Metal flashing’s been holding up better than I expected, honestly. I was bracing for rust city after a couple seasons, but so far just a little discoloration—nothing scary. I do hit it with a hose and a soft brush every spring, which probably helps. The old rubber boots, though... yeah, those things turned into brittle spaghetti after two years. Lesson learned.
I’ve tried the drone thing once—borrowed my neighbor’s, and let’s just say my piloting skills are not FAA-approved. Nearly took out the bird feeder. But it did catch a shingle that was curling up near the ridge, which I never would’ve seen from the ladder. Not sure I trust myself to do it regularly, though.
Funny you mention skylights. I had one that started leaking right at the curb last fall. Thought it was the flashing, but nope—just a dried-out bead of caulk. Replaced it and slapped on some new sealant, and it’s been dry since.
I’m running those mid-grade algae-resistant shingles—GAF Timberline, I think? They’re holding up okay, but I still get some black streaks after a wet winter. Anyone else notice those streaks even with the “algae-resistant” label?
Black streaks even on algae-resistant shingles? Yeah, I’ve seen that on a few properties, especially ones shaded by trees or with poor attic ventilation. The “algae-resistant” label helps, but it’s not bulletproof. Have you checked your gutters and downspouts lately—sometimes backup there makes things worse. Curious if anyone’s tried zinc or copper strips along the ridge? I’ve had mixed results, but they seem to slow down the streaking on north-facing slopes.
I’ve been fighting those black streaks for years, and honestly, I’m starting to think my roof just likes the “raccoon eyes” look. I put on algae-resistant shingles thinking I’d finally outsmarted the streaks, but nope—nature’s got jokes. My house is tucked under a couple of big maples, so shade is pretty much a given. I clean the gutters twice a year (okay, sometimes just once if I’m feeling lazy), but it doesn’t seem to make much difference.
Tried copper strips last summer after seeing them on a neighbor’s roof—looked kind of fancy, like my house was wearing jewelry. They did help a bit on the north side, but not as much as I hoped. Maybe I didn’t use enough? Or maybe my luck just stinks. Zinc strips were cheaper but seemed to work about the same for me. Anyone else notice they only really help right below where you put them? The rest of the roof still gets streaky... feels like playing whack-a-mole.
Ventilation’s another thing—I checked my attic and it’s not exactly breezy up there. But replacing vents sounds expensive and honestly, I’d rather spend that cash on something fun (like literally anything else). Has anyone tried one of those spray-on treatments? Saw some at the hardware store but wasn’t sure if they’re worth it or just snake oil.
I’m in central PA, so we get all four seasons and then some. Not sure if that makes things worse or if my roof is just extra needy. At this point, I’m tempted to just embrace the streaks and call it “roof character.”
Those black streaks are like the uninvited guests that never leave, right? I’ve seen copper and zinc strips work, but yeah, they only really help in a narrow band. Spray-on treatments can help short-term, but most need reapplying every year or two—kind of like giving your roof a spa day it didn’t ask for. Honestly, with all that shade and PA weather, sometimes you just gotta call it “rustic charm” and move on.
I’ve seen copper and zinc strips work, but yeah, they only really help in a narrow band.
- Totally get the “rustic charm” thing, but I couldn’t just let it go. Had those black streaks too—looked awful, especially after rain.
- Tried the copper strip trick. Like you said, only helped right under the strip. Rest of the roof? Still streaky.
- Looked into those spray-on cleaners. Not cheap, and yeah, they need redoing every year or two. Not worth it for me.
- Ended up just doing a basic roof check every spring. Found a cracked shingle last year before it turned into a leak—saved me a ton.
- My roof’s asphalt, about 18 years old, lots of trees around. Shade makes it worse, but I’d rather spend $50 on a ladder and patch kit than $500 on pro cleaning.
- Not gonna lie, sometimes I just ignore the streaks. As long as it’s not leaking, I call it “character.”
- If it gets really bad, I might try cleaning again, but for now, I’ll live with the “uninvited guests.”
