Swapping boots every season seems like overkill unless you’re in some wild climate or have raccoons with a vendetta. Midwest here too—composite shingles, and I usually get 7-10 years out of the silicone boots before they start to crack or pull away. The old-school black rubber ones just don’t last with our temp swings. As for insurance, I’ve seen adjusters flag torn boots as “deferred maintenance,” but only if there’s already a leak. If you’re up there once or twice a year and everything looks sealed, you’re probably fine. Just don’t let them get brittle or split—once that happens, water finds its way in fast.
If you’re up there once or twice a year and everything looks sealed, you’re probably fine. Just don’t let them get brittle or split—once that happens, water finds its way in fast.
That lines up with what I’ve seen—regular visual checks go a long way. I’ve managed a few properties with both silicone and EPDM boots, and honestly, the silicone ones hold up better in the Midwest freeze/thaw cycles. I’m curious, has anyone tried those newer “lifetime” boots with the flexible collars? Wondering if they’re worth the extra upfront cost compared to just replacing silicone every 8-10 years.
I’ve seen those “lifetime” boots with the flexible collars, but I’m not totally sold yet.
My uncle put a set on his place about five years ago—no issues so far, but honestly, the old silicone ones lasted almost as long for him. Midwest winters are rough, but unless you hate getting up there every decade or so, I’m not sure the price jump is justified. Maybe if you’ve got a super steep roof or tricky access it makes sense?“Wondering if they’re worth the extra upfront cost compared to just replacing silicone every 8-10 years.”
“unless you hate getting up there every decade or so, I’m not sure the price jump is justified.”
That’s kinda where I landed too. I swapped out my old boots last fall (asphalt shingles, moderate pitch, Northeast), and honestly, the silicone ones held up fine for 12 years. The “lifetime” ones looked nice but were double the price at my local supply store. Curious—has anyone had those flexible collars actually outlast a second round of silicone? Or do they just save you one trip up the ladder?
I’ve been going back and forth on this myself. Just bought my first place last year (asphalt shingles, 5/12 pitch, upstate NY), and the vent boots were already showing their age. I replaced them with mid-grade silicone ones since that’s what the previous owner used, and honestly, I figured if they lasted him over a decade, why mess with it? The “lifetime” boots at the supply house looked like overkill for my setup, especially at double the price.
What I can’t wrap my head around is whether those heavy-duty flexible collars actually fail less often or just in a different way. Like, is it the collar itself that goes bad, or does the flashing start leaking first? I talked to a neighbor who paid up for the premium ones—he swears by them, but he also has a metal roof, so maybe it’s apples to oranges. Plus, he’s not dealing with ice dams the way I am.
I’m curious if anyone’s noticed any difference in how these hold up through freeze-thaw cycles. My old silicone boots got brittle around year ten and started to crack right where they flexed over the pipe—classic UV damage, I guess. I wonder if these “lifetime” ones are really just thicker silicone or if there’s something fundamentally different about the material.
Also, does anyone bother sealing around the base of the boot with extra caulk? I’ve seen mixed advice—some say it traps moisture and makes things worse, others swear it adds years to the life.
Not sure if it’s worth paying twice as much just to avoid climbing up there once every decade. But then again, maybe there’s something I’m missing about these higher-end boots…