Yeah, moss can really sneak up on you. I used to think it was just ugly, but after tearing into a section and seeing the rot, I’m way more cautious now. The zinc strips only did so much for me too—seems like nothing beats just staying on top of it. PNW roofs are a whole different beast.
The zinc strips only did so much for me too—seems like nothing beats just staying on top of it.
Totally get that. I’ve seen roofs where folks relied on zinc and still ended up with moss creeping back after a couple wet seasons. Honestly, I’m always surprised how fast it takes hold here. Had a client swear by pressure washing, but that can do more harm than good if you’re not careful. It’s like a never-ending battle in the PNW...
Had a client swear by pressure washing, but that can do more harm than good if you’re not careful.
That’s definitely been my experience too. Pressure washing seems tempting, but I’ve seen neighbors end up with shingle granules all over their gutters after a single session. I’ve had better luck just brushing off loose moss and using a low-strength moss treatment once a year. The PNW climate is relentless—sometimes I wonder if it’s just about slowing the growth rather than stopping it completely.
- Totally get what you mean about just trying to slow the moss down.
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“sometimes I wonder if it’s just about slowing the growth rather than stopping it completely.”
- Same here—our roof gets mossy every winter, no matter what.
- Tried pressure washing once (regretted it), ended up with a bunch of grit in the gutters and some shingles looking rough.
- Now I just sweep off debris and use a gentle moss killer.
- Not perfect, but at least I’m not making things worse.
- Feels like maintenance is just a constant battle in the PNW… kind of reassuring to hear others are in the same boat.
Pressure washing is one of those things that sounds like a good idea until you see what it does to the shingles, right? I tried it once years ago and ended up with a patchy roof and a mess in the gutters. Never again. These days, I’m in the same camp—just trying to keep the moss from taking over, not expecting to win the war.
I’ve heard mixed things about those zinc or copper strips you nail along the ridge. Some folks swear by them, others say they barely make a dent. Has anyone actually seen a big difference after installing those? I’m tempted, but not sure if it’s worth the hassle.
Honestly, living in the PNW just means moss is part of life. I sweep off branches and needles every couple months, toss on some moss killer in early spring, and hope for the best. It’s kind of wild how fast it comes back though... sometimes feels like my roof is just a science experiment for different moss species.
Anyone else notice certain spots get way worse than others? For me, it’s always the north-facing side that turns into a green carpet by February.