- Had concrete tiles installed about 6 yrs ago (budget reasons mostly).
- Been through a couple nasty storms since then—no cracks or major issues yet.
- Neighbor across street has clay tiles, looks great but he's replaced several after hail last year.
- Concrete does get mossy quicker, but a quick pressure wash every couple years sorts it out.
- Overall, concrete's been solid for me, especially considering the price difference.
Totally agree on concrete tiles being a solid choice, especially if you're watching the budget. Clay tiles look fantastic, no doubt, but they're definitely more fragile when it comes to hail or heavy debris. I've seen a few roofs around here with clay tiles that ended up needing repairs after storms—beautiful but pricey to maintain.
One thing I'd add though: concrete tiles can vary quite a bit in quality depending on the brand. Some cheaper brands tend to fade quicker or chip at the edges after a few years. If you go concrete, it's worth spending a little extra for a reputable brand like Eagle or Boral—they've got better coatings and hold up longer against weathering and moss growth.
Also, if moss is an ongoing issue, you might consider zinc strips near the ridge line. They slowly release zinc oxide when it rains, which helps keep moss at bay longer between washes. Just something to think about...
Good points on Eagle and Boral, but honestly, I've had decent luck with some mid-range concrete tiles too. Sure, they fade a bit quicker, but nothing a good pressure wash every couple years can't handle. Zinc strips though...do they really work that well? Seems kinda gimmicky to me.
"Zinc strips though...do they really work that well? Seems kinda gimmicky to me."
Yeah, I've wondered the same thing—seems like one of those things that sounds good in theory but doesn't do much in practice. Anyone here actually had zinc strips installed long-term and seen noticeable results?
I've seen zinc strips installed on a few roofs we've worked on, and honestly...results were mixed at best. On one house, they seemed to help reduce moss growth noticeably, but on another, it didn't do much at all. I suspect it depends heavily on roof pitch, climate, and even the quality of the zinc strips themselves. Not exactly snake oil, but probably not the miracle cure some manufacturers claim either.
