I’m with you on the Midwest weather—it’s unpredictable, and I’ve learned not to trust it. I do climb up there once or twice a year, usually late spring and again before winter, but otherwise I stick to ground checks and binoculars like you. Heights aren’t my thing either, and honestly, binoculars usually catch the big stuff. For moss, I’ve tried zinc strips and they’re slow to show results—pressure washing did more for me, but you have to be gentle or you’ll wreck shingles. As for post-storm checks, I only do a full walk-around after heavy wind or hail, not every rain. That’s worked out so far, but I do check gutters more often since they clog up fast.
- Interesting you mention zinc strips—I've tried them too, but honestly, I got impatient waiting for them to work. Pressure washing definitely made a bigger visual difference, but yeah, I learned the hard way that too much pressure can lift shingles right up. Ended up patching a couple spots after that.
- I’m curious how you handle ice dams? Midwest winters can be brutal, and I’ve seen more damage from those than moss. I’ve tried heated cables, but they’re hit or miss for me.
- For post-storm checks, I do a quick drone flyover if it’s been really nasty. It’s saved me from climbing up there after hailstorms. Not perfect, but it catches missing shingles and big dents.
- Gutters are my nemesis...I swear they clog with just one windy day. Have you ever tried those gutter guards? I’m on the fence about them—seems like they help with leaves but not so much with all the little shingle granules.
- One thing I still can’t figure out: is it better to replace a few damaged shingles right away or wait until there’s enough wear to justify a full section? Feels like patch jobs never quite match the old stuff.
I hear you on the patch jobs never matching—I've swapped out a handful of shingles here and there after hail, and you can always spot the new ones from the street. Still, I lean toward fixing right away, just to keep water out. Had a neighbor wait until spring to do a bigger section, but by then, the underlayment was toast and it turned into a much bigger headache. Ever tried color-matching spray or anything to blend the patches? I haven't had much luck, but maybe I'm missing a trick.
- Totally agree on patching quick—water intrusion’s a nightmare once it gets past the shingles.
- Color-matching sprays… honestly, results are hit or miss. Sometimes the sun fades the new patch anyway, so it stands out even more after a season.
- If you’ve got leftover shingles from the original install, those usually blend better, but who actually keeps a stack around for years?
- I’ve seen folks try to “age” new shingles with a little dust or dirt—sounds weird, but it can help in a pinch.
- At the end of the day, I’d rather have an ugly patch than a ruined deck. Matching’s nice, but keeping things dry is top priority.
I get the whole “ugly patch is better than a leak” argument, but has anyone actually had luck with those color-matching sprays? I’m a bit skeptical, especially since my roof’s in full sun most of the day and stuff seems to fade at different rates. Also, is it really worth trying to save a few shingles from the original batch, or do they end up just getting brittle in the garage anyway?