Luck’s part of it, but you’ve clearly been doing something right if your roof made it through a hurricane in one piece. I’ve seen plenty of roofs that looked fine from the ground, only to find moss had been hiding lifted shingles or even small punctures after a big storm. It’s wild how much damage can be tucked away under a thick patch of green.
I’m with you on zinc strips—they’re more of a preventative thing. Once moss gets going, it’s like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. I tell folks here in western Washington that regular cleaning is just part of life, especially with all the shade and rain we get. Metal roofs do help, but yeah, algae still finds its way onto the north side. Had a client with a brand new metal roof and within a year, there was already that faint green haze creeping in.
If you didn’t spot any shingle lifting or edge damage after the storm, that’s a good sign. Still, sometimes those little issues don’t show up until months later—especially around vents and flashing. Keeping an eye out now and then is never wasted effort.
Totally agree about moss being sneaky. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been up on a “fine-looking” roof only to find all sorts of surprises hiding under the green stuff. It’s like a magic trick, but not the fun kind. Zinc strips are great if you get them on early, but once moss takes hold, it’s basically a turf war.
I’m in the habit of telling folks to check around their vents and flashing after any big storm, even if everything looks solid from the yard. Sometimes it’s months before you notice a slow leak or a soft spot in the plywood. Had a place last year where the only sign was a faint water stain on the ceiling—turned out to be a tiny puncture right beside a vent pipe, hidden by moss.
Metal roofs definitely help with moss and wind, but yeah, algae’s persistent. I’ve seen it show up on the north side even on brand new installs. Guess nothing’s truly maintenance-free around here. Just part of living in the PNW, I suppose...
Funny you mention those faint water stains—I've had more than a few calls where folks only noticed a problem after a tiny brown spot appeared, and by then the moss had already done its dirty work. I always tell people, even if your roof looks fine from the ground after a storm, it’s worth getting up close, especially around those tricky spots like vents and flashing. Metal roofs definitely cut down on moss, but yeah, they’re not a magic bullet. Even with all the best prep, the PNW just throws curveballs. At least catching things early saves a lot of headaches down the line.
- Those little brown spots are sneaky. Had a buddy ignore one for months, then boom—half his attic insulation was soaked.
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“Even if your roof looks fine from the ground after a storm, it’s worth getting up close, especially around those tricky spots like vents and flashing.”
100% agree. I’ve seen leaks hide out right under a vent cap, totally invisible from below.
- Metal roofs are solid against moss, but yeah, not invincible. I’ve still scraped green gunk off seams after a wet winter.
- PNW is brutal. Rain, wind, random tree branches... it’s always something.
- Quick check after each storm saves a ton of cash later. My uncle’s motto: “If you can catch it before you hear it drip, you’re winning.”
- Not sure it’s just luck if your roof made it through a hurricane—could be good install, could be the wind just missed the right angle this time. Either way, I’d still poke around up there for loose nails or lifted shingles.
- Honestly, most folks don’t look until there’s a puddle in the hallway. Been there myself, not fun.
Bottom line: luck helps, but eyes on the roof help more.
- That line about “eyes on the roof help more” is spot on. I got my first house last year and honestly, I never thought to check the roof after storms until a neighbor mentioned it.
- I’m in the PNW too, and yeah, the moss is relentless. Even with a newer roof, I still found some green stuff creeping in around the flashing after our last windstorm.
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“If you can catch it before you hear it drip, you’re winning.”
That’s my new motto now. I found a tiny brown spot in a closet ceiling—turned out to be a slow leak from a nail pop. Didn’t look like much but fixing it early saved me from dealing with soggy drywall later.
- Not sure if it’s just luck or not, but I’d rather not risk it. After every big storm, I do a quick walk around and peek in the attic for anything weird.
- It’s easy to forget about until there’s water somewhere it shouldn’t be... but a few minutes checking things out really does make a difference.
