...if your shingles are curling like potato chips, you’re just asking for leaks.
This hits home. Every time I see someone slap a fan on a roof that’s already waving at the neighbors, I just cringe a little. I get it—solar attic fans sound like a win, but if the roof’s already on its last legs, it’s kind of like putting a sunroof on a rust bucket.
Honestly, bundling the jobs is the way to go. Less mess, fewer headaches, and you only have to listen to the hammering once. Plus, you get to geek out over all the eco-friendly options. Ever looked into those reflective shingles? They’re like sunglasses for your house. I went with recycled composite shingles last year—pricey up front, but my summer AC bills dropped.
I know it’s tempting to DIY and patch things up, but water’s sneaky... it’ll find a way. If you’re re-roofing anyway, might as well future-proof the place and keep it green. Feels good knowing you’re not just tossing more stuff in the landfill, you know?
If the roof’s already on its last legs, it’s kind of like putting a sunroof on a rust bucket.
That’s exactly it. I learned the hard way—put a solar fan on my old three-tab roof thinking I was being clever, and two years later I was chasing leaks every time it rained. Ended up having to redo the whole thing anyway, and patching around that fan was a pain.
Bundling is just less hassle. When I finally bit the bullet and did the new roof plus attic fan together, the crew flashed everything in properly and I haven’t had a single drip since. I went with architectural shingles (not as green as composite, but they hold up better in our hail storms here). The reflective ones are interesting, but I was worried about them looking weird in my neighborhood—maybe that’s just me.
DIY patch jobs are tempting, but water always wins in the end. If you’re already up there, might as well do it right and not have to think about it for another 20 years.
That’s a good point about the reflective shingles—I’ve wondered if they’d stick out too much on my block, too. I keep hearing mixed things about how much difference they actually make with attic temps. As for the fan install, I’ve seen a few jobs where the flashing was almost an afterthought, and yeah, leaks were inevitable. Seems like it’s always a tradeoff between getting it done quick and getting it done right. I’m still learning, but every time I see someone try to “just patch it,” it ends up being more work down the line. Water finds every shortcut...
Ain’t that the truth. I watched my neighbor “seal” around his new fan with a tube of caulk and a prayer—didn’t even last one rainy season. I get wanting to keep things looking uniform, but honestly, after a few months, nobody notices the reflective shingles. My own were a bit shiny at first, but now they just look like, well, shingles… and the attic’s way cooler in summer.Water finds every shortcut...
Funny, I had the same worry about the shiny look when I put mine in, but you’re right—after a season or two, it just blends in. As for sealing, I learned the hard way that caulk alone doesn’t cut it. What worked for me: peel back the shingles, slide the flashing under, then use roofing cement around the edges before nailing it down. Haven’t had a leak since, and my attic’s way less of an oven now.
