I hear you on the price, but honestly, swapping to the all-rubber boots was a game-changer for me. I used to patch up those old metal ones every spring—always a pain. The rubber ones have held up three winters now, no cracks or leaks. I do wish they were a bit sturdier around the base, but not having to mess with them every year is worth it for me. Just gotta make sure you get the right size, like you said... squeezing one on that's too small is just asking for headaches later.
The rubber ones have held up three winters now, no cracks or leaks. I do wish they were a bit sturdier around the base, but not having to mess with them every year is worth it for me.
That’s pretty solid—three winters without a leak is more than I can say for the old aluminum boots on my place. I totally get your point about the base though. Mine started to sag just a bit after the second year, but still way less hassle than patching up rusty seams every spring. Curious if you noticed any difference in how they handle big temperature swings? Where I am (lots of freeze/thaw), sometimes rubber stuff gets brittle faster than expected...
Rubber boots are a mixed bag in freeze/thaw climates, honestly. I’ve seen them last a decade on some roofs, but I’ve also seen cheaper ones start cracking around year three or four—especially if they’re getting blasted by the afternoon sun and then frozen solid at night. The sagging at the base you mentioned is pretty common. It’s usually the UV that gets to them first, not the cold, but constant temp swings definitely speed up the aging.
One trick I’ve used is hitting the exposed rubber with a UV-resistant spray every couple years. Not a miracle fix, but it seems to slow down the brittleness. And if you’re worried about leaks where it sags, a bead of high-quality roofing sealant under the lip can buy you some time.
Aluminum boots have their own issues, like you said—rusty seams are a pain. But in places with wild temperature swings, sometimes a hybrid boot (aluminum base with a flexible rubber collar) actually holds up better long-term. Costs a bit more up front, but less hassle down the line if you’re tired of swapping stuff out every few seasons.
I hear you on the rubber boots—mine looked fine for years, then one spring I found a split big enough to let in a squirrel. I tried the UV spray trick too, and it did seem to help, but honestly, I’m not convinced it’s worth the hassle if you’re on a tight budget. Those sprays aren’t exactly cheap, and climbing up there every couple years isn’t my idea of a good time.
I went with the hybrid boots last time around (aluminum base, rubber collar), and yeah, they cost more up front, but I haven’t had to mess with them since. No rust, no cracks, no leaks—at least not yet. For me, paying a bit more once beats buying new rubber boots every few years and worrying about water stains on the ceiling.
If you’re handy and don’t mind the maintenance, maybe rubber’s fine. But if you’re like me and want to set it and forget it (and keep your ladder in the garage), hybrids are worth considering. Just my two cents... roofs are expensive enough without playing musical chairs with vent boots.
Interesting take on hybrids, but I’m curious—have you checked the rubber collar lately? In my experience, even the “set and forget” types can start to dry out or pull away after a few years, especially if your roof gets a lot of sun. I’ve seen aluminum bases corrode in coastal areas too. Sometimes folks swap out just the collar instead of the whole boot, which saves money but isn’t always obvious unless you’re up there looking. Maybe it’s not quite as maintenance-free as it seems?