I actually tried to convince my spouse we needed a green roof—mainly because I liked the idea of mowing the house instead of the lawn. Didn’t get far. Our Midwest winters are brutal, and honestly, the thought of shoveling snow off sedum made me tired just thinking about it. Ended up with composite shingles (Class 4, supposedly hail-proof), and they’ve held up okay so far, but I’ve noticed some curling after a couple freeze-thaw cycles. Maintenance is definitely less stressful than babysitting rooftop wildflowers, though.
Maintenance is definitely less stressful than babysitting rooftop wildflowers, though.
That’s pretty much what convinced me to skip the green roof idea, too. Our winters out here (northern Iowa) are no joke, and I just couldn’t picture myself up there dealing with ice buildup on a bunch of plants. Ended up going with metal—cost a chunk more upfront, but after a couple of hailstorms and one tornado scare, I’m glad we did. Only thing is, rain hitting metal at 3am will wake you up if you’re not used to it... but at least I’m not patching leaks every spring.
I get where you’re coming from—metal roofs are tough, no question, and Iowa weather isn’t exactly gentle. But I think green roofs get a bad rap for being high-maintenance, especially in cold climates. There are actually setups designed for harsh winters, with sedum and native grasses that basically hibernate under snow. I’ve got a neighbor in Minnesota who swears by his. He says the insulation from the soil layer actually helps with ice damming, and his heating bills dropped a bit after installation.
Yeah, you do have to check for drainage and make sure nothing’s clogging up, but it’s not like you’re out there every week with a trowel. Plus, no more “rain on a tin roof” at 3am... which I know some folks love, but it drove me nuts when I stayed at my cousin’s place. Not saying it’s for everyone, but I wouldn’t write off green roofs just because of the climate. Sometimes the upfront planning pays off in ways you don’t expect.
That’s a good point about the insulation factor—people always talk about green roofs being a pain, but I’ve seen them hold up surprisingly well in some rough winters. I did a storm damage assessment last year on a place with a green roof, and the owner said it actually protected the membrane from hail better than their old asphalt shingles ever did. Less noise too, like you mentioned.
Only thing I’ve wondered about is how they handle those big spring thaws when everything melts fast. Ever seen any issues with water backing up or leaks around the edges? I know drainage is key, but Midwest snowmelt can get pretty intense. Curious if your neighbor in Minnesota had to do anything special for that, or if the standard setup handled it fine.
Drainage is everything with green roofs, especially up north. I’ve seen setups in Minnesota where they used extra-wide drainage mats and made sure the edge flashing was a bit higher than standard—helps keep meltwater from sneaking under the layers. If the drains get clogged with roots or debris, that’s when you’ll see leaks or water backing up. Regular checks in early spring make a big difference. Honestly, most problems I’ve seen came from folks skipping maintenance or trying to cut corners on the drainage layer.
