I totally get not wanting to toss boots for a few cracks—seems wasteful, and those things aren’t cheap. I tried the silicone boots last year after my old rubber ones kept splitting in the freeze-thaw cycles (I’m in Michigan, so it’s wild). The silicone ones were pricier, but honestly, they flexed way better through the winter and didn’t get brittle. If you’re patching and it’s holding, I’d say ride it out, but if you’re up there anyway, swapping to silicone might save you some hassle down the line. Just my two cents...
I hear you on the price difference—silicone boots aren’t cheap up front, but I’ve seen way too many rubber ones fail after just a couple of rough winters. Up here in Minnesota, it’s the same story: freeze-thaw, ice dams, and then suddenly you’ve got water sneaking in around a split boot. I used to patch mine with roof cement and tape, but honestly, that only bought me a season or two before I was back up there cursing at the mess.
One thing I wonder about is how folks are sealing the silicone boots to the shingles. Are you using extra sealant or just relying on the fit? I’ve noticed some brands don’t sit flush on older, uneven roofs, and that can be a pain. Also, anyone tried those retrofit split boots? I’m tempted since getting the old ones off is half the battle, but I’m not sure they’re as watertight.
Curious if anyone’s had luck with something other than silicone or rubber—maybe metal collars or something less common?
I’ve wondered about those retrofit split boots too—seems like a shortcut, but I’m not convinced they seal as well, especially on older shingles that aren’t flat.
That’s exactly my issue. I tried a metal collar once (the kind that clamps over the old boot), but it didn’t really solve the leak—just moved it around. Anyone else had better luck with metal? I’m still skeptical about paying double for silicone, but patching every year gets old fast...“I’ve noticed some brands don’t sit flush on older, uneven roofs, and that can be a pain.”
- Had the same issue with metal collars—
That’s been my experience too, especially on wavy old shingles.“it didn’t really solve the leak—just moved it around.”
- Tried a silicone retrofit boot last fall. Pricey, yeah, but honestly, it’s held up through two freeze-thaw cycles and a couple nasty storms. No leaks so far.
- The cheap rubber ones always seem to crack after a year or two, at least in our Midwest winters.
- If you’re patching every year, might be worth biting the bullet for silicone. Less hassle in the long run, even if it stings up front.
- Just my two cents—nothing’s perfect on an uneven roof, but silicone’s been the least annoying for me.
I’ve been wrestling with the same thing on my folks’ old ranch house. Those rubber boots just don’t stand a chance after a couple Midwest winters—cracked right down the side last February. Tried a metal collar once, but it just made the leak pop up in a new spot, like whack-a-mole. Haven’t tried silicone yet, mostly ‘cause of the price, but if it means I’m not up there every spring with a tube of goop, maybe it’s worth it. Uneven shingles definitely make everything trickier... nothing ever sits quite right.
