- I get the urge to just replace the whole section, but honestly, I patched a bent bit last fall with some heavy-duty tape and sealant and it’s held up fine so far.
- Maybe it’s just luck or my roof’s slope helps, but sometimes a quick fix really does buy you a year or two.
- Not saying it’s always the best call, but if the damage isn’t too bad and you’re not seeing rust, I’d try patching first before ripping everything out.
- Just my two cents—sometimes the “bite the bullet” approach feels a bit much for minor stuff.
I’m with you on not always jumping straight to a full replacement, especially if the damage is minor and you’re not seeing leaks or rust. I patched a small tear in my flashing last spring with some roof cement and aluminum tape, and honestly, it’s held up through a couple of pretty nasty storms. My house is in the Midwest, so we get a fair bit of wind and rain, but that quick fix bought me some time.
I get why people want to just replace everything for peace of mind, but sometimes it feels like overkill—especially if you’re not ready to tackle a bigger project or the budget’s tight. As long as you keep an eye on it and check after heavy weather, patching can be a solid short-term solution. Just gotta know when to call it quits and do the full job, I guess. But yeah, no shame in trying a patch first. Sometimes those “temporary” fixes end up lasting way longer than you’d expect...
- Totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve had a patch on my garage roof flashing for almost two years now—just used some butyl tape and sealant, and it’s still holding up.
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Couldn’t agree more. Not everyone has the time or cash to rip out perfectly decent flashing.“sometimes it feels like overkill—especially if you’re not ready to tackle a bigger project or the budget’s tight.”
- One thing I’d add: if you’re patching, keep an eye out for any soft spots in the wood underneath. I missed that once and ended up with a bigger headache later.
- Midwest weather is no joke... those “temporary” fixes sometimes outlast the stuff I paid pros to do. Just gotta stay on top of it after storms.
Honestly, I’ve seen “temporary” patches outlast full replacements too, especially when you’re dealing with unpredictable Midwest storms. But I’ll say this—patches are only as good as the attention you give them. Ignore a soft spot or a little leak, and you’re asking for rot or mold down the line. Still, if the budget’s tight, I get not wanting to rip everything out for a bit of damage. Just don’t trust any fix to be truly permanent unless you’ve checked what’s underneath. Sometimes “good enough” really is... until it isn’t.
Sometimes “good enough” really is... until it isn’t.
Isn’t that the truth? I patched a spot last fall with some eco-friendly tape, figuring I’d just “watch it.” Fast forward to spring—guess who’s got a tiny jungle growing in their attic? Anyone else wonder if all these patches are secretly just future science experiments?
