That’s been my experience too—salt air just chews through metal, no matter what the brochures say. I went with a green roof mainly for insulation, but it’s definitely helped with corrosion. Maintenance is still a pain, though. I’ve had to pull out weeds and clear drains more often than I expected, but at least I’m not dealing with rusted panels every few years. Honestly, the trade-off feels worth it, especially since repairs on metal got expensive fast.
Interesting point about green roofs helping with corrosion. I’ve seen a few clients switch to them for similar reasons, though the maintenance side always seems to catch folks off guard. The salt air’s relentless—galvanized coatings only buy you so much time, and even stainless can pit if you’re close enough to the ocean. I’m curious, have you noticed any issues with root barriers or membrane leaks under your green roof? That’s usually where I see problems crop up after a few years.
Root barriers are always the wild card, aren’t they? I’ve seen a few membranes get chewed up by aggressive roots, especially when folks skimp on the barrier or use the wrong type. Leaks usually show up around year three or four if there’s gonna be trouble. The salt air just speeds everything up—nothing like a little ocean breeze to keep you humble.
I get what you’re saying about root barriers, but honestly, I’ve seen just as many issues come from poor drainage or shoddy flashing as from roots. Sometimes folks blame the roots when it’s really water sneaking in from somewhere else. Salt air definitely speeds up the wear, but if you’re using the right materials and keeping up with maintenance, you can dodge a lot of those headaches. I’ve patched more leaks from rusted-out nails and corroded vents than busted root barriers, at least around here.
That’s been my experience too—people jump to blaming tree roots, but half the time it’s water working its way in through a tiny gap or some old flashing. I had a place right on the coast where we kept chasing leaks, and every time it turned out to be rusted fasteners or vents, not roots. Salt air just chews through anything that isn’t rated for coastal use. Maintenance makes a huge difference, though… once we switched to stainless hardware and checked things every fall, those surprise leaks mostly stopped.
