You nailed it—installation really is half the battle. I’ve seen plenty of “premium” materials fail just because someone rushed the job or skipped a step. Felt’s been around forever for a reason, and if it’s holding up for you, that’s a win in my book. Sometimes the tried-and-true stuff just works, especially if you’re careful with the details.
Sometimes the tried-and-true stuff just works, especially if you’re careful with the details.
That hits home for me. I inspected a place last fall—original felt underlayment from the late 80s, still doing its job under some battered old shingles. Meanwhile, a newer house down the street had synthetic that started peeling at the edges after just five years. Both had decent materials, but you could tell who took their time on install. Makes me wonder if we sometimes overthink new tech when the basics are done right.
Funny, I’ve seen almost the same thing in my neighborhood. My place still has old-school felt from the early 90s—never had a leak, even after a couple nasty windstorms. Meanwhile, my cousin’s house (built 2017) had synthetic and he was patching it up after just a few years. I get that new materials have their perks, but sometimes it really does come down to how careful folks are during install. Maybe we’re just chasing “new” for the sake of it?
I get that new materials have their perks, but sometimes it really does come down to how careful folks are during install. Maybe we’re just chasing “new” for the sake of it?
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen synthetic hold up better in a few cases, especially on low-slope roofs or spots that get a lot of sun. Felt can dry out and crack over time, especially if there’s poor ventilation. I do agree install matters a ton—seen plenty of “new” jobs fail because someone rushed it. But sometimes the newer stuff really does have an edge, depending on the situation.
I’ve pulled off a lot of old felt that was basically dust after 15-20 years, especially on south-facing slopes. Synthetics seem to handle heat and UV a lot better in my experience, though they can get slippery if you’re not careful during install. Still, I wouldn’t trust either one if the crew’s cutting corners... seen way too many shortcuts come back to haunt folks later. It’s a mix of material and workmanship, honestly.