Had a guy last fall who basically ignored the fact that the roof was only three years old because of a few mossy patches. I get it, but sometimes they act like a little green fuzz means the whole thing’s about to cave in. Haven’t tried those composite shingles yet—honestly, I’m skeptical. Marketing always promises the moon, but I’ll believe it when I see a roof that stays clean through a wet spring.
I’ve run into the same thing with inspectors—sometimes a little moss or lichen and they act like you need a whole tear-off. I get being cautious, but around here (Pacific NW), if you don’t see some green by year three, you probably haven’t had any rain. Did he even check for soft spots or just focus on the moss?
About those composite shingles... I’m in the “prove it” camp too. The brochures always show these pristine roofs, but real life isn’t like that, especially after a couple wet seasons. Has anyone actually seen one of those composite roofs after five years in our climate? I’m curious if they really shed moss better than asphalt, or if it’s just another layer for stuff to cling to.
I’ve heard some folks say the algae-resistant shingles work okay as long as you keep the debris off, but I’m not convinced anything is totally maintenance-free. Maybe the best we can hope for is slowing it down, not stopping it altogether.
