Only thing is, installation was a bit trickier—felt’s easier to cut, but synthetic doesn’t rip if you sneeze at it.
That’s the tradeoff, right? I’ve had crews grumble about slicing through synthetic, but at least you don’t end up with random tears every time someone drags a ladder across it. My trick: sharp utility blades and a little patience (plus, fewer “oops” moments). As for the price, I hear you—my budget’s still recovering from last year’s order. But I haven’t had to send anyone up for patch jobs since, so maybe it evens out. And if your dog’s still chilling up there, I’d say the chemical thing’s probably a non-issue... unless he starts glowing at night.
Synthetic’s been a game-changer for me, but I totally get the install headaches. Ever try cutting it on a windy day? Feels like wrestling a tarp sometimes. Still, I’ll take that over the felt tears—especially with all the random storms we get here. Curious, has anyone noticed any difference in attic temps or moisture since switching? I’ve heard mixed things but haven’t seen much change myself. And yeah, if the dog’s not glowing, I’d say you’re in the clear... unless he starts barking in Morse code or something.
Ever try cutting it on a windy day? Feels like wrestling a tarp sometimes.
Man, you nailed it with that one. I’ve chased more pieces of synthetic across my yard than I care to admit. Felt was a pain for tearing, but at least it didn’t try to take flight every time a breeze picked up. I’ve started weighing down the roll with whatever’s handy—toolbox, bundle of shingles, even my lunchbox once (don’t recommend that).
About attic temps and moisture, I haven’t seen a wild difference either. Maybe a couple degrees cooler in summer, but nothing dramatic. I think a lot of folks expect miracles from underlayment, but if your attic’s not vented right or you’ve got insulation gaps, no fancy underlayment’s gonna save you. Still, I do think synthetic keeps things drier if you get stuck mid-roof and it rains before shingles go down. Had a pop-up storm last spring, and water just beaded up and rolled right off instead of soaking through like felt used to.
Funny enough, I actually had a contractor tell me synthetic could cause “sweating” in the attic, but I checked mine after a couple months and everything looked the same as always—no weird puddles or moldy smells. I’m in the southeast, so humidity’s always lurking, but so far, so good.
And yeah, if your dog starts barking in Morse code, might be time to check for electrical shorts... or just teach him some new tricks.
All in all, I’ll take the wrestling match with synthetic over patching felt after every other storm. The install’s a bit more annoying, but the peace of mind during those summer downpours is worth it. Just gotta watch out for those surprise gusts unless you want your underlayment in the neighbor’s tree.
I think a lot of folks expect miracles from underlayment, but if your attic’s not vented right or you’ve got insulation gaps, no fancy underlayment’s gonna save you.
That’s fair, but I’ve actually noticed a bigger difference than you did—at least with moisture. Maybe it’s just my old house (built in the 60s, insulation’s a patchwork), but after switching to synthetic, I had less musty smell in the attic during our rainy season. Could be luck or maybe the felt was just holding onto dampness longer than I realized. Still, I do miss how easy felt was to lay out on a calm day... synthetic’s like trying to fold a fitted sheet in the wind.
Yeah, synthetic’s a whole different animal when the wind picks up—seen more than one roll try to make a break for it. I hear you on the moisture thing though. Some of those old felts just soak up water and never really dry out, especially in damp climates. I’ve noticed with synthetics, the attic seems to air out better, but I still tell folks nothing beats good ventilation. Patchwork insulation can make things weird too... every house is its own puzzle.
