Roof vent flashing

[yaofeng]

My roof was gone over about ten years ago. The roofer install new roof vent flashings. There are four of them. Ten years later all rubber part of the flashing cracked and deteriorated. I believe the old ones the roofer removed were good and has lasted about 25 years.

They don't make things like they used to?

I went to Home Depot the other day. Bought four replacement roof vent flashings. They were from the same manufacturer, Oatley. Rather than replacing the flashing assembly. I cut away the deteriorated rubber leaving a rubber ring where the edge was clamped to the aluminum base intact. Then I pried away the aluminum at the base of the rubber on the new flashing assembly. Slipped them on to the vent pipe and snuggly fitted the rubber cap onto the old one and caulked around the edges with roof sealant.

I know it will last only ten more years. Is there anything I can do to prolong the life?

[dpb]

...

Supposition would be one of two things--either the originals were a different material or perhaps EPA has had an effect on rubber products similar to paint, etc., that restrictions on outgassing and/or manufacturing processes makes them more susceptible to uv than previously.

I'd guess only thing that might help would be a good uv protectant--this stuff is supposed to be good; there are others as well, of course --

--

[hrhofmann]

Use the roof sealant to cover then entire unit.

[Lefty]

Make a small storm flashing collar (like you would use on a type "B" chimney over the regular flashing) out of tin or aluminum, and clamp it on a couple inches higher than the rubber. This will eliminate exposure to direct sunlight and also reduce some of the heat on that black rubber heat sink. I can't draw the thing here, but imagine a japcap with a hole the size of the pipe drilled in the center of the top, and then slipped down to your flashing.

HTH, Lefty