Silicone definitely holds up better, though I’ll admit the upfront cost can sting.
I get the appeal of silicone, but honestly, I’m not convinced it’s always worth the premium. I tried it on my shed roof and didn’t notice a huge difference compared to the cheaper stuff—maybe I just got lucky with milder weather. For me, swapping out a $10 boot every couple years feels less painful than dropping $40+ each time, especially when you’re juggling other house projects. Maybe I’ll regret it if we get another scorcher of a summer, but so far, the budget route hasn’t burned me.
I get where you’re coming from—if you’re just dealing with a shed and mild weather, the cheaper boots can hold up fine for a while. But on steeper roofs or spots with a lot of sun exposure, I’ve seen those budget boots crack way faster than folks expect. Sometimes it’s not just about the cost of the boot, but the hassle of climbing up there again, especially if you’ve got a two-story or tricky pitch. For sheds, though, swapping every couple years isn’t the end of the world. Just something to keep in mind if you ever tackle the main house.
That’s a good point about the hassle factor—climbing up on a steep roof just to swap out a cracked boot isn’t something most folks want to do more than once. I’ve seen cheap boots get brittle in direct sun, especially on south-facing slopes. Ever notice how some of those “universal fit” ones barely last through a couple of hot summers? For sheds or low pitches, yeah, it’s not a big deal, but on my main house I’d rather pay a bit more for something that’ll last. Anyone else run into issues with squirrels chewing on the rubber too? That’s been a weird one for me...
Squirrels chewing on vent boots is more common than folks think—I've seen it a few times during inspections, especially near big trees. Sometimes it's just the rubber, but I’ve also found gnaw marks on lead flashing. If you’re dealing with that, have you tried those metal critter guards? I’m curious if they actually hold up or just end up being another thing to maintain. Also, for anyone swapping boots, do you usually go with silicone or stick to the old-school rubber? I’ve noticed some brands claim UV resistance, but not sure how much difference it really makes over five or ten years...
Metal critter guards are a lifesaver if you’ve got a squirrel mafia in the neighborhood. I’ve seen them hold up better than rubber or lead, but you do have to check for rust every couple years. As for vent boots, silicone’s my go-to now—UV-resistant or not, it just shrugs off the sun way longer than the old rubber ones ever did. Rubber’s fine if you like climbing up there every few years, but I’d rather be watching squirrels from the ground, not patching after ’em.