"Still cautious about long-term UV exposure claims; seen some synthetics fade and weaken quicker than advertised."
Yeah, I've noticed that too, but honestly, even traditional felt isn't immune to UV damage if left exposed too long. Had a neighbor who left felt uncovered for weeks—ended up brittle and tearing easily. Seems like proper installation timing matters as much as material choice...
- True, felt isn't UV-proof either, but in my experience it tends to give you clearer signals when it's starting to degrade—curling edges, brittleness, etc.
- With synthetics, I've seen situations where the material looks perfectly fine visually but has already lost a lot of its strength. Had a project last summer where synthetic underlayment was up for about two months due to delays. Looked almost brand new, but when we got back on the roof, it tore super easily under foot traffic.
- I agree timing is key, but I'd argue that felt at least gives you a more obvious heads-up when it's compromised. Synthetics can lull you into false confidence because they still look good.
- Honestly, I'm not against synthetics—used plenty myself—but I think manufacturers' UV ratings are often overly optimistic. If you're expecting delays or longer exposure, I'd personally lean toward heavier felt or at least factor in covering it temporarily.
- Bottom line: no matter what you pick, don't trust the marketing hype too much. Keep an eye on actual conditions and adjust accordingly.
"Synthetics can lull you into false confidence because they still look good."
That's a great point—visual cues can be deceiving. Have you tried adding temporary tarps or covers when delays hit? I've found that even basic protection can really extend the life of synthetic underlayments. But yeah, totally agree on not trusting manufacturer UV ratings blindly... always better to err on the side of caution, especially with roofing.
I've definitely seen synthetics hold up visually but fail underneath. Last summer, I had a delay on my roof replacement due to weather, and the synthetic underlayment looked fine at first glance. But when I checked closely after a couple weeks, some spots were already brittle. Ended up throwing a tarp over it temporarily, and that made a huge difference. Like you said:
"even basic protection can really extend the life of synthetic underlayments."
Better safe than sorry... roofs aren't cheap to redo.
- Totally agree, synthetic underlayments can be deceptive—look great one week, brittle the next.
- Seen plenty of roofs during inspections where the synthetic looked fine visually, but moisture had already compromised it underneath.
- UV exposure is usually the culprit; even products marketed as UV-resistant have their limits.
- Quick anecdote: inspected a place last fall where the synthetic underlayment had been exposed for about a month. Homeowner thought it was fine, but closer look showed tiny cracks forming. They ended up redoing that section before shingles went on.
- Bottom line, synthetics are solid when installed promptly and covered quickly. But if delays happen (and they always seem to...), basic protection like tarps can save a lot of headaches down the road.
