- Definitely seeing the same thing with recycled felt—looks good at first, but it just doesn’t hold up to the heat here.
- Synthetics seem to last longer for us, especially on low-slope roofs where water sits a bit longer after storms.
- One thing I noticed: recycled felt can get brittle and start cracking around fasteners after a couple of years. Not always, but more often than synthetics in my experience.
- Had a similar attic situation last month—customer swore the new underlayment would fix their “hot attic.” Turned out their soffit vents were blocked with insulation from a previous job.
- Ventilation seems like it gets overlooked a lot. Even the best underlayment won’t help if the attic’s basically sealed off.
- For hail, synthetics seem to resist tearing better. We had a freak storm in May, and the only leaks we found were on the old felt jobs.
- Only downside with synthetics is they can get slippery when you’re working on a steep pitch. Not a dealbreaker, but something to watch for.
- Haven’t tried any of the newer “eco” synthetics yet—curious if anyone’s seen those hold up better than recycled felt?
- At the end of the day, seems like underlayment is just one piece of the puzzle. If the ventilation or flashing isn’t right, you’re still gonna have problems, no matter what you put down.
- Still learning, but I’d rather spend a little more up front for something that’ll last through a few Texas summers.
I’ve been leaning toward synthetics too, just because the felt on my place started curling up and cracking after two summers. I’m in central Texas, so the heat’s no joke. Curious if anyone’s noticed a difference in noise with synthetics? My attic seemed a bit louder during storms after I switched, but maybe it’s just me. Also, has anyone tried adding more vents after redoing underlayment—did it actually help with attic temps?
Curious if anyone’s noticed a difference in noise with synthetics? My attic seemed a bit louder during storms after I switched, but maybe it’s just me.
I’ve actually noticed the same thing since switching to synthetic underlayment (I’m just outside Austin). The first big thunderstorm after the new roof went on, I could swear the rain sounded sharper—almost like it was echoing more in the attic. At first I thought maybe I was just paying more attention, but after a couple more storms, it’s definitely not my imagination. I think synthetics don’t absorb sound as much as felt does, so you get more of that “tin roof” effect, especially if you’ve got a steep pitch or minimal insulation up there.
That said, I’d still take the trade-off for durability. My old felt was basically toast after three years—cracked and brittle, and I had some minor leaks around the vents. Synthetics have held up way better in this heat. But yeah, if you’re sensitive to noise or have bedrooms right under the attic, it’s something to consider.
On the venting question: I added two more ridge vents when we redid everything last summer. Honestly? Didn’t see a huge drop in attic temps. Maybe 5 degrees cooler on average, but it still gets crazy hot up there by mid-afternoon (like 120+). The real game changer for me was beefing up insulation and sealing gaps around light fixtures and ductwork—way more effective than just adding vents alone.
One thing folks don’t talk about enough is how much radiant heat comes through the roof deck itself. If you’re redoing underlayment anyway, might be worth looking at radiant barrier sheathing or even just stapling up foil barrier between rafters. It’s not cheap, but in Texas summers every little bit helps.
Long story short: synthetics are great for longevity but can be noisier; extra vents help a little but won’t solve attic heat by themselves. If you want real comfort inside, focus on insulation and air sealing too. Just my two cents from sweating through a few Texas summers...
I thought I was losing it when I first noticed the rain sounded different after my roof got synthetic underlayment. It’s not crazy loud, but there’s definitely more of a “ping” during storms now. My attic’s not super insulated, so maybe that’s part of it. I do like not worrying about leaks, though—my old felt tore up fast in our wind. If I had to do it again, I’d probably add a layer of insulation while I was at it, just to help with both noise and heat.
That “ping” is real—synthetic underlayment can definitely change the way rain sounds, especially if your attic’s not packed with insulation. I’ve seen a lot of folks surprised by that after a re-roof. It’s not just you. The trade-off is usually worth it, though, especially in places with wild wind. Felt just doesn’t hold up the same way—seen too many jobs where it shredded after one bad storm.
Did you notice any difference in summer heat after switching? Sometimes synthetic makes the attic a bit warmer, depending on color and how much airflow you’ve got up there. I always tell people, if you’re already tearing up the roof, it’s the perfect time to throw in some extra insulation or even a radiant barrier. Saves a headache later.
Curious—what brand did you go with? Some of the cheaper synthetics are thinner and noisier, but the heavier ones seem to muffle sound a bit better. Not perfect, but better than nothing.
