I hear you on the peace of mind. I switched to peel-and-stick after a nasty storm last year took out half my old roof (had felt underlayment at the time). The extra cost stung a bit, but I haven’t had a single leak since, even with some wild wind and rain this spring. I do notice it gets a bit trickier around the chimney—my installer had to go back and reseal a couple spots where it didn’t quite lay flat at first.
Curious if you or anyone else has noticed any issues with the heat making it bubble or peel over time? Summers here get brutal, and I’ve heard mixed things about long-term adhesion, especially on south-facing slopes. Also, did you go full peel-and-stick everywhere, or just in the problem areas like valleys and around penetrations? I ended up doing the whole thing for peace of mind, but sometimes wonder if I went overboard...
I went full peel-and-stick too after a couple bad leaks, and yeah, the price tag made me wince. Haven’t had bubbling, but I did notice some edges lifting a bit on the south side last August—nothing major, just had to press them back down. My installer said it’s pretty normal with our heat swings. Around the chimney was a pain, though... took a few tries to get it sealed right. I sometimes wonder if just doing the valleys and penetrations would’ve been enough, but honestly, sleeping through a thunderstorm without worrying is worth it for me.
That edge lifting you mentioned is something I see a lot, especially on the south or west sides where the sun just bakes everything. Pressing it back down usually does the trick unless it starts to curl or get debris under there. Heat swings are rough on peel-and-stick, but honestly, most of the time it’s still way better than old-school felt in terms of holding up to leaks.
I get what you mean about the chimney being a pain. Flashing and sealing around chimneys seems to be where a lot of leaks start, no matter what underlayment you use. I’ve seen some folks try to just double up in those areas—like, peel-and-stick just in valleys and around penetrations, then regular synthetic everywhere else—to save money. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not so much if water finds its way in somewhere unexpected.
Curious if you noticed any difference in attic temps after switching? I’ve had a few homeowners say their attics felt warmer with peel-and-stick, maybe because it seals things up tighter and doesn’t breathe like felt did. Not sure if that’s a real thing or just perception, but I’m always interested if folks see changes in ventilation or moisture after swapping underlayments.
And yeah, peace of mind during storms is huge. I’d take a little edge lifting over waking up to water stains on the ceiling any day... Still, I wonder if anyone’s tried those newer “breathable” self-adhesive membranes? Supposedly they let moisture out but keep water from getting in. Haven’t seen enough installs yet to know if they’re worth the extra cost or just marketing.
What kind of shingles did you go with over the peel-and-stick? Some brands seem to play nicer with it than others, at least from what I’ve seen on tear-offs.
Edge lifting drives me nuts, especially when you get those hot afternoons and the stuff just won’t stay put. I’ve had better luck with CertainTeed shingles over peel-and-stick than GAF, honestly—seems like the adhesive on some brands just reacts weirdly, almost like it softens up and lets the shingle slide a bit. The attic temp thing is real in my experience, but I wonder if it’s more about ventilation setups than the underlayment itself. Anyone ever see condensation issues crop up after swapping to peel-and-stick? That’s the one thing that makes me hesitant to use it everywhere, especially on older houses.
Anyone ever see condensation issues crop up after swapping to peel-and-stick?
That’s a solid question. I’ve seen a few older homes where condensation popped up after switching, but it’s tough to say if it was just the underlayment or a combo of poor attic airflow and insulation gaps. Did you notice any musty smells or staining after the swap? Sometimes it’s subtle at first. Ventilation really seems to make or break it, especially in humid spots.
