Pipe Boot Repair in Boise

What is a pipe boot?

A pipe boot is a rubberized flashing that goes over your pipes on your roof to make them water-tight for a long lasting effect. 5+ years ago, most pipe boots were plastic. Now, we are dealing with a lot of them cracking and causing leaks earlier than we had originally thought as a roofing generation. Most of the time when you are getting a roofing inspection done, the pipe boots will be called out if they are plastic because they will crack in the near future (if they haven’t cracked yet).

A rubber boot works best because it can resist high winds, rain storms, winters, and even most ice dams around the pipes. If you are experiencing a leak running down a pipe in your house, this is most likely the problem. Some roofers will examine the leak and propose that roofing sealant will do just fine… but here at Rooftops, we want to make sure that you get the best out of your roofing repairs. We always replace the plastic boots with the rubberized ones and finish it up with the caulking around the perimeter of the boot to ensure longevity.

The rubber boot comes in multiple sizes and colors for the aesthetics of the roof and also to be able to go over any pipe that needs to be addressed. 

Even though we advise all homeowners to always have a roofing company come take a look at your roof when you are experiencing a leak, we understand that knowledge is power and knowing the “what”, “why”, and “how” on most repairs will help you trust our company.

Here is how you replace a pipe boot:

  • Tear out the roofing nails used to attach the old boot.
  • Lift the boot of the vent pipe.
  • Slide the new boot over the pipe.
  • Tuck the uphill part of the flashing under the shingles.
  • Fasten the new flashing with galvanized roofing nails.
  • Apply a little bit of roofing sealant to the nail heads and the bottom of the shingles to ensure the longevity of the repair.