Copper’s great, but is it always worth the price tag? I’ve seen plenty of well-installed aluminum flashing hold up just fine, even in rough winters, as long as it’s not getting beat up by ice dams or salt. Sometimes folks jump to copper when a proper install and a little extra sealant on aluminum would do the trick for a lot less. Anyone actually had aluminum fail because of the material itself, or was it more about the install? Just curious—sometimes it feels like copper gets all the glory.
- Seen aluminum last a good 15-20 years here in the Midwest, but it does get chewed up faster near the coast—salt air’s rough on it.
- Most of the failures I’ve had to fix were from sloppy installs, not the metal itself.
- That said, copper’s not just about looks. It’ll outlast most roofs and doesn’t dent as easy. But yeah, you’re paying for it.
- If you’re not in a super harsh spot and keep up with maintenance, aluminum’s usually fine. Just don’t expect miracles if you’ve got ice dams every winter...
I’m wrestling with this exact thing right now—my flashing’s got a couple spots where it’s bent and starting to corrode, but the rest looks okay. I get the appeal of copper, but wow, that price tag... For me, it’s more about whether a patch job will hold up through another Midwest winter. Anyone else just replace sections instead of the whole run? I’m leaning toward fixing what’s bad and keeping an eye on it, but part of me worries I’ll just be chasing leaks every year if I don’t bite the bullet and redo it all.
Anyone else just replace sections instead of the whole run? I’m leaning toward fixing what’s bad and keeping an eye on it, but part of me worries I’ll just be chasing leaks every year if I do...
I’m right there with you—my flashing looked fine from the driveway, but when I got up there, surprise... a couple spots were basically crumbling. Midwest winters are brutal on anything metal. I patched just the worst bits last fall, figuring “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”—but now I’m watching those patches like a hawk. Part of me wishes I’d just done the whole thing, but my wallet said nope. Haven’t had leaks yet, but my anxiety spikes every time it rains.
- Did the same thing last spring—just swapped out two bad sections instead of the whole stretch.
- My thinking: why spend extra if most of it’s still solid?
- Downside is, yeah, I’m always checking those patched spots after a big storm.
- Haven’t had leaks yet, but I know I’ll probably have to do the rest in a year or two.
- For now, it’s cheaper and keeps me from dropping a chunk of cash all at once.