Critters are relentless, I’ll give you that. I’ve seen raccoons rip off lead boots like they’re peeling a banana—squirrels aren’t much better. The freeze/thaw cycles in the Midwest are brutal on those silicone boots, too. I’ve swapped out more cracked ones than I care to remember, especially after a rough winter. In my experience, the only thing that really holds up is the old-school lead or heavy-gauge metal, but then you’re back to dealing with critter damage... It’s kind of a lose-lose unless you can keep the little guys off your roof.
Critters are relentless, I’ll give you that. I’ve seen raccoons rip off lead boots like they’re peeling a banana—squirrels aren’t much better. The freeze/thaw cycles in the Midwest are brutal on those silicone boots, too.
You nailed it with the freeze/thaw cycles being murder on silicone. I’ve seen a brand new boot go from flexible to brittle in one winter up here in Minnesota. By March, you’re just waiting for the first real rain to find out what cracked.
I hear you about lead and metal holding up better, but those raccoons treat them like a challenge. Had a job last spring where we found paw prints and scratch marks all over the vent stack—lead boot was peeled halfway off, and there was a chewed-up tennis ball jammed in the pipe for good measure. Squirrels must’ve been trying to nest or something... critters have no chill.
Swapping out boots every season seems overkill unless you’ve got a really exposed roof or a known raccoon problem. For most folks, it’s more about checking after winter and patching or replacing as needed. I started using those stainless steel critter guards (the mesh kind that clamp around the base) over my own vents after losing two boots in one year. They’re not perfect—still get some gnaw marks—but at least they slow things down.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a “set it and forget it” solution unless you can physically block critters from getting up there (which is basically impossible if you’ve got trees close by). It’s just part of living in the Midwest—between weather and wildlife, your roof’s always under siege.
If you do go with metal boots, make sure the flashing is tight and sealed well—seen water get under loose edges and rot out decking before folks even notice. And if you stick with silicone, maybe budget for replacing them every couple years... unless someone invents raccoon-proof rubber, anyway.
I get what you’re saying about not swapping boots every season, but honestly, after losing two in a row to squirrels, I just started doing it in early spring. It’s a pain, but for my place (lots of overhanging trees), it’s been less hassle than patching leaks mid-storm. Maybe not for everyone, but sometimes preemptive is just easier.
Squirrels, man... they’re like tiny demolition crews with tails. I hear you on the preemptive swap, especially if you’ve got a squirrel superhighway over your roof. I’ve seen folks try those metal critter guards, but the little guys seem to treat them like a challenge course. Have you noticed if certain boot materials hold up better against the gnawing? I’ve had mixed luck with silicone versus rubber—seems like the squirrels have preferences too.
I totally get the frustration—squirrels seem to have a sixth sense for finding weak spots. I’ve actually had better luck with the thicker silicone boots, but only if I reinforce them with a metal collar underneath. Rubber just seems like candy to those little guys. It’s not a perfect fix, but it’s slowed down the damage for me. Have you tried layering materials or is that overkill?