Sometimes the “old school” way isn’t always the only way.
I hear you on that. I used to swear by felt too, but after my last re-roof, I tried synthetic just to save my knees and back. Honestly, I was skeptical about how it’d hold up in our freeze-thaw cycles, but two winters in and it’s still flat as a pancake. I do miss the smell of tar paper though—guess that’s nostalgia talking. Breathability is a fair point, but with good attic ventilation (solar fan or not), I haven’t noticed any issues. Maybe the tech’s finally caught up?
- Seen a lot of synthetic underlayment lately—most jobs I inspect now, actually.
- Used to be skeptical, but haven’t found moisture issues yet, even after some rough winters.
- One thing I’ve noticed: if the attic’s got poor airflow, doesn’t matter what’s under the shingles... problems show up fast.
- Still, I do wonder about long-term durability—felt’s been around forever, but synthetic’s still kinda new in the grand scheme.
- Anyone else notice it gets slicker when wet? Nearly took a spill last fall...
That slickness is no joke—nearly went skating off a 7/12 pitch myself last spring. I’ve been around long enough to remember when folks said felt was the only way, but these synthetics do seem to hold up, at least so far. Still, I’ve seen more condensation issues in attics with poor venting than I ever have from underlayment type. Doesn’t matter if it’s the fanciest synthetic or old-school felt—if the air can’t move, you’re asking for trouble. Only thing I miss about felt is it gave a bit more grip underfoot, especially on those damp mornings.
I’ve seen the same thing—ventilation makes or breaks attic health, no matter what’s under the shingles. Did an inspection last month where a brand-new synthetic underlayment looked perfect, but the attic was dripping from lack of airflow. Grip-wise, I still trust felt more on a steep pitch, especially when it’s damp.
Funny, I’ve actually had the opposite experience with felt on steep pitches—especially after a storm rolls through. Once had a crew slip around more on damp felt than on the newer synthetics, which surprised me. Maybe it’s just the brand or how humid it gets here, but I’ve started leaning toward synthetic for grip and durability. Still, you’re spot on about ventilation. Doesn’t matter what’s under there if the attic’s sweating like a sauna... seen too many “perfect” installs ruined by trapped moisture.
