You’re not kidding about Texas attics just eating plastic for breakfast. I tried a couple “UV-resistant” clamp brands last year—same story, brittle and useless by the second summer. Those metal straps with rubber are a pain for the hands, but at least they don’t just fall apart. Honestly, I’ve had better luck using stainless hose clamps, even though they’re not exactly designed for this. Still, the heat up there is just relentless. Makes you rethink what “heavy duty” really means, right?
Honestly, I’ve had better luck using stainless hose clamps, even though they’re not exactly designed for this.
I get the appeal of stainless hose clamps—they’re sturdy and don’t snap like plastic, but I’ve actually had a few rust out way faster than expected. Maybe it’s the humidity or something about the attic airflow, but “stainless” doesn’t always mean what it should in Texas. I started using those galvanized pipe straps with a layer of high-temp silicone tape underneath. Not the most elegant, but they’ve held up for three summers now. The install is a bit more of a pain, but at least I’m not crawling back up there every year to replace stuff.
And yeah, those “UV-resistant” plastics are a joke in this climate. At this point, if it’s not metal or ceramic, I just assume it’ll turn to dust by July. Heavy duty means something different here for sure...
At this point, if it’s not metal or ceramic, I just assume it’ll turn to dust by July.
That’s the truth. I tried those “UV-resistant” zip ties on my vent lines last summer—figured they’d last at least a season, but by August they were brittle enough to snap with a finger. I’ve started using copper straps for anything exposed, even though they’re pricier. At least they don’t rust out or crumble in the heat. Texas sun just laughs at anything plastic, honestly.
Texas sun just laughs at anything plastic, honestly.
I get where you’re coming from—UV in Texas is brutal. But I’ve had a bit of a different experience with some of the newer composite fasteners and straps. There are a few brands using recycled HDPE with carbon black additives that seem to hold up better than the standard “UV-resistant” plastics. I put some on my green roof test section (admittedly, not as exposed as a bare vent line) and after two summers, they’re still flexible. Not perfect, but less corrosion risk than metal if you’re dealing with any kind of runoff or chemical exposure.
Copper’s definitely solid for longevity, but I do wonder about galvanic reactions if it’s touching other metals—especially aluminum flashing or steel brackets. Had a neighbor end up with some weird pitting on his vent boots because of that mix. Anyone else run into that? Sometimes feels like every material has its own Achilles’ heel once you factor in the heat, rain, and all the random stuff blowing around.
I’ve actually had better luck with stainless steel hardware over copper, especially where there’s a mix of metals. Stainless doesn’t seem to react as much, and it’s held up fine on my ridge vents after four summers. The only downside is cost, but I’d rather pay a bit more than deal with pitting or weird corrosion streaks down the roof. Those composite fasteners are interesting, though... might give them a shot on my next project.
