I've actually tried something similar to your hybrid idea when I redid my roof a couple years back. My house has a pretty steep pitch, and winters here can be brutal—lots of snow and ice dams forming along the eaves. Initially, I planned on going full synthetic because of its durability, but after wrestling with it on the first section (it was sliding everywhere), I switched gears.
Ended up using synthetic just along the valleys and bottom edges where ice dams usually form, then went with felt for the rest. Honestly, it worked out great. Felt was way easier to handle solo, especially higher up where footing got sketchy. And after two harsh winters, no leaks or noticeable wear yet.
I do agree climate matters a ton though. My brother lives down south and swears by synthetic everywhere because humidity and storms are his main issues—not ice dams or freezing temps. So yeah, hybrid setups can definitely make sense depending on your local conditions...
Interesting to hear your hybrid setup worked out well. I've mostly worked with synthetic underlayment so far, and yeah, it can definitely be slippery—especially on steeper pitches. Had a close call once myself, sliding around up there... not fun.
One thing I've noticed though is that felt tends to wrinkle or buckle if it gets wet before shingles go on. Did you run into any issues with that? Or did you manage to get shingles down pretty quick after laying the felt?
Also curious if anyone's tried peel-and-stick membranes for ice dam protection instead of regular synthetic. I've seen a few roofers swear by it, especially in colder climates, but haven't had a chance to use it myself yet. Seems like it'd be easier to handle solo too, since it sticks right down and doesn't slide around as much. Might be worth looking into next time around.
Totally agree climate makes a huge difference though. Worked on a roof last summer in crazy humidity, and synthetic was a lifesaver—felt would've been a soggy mess by noon. Guess there's no one-size-fits-all solution here...
Yeah, felt definitely wrinkles if you can't shingle right away. Learned that the hard way when a surprise storm hit mid-project... spent way too long smoothing out bubbles afterward. Peel-and-stick sounds promising, but I've heard it's pricier—might be worth it though for peace of mind.
Yeah, peel-and-stick definitely costs a bit more upfront, but honestly, after dealing with felt headaches myself, it's worth every penny. Had a similar experience—got caught off guard by a sudden downpour halfway through laying felt. Spent hours afterward trying to flatten out those annoying wrinkles and bubbles. Switched to peel-and-stick on the next project, and it was night and day difference. Easier install, no wrinkles, and way less stress worrying about weather surprises... peace of mind counts for a lot.
I've heard good things about peel-and-stick, but I'm still a bit skeptical about its long-term durability compared to traditional felt. Sure, felt can be a pain—been there myself with the wrinkles and bubbles—but it's been around forever for a reason, right? Wondering if anyone's had peel-and-stick on their roof for more than 10 years... does it really hold up as well as they claim, or is it just easier upfront?
