Even minor pitting has turned into leaks for me after one rough winter. I’d rather swap out a section of flashing than trust a tube of goop, honestly.
That hits home. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to “just seal it up for now” on a rental, only to find myself back up there after the first big thaw. Midwest winters are brutal—one year, I patched a tiny crack with what I thought was the good stuff, and by March, water was running down the inside wall. Ended up replacing a chunk of drywall and repainting, which was way more hassle than just doing the flashing right in the first place.
I get why people want the quick fix, especially if you’re juggling a bunch of units or just don’t have time. But yeah, that “tube of goop” is like crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. Sometimes it holds, but when it doesn’t... yikes.
Still, I’ll admit—if it’s late fall and you’re racing the weather, sometimes you gotta slap on some sealant and plan for a real repair come spring. Just gotta remember not to forget about it once things warm up.
I hear you on the “tube of goop” approach. I’ve been burned by that more times than I care to admit. My place is pushing 40 years, and the original aluminum flashing has seen better days. A couple winters back, I tried patching a few pitted spots with some high-end sealant—figured it’d buy me a year or two. By January, we had one of those freeze-thaw cycles, and suddenly I’m dealing with a mystery drip in the living room. Turns out water had found its way under the patch and just kept working at it until it got through.
What really got me was how much extra work that “quick” fix created. Not just drying out insulation and repainting, but tracking down exactly where the water was sneaking in. That’s always trickier than it looks from the ground.
I get why folks want to slap on some sealant, especially when you’re staring down snow in the forecast or you’re managing multiple properties. Sometimes there’s just no time for a proper swap-out before winter hits. But I’ve learned (the hard way) that if you can carve out a weekend and do the replacement, even if it’s only a small section, it pays off in peace of mind—and fewer headaches come spring.
That said, I don’t think every tiny ding needs a full tear-out right away. If it’s surface-level and not letting water through yet, maybe monitor it and plan for a proper replacement when weather allows. But once you see any sign of pitting or corrosion starting to leak, that’s my cue to bite the bullet and replace.
It’s always tempting to hope for the best with sealants, but up here—lots of freeze/thaw, wind-driven rain—it just doesn’t hold up long-term for me. Learned my lesson: flashing repairs aren’t where I try to save time anymore... unless I want to redo drywall again!
That’s a classic scenario—water always finds the path of least resistance, especially with aging aluminum. I’ve seen sealant patches hold for a season, but once you get those micro-gaps from thermal movement, it’s game over. Honestly, I’m with you: if there’s visible pitting or corrosion, replacement’s the only thing that really works long-term. Sometimes folks underestimate how much hidden damage can happen behind the scenes when water gets in, especially with older insulation and framing. Monitoring minor dings is fine, but as soon as there’s any sign of moisture intrusion, I’d rather deal with a weekend of work than months of chasing leaks.
as soon as there’s any sign of moisture intrusion, I’d rather deal with a weekend of work than months of chasing leaks.
That’s exactly where I landed last fall. I tried the “just one more bead of sealant” trick on my back porch flashing, and it bought me maybe three months before water started sneaking in again. I get wanting to avoid a full replacement, but honestly, crawling around in the attic with a flashlight every time it rains gets old fast.
Curious—has anyone had luck with those peel-and-stick flashing tapes as a stopgap? I’ve seen mixed reviews. Part of me wonders if it’s worth the hassle or if I’m just delaying the inevitable. Also, for folks who’ve replaced their aluminum flashing, did you go with aluminum again or try something else? I keep hearing about PVC or even copper, but not sure if that’s overkill for a basic ranch house.
And yeah, the hidden damage thing is real. Pulled off a section last year and found insulation that looked like it’d been through a swamp. Not fun. Anyone else surprised by how much water can travel behind the scenes?
Peel-and-stick flashing tape actually held up better than I expected on a small section, but it’s definitely just a patch—not a fix. After one season, I noticed the edges starting to curl where water pooled, and it didn’t stick well to dusty or textured surfaces. If you’re looking for peace of mind, full replacement is the way to go.
I stuck with aluminum when I redid mine—mainly because it matched what was there and is easy to work with. Copper looks great but felt like overkill (and way too pricey) for my place. Haven’t tried PVC yet but heard mixed things about UV resistance in direct sun.
And yeah, water finds its way everywhere... I found a trail running halfway across the ceiling from just one tiny gap. It’s wild how sneaky those leaks can be.
