I’m right there with you on the “lifetime” rubber boots—mine were only about five years old before they started looking like old jerky. The sun just destroys them in our area, too. I actually debated trying the seasonal swap thing, but honestly, like you said, “
.” I’m still getting used to home maintenance and I’d rather not risk sliding off the roof twice a year.crawling around on a steep roof every spring and fall isn’t my idea of fun (or savings)
I ended up going with metal as well. It was more expensive upfront (felt like a gut punch at checkout), but after seeing how the cheap plastic ones cracked after just two winters, it seemed worth it. Haven’t had to think about them since. If I had a weird vent setup or lived somewhere less sunny, maybe I’d try something else, but for my standard asphalt shingle roof, metal is just less hassle. Honestly, peace of mind is worth a lot when you’re new to all this stuff.
Metal boots really are a game changer, especially if you’re in a spot where the sun just cooks everything. I tried those “UV resistant” rubber ones and they still turned brittle way too fast. The upfront cost for metal stung a bit, but not having to think about it every year is worth it. I’d rather spend my weekends doing literally anything else than wrestling with roof vents. Only thing I noticed is they can get a little noisy in heavy rain, but I’ll take that over leaks any day.
I keep going back and forth on whether the metal ones are worth the extra cash. I’m in the Midwest, so we get wild swings—hot summers, freezing winters. The rubber boots I used last time were cheap, but I had to replace them after just a couple years. Still, the metal ones cost almost three times as much at my local place. Did you install them yourself, or did you have to pay someone? Wondering if the install is tricky or if I could just swap them out myself without messing up the shingles.
I swapped out my vent boots last fall—went with the metal ones after two rounds of the cheap rubber kind splitting in the cold. I’m in northern Illinois, so I totally get what you mean about the weather swings. The metal ones stung a bit price-wise, but honestly, climbing up there every couple years just got old. Install wasn’t too bad, but you do have to be careful not to crack or crease your shingles when prying them up. I used a flat bar and took it slow, especially around the colder, more brittle shingles.
If your roof’s not super steep and you’re comfortable up there, it’s doable solo. Just watch for nails under the shingle tabs—they can be a pain. I did have to buy a tube of roofing sealant for peace of mind around the edges. So far, no leaks and they look like they’ll outlast the last two sets combined. If you’re handy and don’t mind heights, I’d say give it a shot...but yeah, those Midwest winters are brutal on anything rubber up there.
- Gotta say, I went the other way after a bad experience with metal boots.
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“The metal ones stung a bit price-wise, but honestly, climbing up there every couple years just got old.”
- For me, the metal ones started rusting after about 5 years (I’m in central Iowa, so similar weather).
- Ended up with a high-quality silicone boot—cost more than rubber but less than metal, and it’s held up fine through two winters so far.
- Didn’t have to mess with shingles as much either, which was a relief since mine are getting brittle.
- Just saying, metal isn’t always the last stop—depends on your roof and how much you want to spend.