I hear you on the green stuff—cost stings up front, but I’ve seen too many roofs rot out early with regular plywood. Still, I’m not convinced every square foot needs it. Overhangs and valleys definitely take more abuse, but maybe it’s overkill elsewhere? Hard to say without seeing the roof in person. And yeah, wet shingles... learned that lesson the hard way myself. Good call waiting for things to dry out.
I get where you’re coming from—costs on the “green” boards can sting, especially if you’re looking at a big roof. But I’ve torn off enough decks to see the difference up close. Regular plywood under shaded eaves or north slopes, especially up here in the Midwest, just doesn’t hold up after a few years of freeze/thaw and ice damming. Overhangs and valleys are the worst, sure, but I’ve seen rot sneak in on open slopes too, usually where folks thought they could save a few bucks. Sometimes it feels like overkill until you’re back up there replacing half the deck...
I hear you on the cost—my wallet still winces thinking about the last batch of zip panels I bought. But after pulling up a section of regular ply that looked like a wet sponge under my north-facing dormer, I’m not eager to cut corners again. Midwest winters are brutal on roofs, no doubt. Curious if anyone’s had luck with those synthetic underlayments? I’ve seen mixed reviews, but maybe they help with the ice dam headaches...
I get where you’re coming from—those zip panels are no joke on the wallet, but man, I’ve been burned by cheaping out before too. Had a spot over my kitchen where the old felt underlayment just gave up after a couple freeze-thaw cycles. Ended up with a nasty leak right in the middle of February, which is about the worst time to be crawling around in an attic with a flashlight and a bucket.
I switched to synthetic underlayment last time I reroofed, mostly because my neighbor swore by it. It’s held up better than the old stuff so far—no leaks, and it didn’t wrinkle or tear when we had that windstorm last spring. I will say, it was a bit slick to walk on during install, so if you’re DIY-ing, watch your step. As for ice dams, I still get some buildup on the north side, but it seems less severe. Maybe it’s helping, maybe it’s just luck or better attic insulation this time around.
Anyway, I’d rather pay a bit more upfront than deal with soggy plywood again. Midwest winters don’t mess around...
I hear you on the synthetic underlayment—my uncle swears by it too, but I’ve seen a couple jobs where it still let water sneak in around the fasteners after a rough winter. Maybe installer error, maybe just bad luck. Did you do anything special with the seams or overlaps, or just follow the package directions? I’m always torn between trusting the new stuff and sticking with what’s worked for decades...