If zombies are climbing on my roof, I’m probably more worried about the shingles than the undead at that point. But seriously, I went with Malarkey a few years back because they seemed tough enough for our Midwest hail and wind. They’ve held up, but I learned the hard way that even “apocalypse-proof” shingles can’t save you from clogged gutters. One fall, I let the leaves pile up and next thing I knew, water was sneaking under the edges—nothing like a surprise drip in your attic to ruin movie night.
Here’s my low-budget survival plan: 1) Clean gutters every fall and spring (or after a big storm if you’re feeling ambitious). 2) Check for sneaky tree roots or branches trying to get cozy with your roof—trim ‘em back before they get ideas. 3) If you see moss or weird growth, don’t ignore it. That stuff is like a zombie horde for your shingles.
I skipped the root barrier once and regretted it—roots found their way in after just a couple years. Lesson learned: spend a little now, save a lot later. And if you’re not into ladders, bribe a neighbor with pizza... worked for me.
Here’s my low-budget survival plan: 1) Clean gutters every fall and spring (or after a big storm if you’re feeling ambitious). 2) Check for sneaky tree roots or branches trying to get cozy with your roof—trim ‘em back before they get ideas. 3) If you see moss or weird growth, don’t ignore it. That stuff is like a zombie horde for your shingles.
That’s honestly the best “apocalypse-proof” plan I’ve seen for keeping a roof alive, zombies or not. I learned the hard way about moss—left it too long one year and it started lifting the edges of my shingles. Even the tough ones can’t beat Mother Nature if you let her sneak in. I’m with you on bribing neighbors, too... ladders and I aren’t friends.
Moss is sneaky, right? I’ve seen it lift up even the “tough” shingles if you let it go a season or two. Malarkey’s supposed to be pretty resistant, but nothing’s totally safe if you get a wet spring and shade from overhanging trees. I always tell folks—if you’re not into ladders, see if your local hardware store rents those long-handled roof brushes. Not glamorous, but it beats replacing half your roof after a storm. Anyone ever try those zinc strips for moss? Mixed results for me, honestly.
- Zinc strips can help, but like you said, results are mixed. They work best on steeper roofs where rain can wash the zinc down evenly. On low-slope or complex roofs, moss still finds a way.
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— That’s solid advice. Manual removal is tedious but effective if you keep up with it.“if you’re not into ladders, see if your local hardware store rents those long-handled roof brushes.”
- Malarkey’s algae resistance is decent, but moss is a different beast. If you’ve got heavy shade and lots of debris, even the best shingles struggle.
- Have you noticed if the moss comes back faster after using zinc, or does it slow things down at all? I’ve seen both cases depending on tree cover and roof pitch.
Malarkey’s algae resistance is decent, but moss is a different beast. If you’ve got heavy shade and lots of debris, even the best shingles struggle.
I’ve noticed the same thing—shade and debris seem to overwhelm any “algae-resistant” feature pretty quick. Has anyone tried copper strips instead of zinc? I’ve heard they’re more effective, but maybe pricier. Curious if anyone’s actually seen a difference in moss regrowth with copper versus zinc, especially on those tricky low-slope roofs.