Funny you mention vent boots—those actually got me once. I was so focused on moss and keeping the gutters clear, I totally missed a cracked boot around one of the vents. Didn’t notice until I saw a stain on the ceiling months later. Flashing’s another spot I try to check now, especially after storms. Moss is still my main headache though... Pacific Northwest life, I guess. Anyone else find those rubber boots just don’t last as long as you’d hope?
Those rubber boots can be a weak link, but honestly, I’ve seen just as many leaks from poor flashing installs as from cracked boots. Sometimes folks focus on the boots and miss that the flashing’s not lapped right or is pulling away. In this climate, I usually recommend lead or metal pipe flashings—they hold up way better in the long run, especially with all the rain and moss around here. Rubber’s fine for a few years, but metal doesn’t crack or get brittle. Just gotta make sure it’s sealed up tight where it meets the pipe.
Totally agree about flashing being a sneaky culprit. I’ve pulled up shingles and found the flashing tucked wrong or even missing in spots—surprised the boots weren’t the issue at all. Metal flashings do seem to outlast rubber around here, especially with all this moss. But I’ve still seen lead get chewed up by squirrels, so nothing’s bulletproof... just gotta keep an eye on it.
Metal flashings do seem to outlast rubber around here, especially with all this moss. But I’ve still seen lead get chewed up by squirrels, so nothing’s bulletproof... just gotta keep an eye on it.
I hear you on the metal vs. rubber debate, but honestly, I’ve seen plenty of metal flashing rust out or get bent up from ice dams and wind. Folks around here (Pacific NW) swear by aluminum, but I’ve found more leaks from poorly installed metal than from old rubber boots. Maybe it’s just the contractors cutting corners, but “metal lasts forever” is a bit of a myth in my book.
And about the moss—sometimes that’s actually hiding bigger problems underneath. I’ve pulled up shingles where the moss was holding moisture against the flashing, and the whole thing was rotted out underneath. Squirrels are a pain, sure, but water’s sneakier.
In my experience, regular checkups are only as good as the person doing them. Seen too many “inspections” that missed obvious stuff because they didn’t want to lift a shingle or two. Just saying—don’t trust materials alone, and don’t assume a quick look is enough.
don’t trust materials alone, and don’t assume a quick look is enough.
That’s spot on, but I’d actually go one step further—materials matter less than how everything works together. For example, I swapped to recycled rubber flashing last year (trying to cut down on metal use), but only after adding a proper underlayment and making sure the ventilation was dialed in. No issues so far, even with the moss and rain. In my experience, most of the rot I’ve seen comes from airflow problems rather than just bad flashing or moss alone. Sometimes the “green” choices hold up better than expected if you pay attention to the details.
