Sometimes a sleeve with a solid bead of high-grade sealant can buy you a few years, especially if you’re dealing with older roofs where disturbing the shingles could cause more headaches.
That’s been my experience too, especially with roofs pushing 15-20 years. Once those shingles get brittle, pulling them up for a full boot swap can do more harm than good if you’re not careful. I’ve seen sleeves hold up surprisingly well when installed right, though I always keep an eye out for signs of UV breakdown on the rubber. One thing I’d add—if you’re in an area with a lot of freeze/thaw cycles, even the best sealant can start to separate after a couple seasons. Sometimes it’s just about buying time until a bigger reroof is in the budget.
You nailed it—sometimes you just have to buy yourself a little time, especially when the budget’s tight or you’re dealing with an older roof that’s already seen better days. I’ve seen plenty of those sleeves last longer than expected, but yeah, once you get a few hard winters in the mix, things can go sideways fast. Keeping an eye on the rubber and sealant is key. Honestly, sometimes patching is just the smarter move until you’re ready for the big job.
I get what you’re saying about patching being the smarter move sometimes. Last fall, I swapped out a cracked boot on my folks’ old ranch house—figured it’d buy us another year or two. But after this winter, the new one’s already showing some wear. The sun just eats up that rubber around here. I’m starting to think it’s less about the season and more about the age of the roof and how much direct sun it gets. Sometimes those “temporary” fixes end up sticking around way longer than planned... but yeah, gotta keep an eye on ‘em or you’ll end up with a surprise leak.
That’s kinda what I’m worried about—my place is only about 10 years old, but the boots already look rough. We get a ton of sun too, and it just seems like the rubber dries out way faster than I expected. Is it even worth buying the “UV resistant” ones, or is that just marketing? I’d rather not be up there every year swapping these things out if I can help it...
Is it even worth buying the “UV resistant” ones, or is that just marketing? I’d rather not be up there every year swapping these things out if I can help it...
I’ve wondered the same thing—like, are those “UV resistant” boots actually made of some space-age material, or is it just a sticker they slap on the box? My neighbor swears by the metal ones, but then again, he also thinks squirrels are government spies. Has anyone actually noticed a difference in how long the UV ones last, especially in places where the sun’s relentless? Or is it just inevitable that we’re all gonna be up there doing the boot shuffle every few years?
