Good points all around. I've had similar experiences with hybrid caulk—definitely seems to handle expansion and contraction better. Silicone is decent, but yeah, peeling is frustrating, especially when clients notice it before I do... awkward conversations. I've got hybrid caulk going on three years now around some skylights that get hammered by weather extremes. So far, no callbacks or issues, which is always a good sign. Sounds like you're on the right track—hope it holds up long-term for both of us.
"Silicone is decent, but yeah, peeling is frustrating, especially when clients notice it before I do... awkward conversations."
Haha, been there—nothing like a client pointing out your own work flaws to keep you humble. Glad to hear the hybrid caulk's holding strong for you. I've had similar luck around some south-facing windows that bake in the sun all summer. Three years in and still no peeling or cracking. Fingers crossed we both dodge those awkward callbacks for a good while yet...
Hybrid caulk's been solid for me too, but honestly, prep work makes or breaks it. Even the best stuff peels if the surface isn't spotless. Learned that the hard way after a few callbacks... now I'm obsessive about cleaning first.
Totally agree on prep being key—seen too many jobs go south because someone rushed the cleaning step. Hybrid caulk's pretty forgiving, but it's not magic. I usually give surfaces a quick wipe-down with rubbing alcohol after cleaning; seems to help adhesion even more. Learned that trick from an old-timer who swore by it, and honestly, haven't had peeling issues since... knock on wood.
Good tip on the alcohol wipe-down—I do something similar with denatured alcohol, and it makes a noticeable difference. Learned the hard way after a whole section peeled off from skipping prep (lesson definitely learned...). Seems like those old-timer tricks always end up saving us from ourselves, huh? Anyway, glad it's working for you, fingers crossed it stays solid.
"Seems like those old-timer tricks always end up saving us from ourselves, huh?"
Funny you mention that, because I've actually had mixed results with alcohol prep. A few years back, I was convinced it was the holy grail after reading similar advice online. Did a thorough wipe-down with denatured alcohol before applying some weatherstripping around my windows. Felt pretty proud of myself... until about six months later when sections started peeling off anyway.
Turns out, at least in my case, the alcohol prep wasn't enough on its own—the adhesive quality mattered way more than I'd thought. Ended up switching to a different brand of weatherstripping with a stronger adhesive backing and skipped the alcohol entirely on one window as an experiment. Surprisingly, that window held up better than the others.
Not saying the alcohol trick doesn't help (clearly it does for many), but maybe it's worth questioning if it's always necessary or if sometimes we're just compensating for weaker adhesives? Curious if anyone else has noticed something similar.
I've seen similar stuff happen, but honestly, alcohol prep usually isn't the culprit. More often it's surface texture or temperature swings causing issues. Adhesive matters, sure, but even top-notch stuff struggles if the surface isn't ideal... learned that the hard way myself.