I get where you’re coming from about the importance of what’s under the shingles, but sometimes the budget just doesn’t stretch far enough for all the upgrades. When I had my roof done last year, I wanted to go all-in with ice and water shield everywhere, but the cost difference was pretty steep. Ended up just doing it in the valleys and around penetrations, which the roofer said was the most critical.
Honestly, I think there’s a balance. Not everyone can afford to rip up all the decking unless it’s really bad. Sometimes patching or reinforcing the worst spots is the only realistic option, at least for a few years. It’s not ideal, but it beats letting leaks keep getting worse. I’d love to do everything “by the book,” but sometimes you just have to prioritize and hope for the best.
“Ended up just doing it in the valleys and around penetrations, which the roofer said was the most critical.”
Honestly, that’s where I landed too when I did my place. Full ice and water shield everywhere sounds great, but my wallet had other plans. I focused on the valleys and chimney since that’s where leaks love to show up. Decking only got replaced where it was soft or rotted—no sense tossing good wood just for the sake of it.
I hear you on “by the book,” but sometimes you’ve just gotta be practical. If you can keep things dry for a few more years, that’s a win in my book.
“Decking only got replaced where it was soft or rotted—no sense tossing good wood just for the sake of it.”
That’s exactly what I was thinking when I started looking at estimates. I get why people want to do everything “by the book,” but honestly, if the rest of the decking is solid, why rip it out? I did end up splurging on better flashing around my skylight—figured that spot would bite me later if I cheaped out. Curious though, did anyone regret not doing full ice and water shield? It’s hard to tell if it’s just overkill or actually worth it long term.
I’ve seen plenty of roofs where just patching the bad decking worked out fine—no issues years later. As for ice and water shield, I only put it in valleys and around penetrations on my own place. Never had a problem, even through some nasty winters. Full coverage always seemed like overkill unless you’re in a spot with crazy ice damming.
NEED ADVICE ON REPLACING AN OLD LEAKY ROOF
I get where you’re coming from—patching bad decking can work, and I’ve seen it hold up for years too. But I’ve also walked into more than a few “quick fix” jobs that turned into full-on headaches later. Sometimes the rot or water damage isn’t obvious until you really open things up, and then you’re chasing leaks for ages.
On the ice and water shield, I used to think the same—just valleys and penetrations, call it a day. Then I worked on a place where the homeowner swore they never had ice damming issues, but one freak winter and suddenly water was sneaking in at the eaves. Full coverage would’ve saved a lot of drywall and flooring in that case.
Guess it depends on your risk tolerance and how much you want to gamble with future repairs. Sometimes “overkill” is just peace of mind, especially if you’re not planning to get back up there anytime soon...
