind-driven rain just finds every weak spot. And yeah, if there’s any dust or old caulk under there, forget it—the tape’s just along for the ride. Sometimes you can get away with a patch, but most of the time, chasing leaks ends up being more work than just pulling the flashing and doing it right. It’s a pain, but it saves headaches down the road.
Wind-driven rain just finds every weak spot. And yeah, if there’s any dust or old caulk under there, forget it—the tape’s just along for the ride.
That’s been my experience too, unfortunately. I tried the “just slap some tape on it” approach last fall, thinking I’d outsmart the rain. Nope. The first good downpour and I had a nice little waterfall inside the garage. I swear, water is like a bloodhound for bad tape jobs.
Honestly, I get the temptation to patch and move on—especially when you’re halfway up a ladder and it’s starting to drizzle. But every time I’ve tried to shortcut it, I end up back at square one, only wetter and grumpier.
Corners are the worst, especially on my old ranch house with all those weird angles. If I see any sign of dust or old caulk, I just bite the bullet and pull the whole piece. It’s a hassle, but way less stressful than chasing leaks during a storm at 2am in your pajamas.
Corners are the worst, especially on my old ranch house with all those weird angles.
That’s been my headache too—corners and anywhere two planes meet just seem to attract leaks. I’ve noticed that even if you clean the surface, if there’s any residue from old caulk, tape won’t bond right. Out of curiosity, has anyone tried using a primer before re-caulking or taping? I’ve read it can help adhesion, but I haven’t tested it myself. Wondering if it’s worth the extra step or just overkill for flashing repairs.
Corners are like the Bermuda Triangle for leaks, I swear. I’ve tried primer a couple times—honestly, it did seem to help the tape stick better, especially on those stubborn spots where old caulk just won’t quit. It’s a bit of a pain, but if you’re already up there cursing at flashing, what’s one more step?
- Corners are always the first place I check for leaks—funny how water just finds its way in there every time.
- Primer’s a good move, especially if you’re dealing with older caulk or rough surfaces. I’ve seen it make a difference with adhesion, but yeah, it’s an extra step.
- If you’re seeing repeat leaks after patching, sometimes it means the flashing itself is too far gone—corrosion or warping can make tape and caulk almost useless.
- For minor dings or pinholes, a patch with primer and tape usually holds up. But if the aluminum’s bent out of shape or pulling away from the wall, I’d lean toward replacing that section.
- One trick: check how much overlap you’ve got at those corners. Sometimes adding a small extra piece of step flashing behind the trouble spot makes all the difference.
- Honestly, I’ve had clients try to stretch one more season out of old flashing and end up with bigger headaches after a storm... sometimes biting the bullet saves money down the road.
