Honestly, I think a lot of the horror stories come from folks who either skipped steps during install or had really old roofs to begin with. I was nervous too—cutting a hole in your roof is never fun—but after a year, the only thing I really have to do is brush off the panel every now and then. Maybe it’s different if you’ve got a ton of trees or live somewhere super dusty, but for me, it’s been way less hassle than cleaning gutters. I do wonder if it’ll stay this easy after a few more seasons, though... anyone had one running for 5+ years?
- Had mine up for about 6 years now (asphalt shingle roof, Midwest climate).
- Maintenance has been almost nothing—just clear off leaves maybe twice a year.
- Only issue was a gasket that started to dry out around year 4, but a quick bead of sealant fixed it.
- I think you’re right—problems usually start with rushed installs or old, brittle shingles.
- Honestly, it’s held up better than I expected... way less hassle than my gutters or skylights.
Interesting—six years with almost no trouble is honestly better than I’d expect, especially in the Midwest where the freeze/thaw cycles can mess with roof stuff. I’m curious, did you notice any difference in attic temps or energy bills after you put it in? That’s the part I’m never sure about... people say it helps, but I haven’t seen much hard data.
About the gasket drying out—was that just from sun exposure, or do you think it was more a materials issue? I’ve seen some cheaper fans with gaskets that get brittle way faster than they should. Also, when you sealed it up, did you use a specific roofing sealant or just whatever was on hand? Always wonder if the type of sealant really matters long-term or if it’s all marketing.
I agree on rushed installs causing issues. The last one I helped with, the guy wanted to skip using flashing because "it’ll be fine"—fast forward two months, and we’re patching leaks. Sometimes the basics matter more than fancy features.
Sometimes the basics matter more than fancy features.
That’s been my experience too. I’ve managed a few buildings where folks tried to cut corners—skipping flashing or using whatever caulk was lying around—and it always comes back to bite you. As for attic temps, I did see a drop, but honestly, the energy bills didn’t change much. Maybe a few bucks in peak summer, but nothing dramatic. The gasket on ours dried out after about five years, probably a mix of sun and cheap material. I switched to a polyurethane roofing sealant when I patched it up, and it’s held up way better than the generic stuff we used at first. Marketing or not, some of those “roofing-specific” sealants really do last longer, at least in my experience.
That lines up with what I’ve seen. The “easy” part of these installs usually falls apart when people don’t pay attention to the basics—especially flashing. Cheap gaskets never hold up in harsh weather. Polyurethane sealant’s been my go-to for years; it just outlasts the generic latex stuff, especially after a couple freeze-thaw cycles. Energy savings are hit or miss, honestly. Sometimes the attic’s cooler, but the bills barely budge unless you’ve got insulation dialed in too.
