I get the caulking point, but honestly, I’ve had more trouble with the actual boots splitting than with the sealant failing—especially after a couple brutal winters. Tried a recycled rubber boot once, thinking it’d flex better, but it got brittle faster than I expected. Maybe it’s just our wild temp swings here, but I’m not convinced the “eco” stuff lasts any longer. Regular old lead or even aluminum seems to outlast the fancy options for me, as long as I take my time with the install.
I actually had the opposite issue—my sealant always seemed to crack before the boots did, especially on the south-facing side. I’m in a spot with wild temp swings too, but maybe it’s just the brand? Haven’t tried lead yet, just rubber and aluminum so far.
Interesting, I’ve actually had better luck with the sealant than the boots themselves, but I’m in a pretty humid area and maybe that’s part of it. The south-facing side always takes a beating—sun just cooks everything. I switched to lead boots a couple years back after getting tired of replacing cracked rubber ones every other season. Lead’s not cheap, but it hasn’t budged or split yet, and the sealant seems to hold up better on it too. Maybe it’s just the combo of materials? Rubber and aluminum both seemed to expand and contract too much for my setup.
Lead’s not cheap, but it hasn’t budged or split yet, and the sealant seems to hold up better on it too.
You’re not alone—lead boots are kind of the “set it and forget it” option for a reason. I see so many cracked rubber ones during inspections, especially on roofs that get hammered by sun all day. The combo of heat and humidity just cooks them. Honestly, I’ve seen folks try every trick in the book—extra sealant, painting the boots, even wrapping them in foil (not kidding)—but nothing seems to outlast lead.
The price stings up front, but you’re saving yourself a lot of ladder time (and probably a few choice words) down the road. Rubber and aluminum just don’t play nice together when temps swing hard. If your lead’s holding up and the sealant’s sticking, you’re ahead of the game. Sometimes paying more once is cheaper than paying less every year... or patching leaks after a storm rolls through.
Lead boots really are the way to go if you want peace of mind. I had rubber ones on my last place, and after just a couple of summers, they were brittle and starting to crack. Swapping them out every season got old fast—not to mention the stress every time a storm hit. The upfront cost for lead stings, but honestly, not having to climb up there every year is worth it. Sometimes it’s just better to pay more once and not worry about it for ages.