These are missing caulking at the boot, correct? or are there some self-sealing boots out there im unaware of?
all pipe boots for the past 30 years have been self sealing. if there is ever caulk on a boot call it out.
No sealant its good. unless the rubber is cracking
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wow. i feel like they are usually caulked… there was even other vent stacks on this house that were caulked.
why is that? what is the concern, even if it is redundant?
Even though it could be a relatively new boot, caulking makes me think that there could be an improper cut, split or sizing of the boot. I just point it out that it may or may not be a common practice with the particular roofing company, but properly installed boots should not need caulking unless specified by the manufacture.
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2 concentric vents.
Boot flashing look fine.
If it’s caulked, it’s because it was leaking or roofer did not want to replace it with new roof.
Nothing should have caulk on it, except for top of counter flashing on chimney, cut ends of ridge on a hip roof, and a few exposed nails you can not avoid.
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I disagree. If it is leaking call it out or if the caulk is aged or failing call it out. Caulk/sealant on the ring is not a defect. Many roofers (right or wrong) do it as a “preventative measure” during install.
Otherwise, what are you going to do? Send a roofer up there to peel the caulk off or replace a boot that is not leaking?
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New Lennar Home today, All vent pipes except furnace was caulked. I don’t like this type of sealant. Last new roof I had installed in 2020 the roofer installed rubber boots and caulked the top of the rubber. Hard to call that out.
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Caulking of the boots are done for many reasons and none proper. For plumbing vents many times they do not debur the end of the pipe before installing the boot and damage it. Instead of doing it right they caulk it. Many times they caulk the top of the boot as a preventative measure since rubber boots are junk and they will fail especially in hot climates!
For plumbing vents the proper solution would be lead jack boots. However they don’t look as nice and uniform with the rest of the neighborhood and Builders and roofers are all about looks. Homeowners mostly do not understand the practicality of lead jack boots and compare their house to the one with the junk rubber boots on it. They may not like the looks of them and think something is wrong. A properly installed lead jack boot typically can last past the life of the shingles but is still recommended to be replaced at every roofing as they can deteriorate eventually. That’s all I allow on my house for roof work.
For vent pipes on mechanicals they do make one piece boots that stretch upward to the hoods but these are manufactured fewer and far between. Instead a storm collar can do what needs to be done to protect any joint and yes those may be caulked with proper sealants for the situation since the storm collar is there anyhow.
Anytime I see caulk on a boot I do call it out since most caulks used would never withstand the heat/sun we have here and we can not tell what is under them. Oatey does make a “No Caulk” boot which they do not approve of caulk on and is used very frequently here and also is very frequently caulked. That’s an easy call and I reference the manufacturer’s installation requirements.
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Sealant is always a maintenance item.
I agree with everything you said. You are technically correct on all accounts.
Back to the “call-out”. For me, this does not hit may radar screen. I am not going to recommend a roofer remove the caulk or replace the boots or even evaluate the situation unless there is leaking or failing sealant.
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Generally, I am of the same thought, with the exception of inserting an informational narrative regarding the presence of caulking, and that if/when a roofer is present, (for whatever reason), that it should be replaced, and installed to Manufacturers current installation requirements. Here in Minnesota, (the land of ice, snow, and sub-zero temps), one would be an idiot not to!
Manny made a similar point with Texas heat. Do you think this bead of caulk will accelerate the deterioration of the boot?
I understand some petroleum based sealants could damage the rubber, which is why I suspect the manufacturer says “Do not caulk”. I would like to verify this if possible.
Finally, after being on thousands or roofs, I have yet to see any consequence of this bead of caulk. And even if the caulk fails or cracks, the original boot seal should remain intact. Unless the caulk was applied as a repair which is hard to determine.
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Contractors up here just love Silicone caulk/sealants! I think it is total crap, and causes more problems than it fixes. There are two primary problems with it… 1) Wintertime… it doesn’t stay adhered and doesn’t seal worth a crap although it does stay pliable, 2) If it does stay adhered, it is usually only in places and when it needs to be replaced, is a huge PIA to remove completely so it can be recaulked/resealed!!
IMO, it is very common for caulking needing replaced every few years, and NO, it cannot just be “gone over” with another layer on top of the old, failed crap!!
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Good points. So we get into the “best practices” universe. Both you and Tom made good points on this.
This is certainly an opportunity to educate the client. Never a bad thing and is subjective to the HI’s style. And you took it a bit further to recommend a corrective action at some unknown point in the future.
It appears to be a matter of semantics or definition. When I refer to “calling something out”, I consider this to mean a material defect in need of repair. Not just making making a note in a report.
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That is because I am looking out for my Clients for the ‘long term’.
I am not only “in it” for today’s paycheck, but for their, and their childrens, future ‘paychecks’ also.
This business can be handled many ways, but when serving in rural areas with limited local population centers, relations are cruical for longterm success. I have many prior clients calling me years later for their next home, or their children calling me because their parents told them to call me, and so on.
They call me because I make it a point for them to understand that I am here for them, not just today, but as long as they own their home I inspected, (as long as I am still living and able)! I say that jokingly, but they know it to be factual, which it is.
So, when I tell them about concerns for immediate repairs, I also mention items that are already in the works for being conducive to bigger problems in the not too distant future, say 2-5 years. This caulking discussion easily fits into that criteria for discussion. Prepare them for what to expect when it happens, and you will likely never get that phone call nobody wants, they are usually the “Thank You” calls/texts we all love!
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Say it louder. The more inspectors that hear this the better!
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Exactly…
Each of us handles the situation in our own way and there is nothing wrong with that as we do what we feel is best. In this particular case I don’t recommend removal, replacement, repair, etc. Instead I just advise them what was found and in the case of the Oatey no caulk boots (or any other I identify as no caulk) they are advised that a properly installed and functioning boot does not require caulk. They can do with that what they want but in the future I don’t expect a call back from a homeowner who thinks I missed something.
I make all kinds of write-ups that so many others would not and again for the call back reason. Case in point was Friday’s inspection. Multiple locations had extremely wavy baseboards that were located right in prominent walking paths that would not be blocked from view by furniture, etc. To shorten the story I checked it out and determined it is purely aesthetic (crap trim work and no other issues) and reported them as they did appear aesthetic. This was a $950K new home final for a first time home buyer (very nice people) and I will guarantee you they would see it themselves and be calling me for an explanation. Also I’ll guarantee you they would not catch it until after move-in and had lost an opportunity for the Builder to correct it since they did not bring it up before closing. I will also guarantee it would drive them crazy later and they would not be happy with it. That’s how I roll in my inspections and if others don’t want to it’s purely they’re choice and decision and not mine to tell them to do that.
The sealant may not accelerate the deterioration of the boot but with few exceptions most sealants in this Texas sun, particularly on a hot roof, won’t last a year or two most. When it deteriorates and breaks away it may distort the boot or even display the underlying issue why they sealed the boot in the first place.
Now if you want to seal something and make the sealant last use something like Masterseal NP1 (formerly Sonolastic NP1). That shit lasts a damn long time!! I’ve used it on various substrates (including metal) that are facing a constant West/Southwest sun, without a paint coating, and after 10 years or more it is still going strong! Other supposed premium grade sealants barely last 2 years under those conditions. Of course it is much harder to work with and typically 3X the cost of the other premium grade sealants and that is most likely why the roofers and others don’t use it.
In our Texas sun and heat so many sealants and rubber products just don’t last the advertised time lengths.
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