What are the best pipe boots for a roof?
Short answer. The best pipe boots for most Georgia roofs are premium boots with a UV-stable silicone or high-grade rubber collar on a sturdy metal or heavy plastic base, or soft lead boots that fold into the top of the pipe. Basic neoprene collar boots are the cheapest and most common, but their rubber often cracks in the sun years before the shingles wear out.
The main types
- Standard rubber collar boots. A plastic or galvanized base with a neoprene collar that hugs the pipe. Inexpensive, and the collar often cracks after roughly 10 years of Georgia sun, sometimes sooner on south and west slopes.
- Lead boots. A soft lead flange and sleeve folded down into the top of the pipe. Very durable against UV, though squirrels sometimes chew the lead.
- Silicone or premium rubber collar boots. Better UV resistance than neoprene, often on a heavier base, designed to last closer to the life of the shingles.
- Multi-piece boots. A metal base with an overlapping or replaceable collar, sometimes with a storm collar on top.
- Split or retrofit boots. Wrap around a pipe without removing it. Handy for repairs, though a full replacement boot is usually better.
What matters as much as the boot
- Installation. The upper flange must slide under the shingles above and the lower flange lie over the shingles below. Nails go under shingles, not through the exposed flange.
- Size. Match the boot to the pipe diameter, commonly 1-1/2, 2 or 3 inches.
- Pipe condition. A cracked plastic vent pipe will leak through any boot.
When to replace
Replace boots whenever the roof is replaced, and check them during every inspection. Cracked collars are one of the most common sources of small ceiling stains near bathrooms. See pipe boot leaks and common causes of roof leaks.