Is it true tile roofs are basically maintenance-free?

"Copper strips are definitely worth looking into as a preventative measure - they're surprisingly effective, and once installed, they do most of the work for you."

Good tip about the copper strips - I hadn't heard of that before. Just moved into my first place last year, and our tile roof already had some moss buildup. We tried a gentle moss remover spray instead of power washing (heard too many horror stories about cracked tiles...). Worked pretty well so far, but I might look into those copper strips next spring. Thanks for mentioning it!

Copper strips are a solid suggestion - I installed some about five years ago after dealing with moss buildup every single spring. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but they've made a noticeable difference. Just a heads-up though, placement matters; you want them near the roof ridge so rainwater carries the copper ions down evenly. Learned that one the hard way when I had to reposition mine after the first year...typical homeowner trial and error, haha.

Tile roofs being maintenance-free? Ha, that's a bit of a stretch. They're definitely lower maintenance compared to shingles, but "maintenance-free" is pushing it. I've got tile and still had moss issues - though copper strips did help me too (after I botched the first install, of course). Plus, tiles can crack or slip after storms or heavy winds. Nothing like climbing up there after a windy weekend to play roof detective...good times.

I hear you on the moss and cracked tiles - been there myself. But honestly, compared to my old asphalt shingles, tile roofs feel like a vacation. With shingles, I was up there every year patching something or dealing with granules clogging gutters. Since switching to tile, it's more like every few years I have to climb up and check things out. Sure, I've had a couple tiles slip after a nasty storm, but nothing too major. And the moss...yeah, copper strips were a lifesaver for me too (after a YouTube tutorial or two, of course). Still, I'd say "maintenance-free" is definitely overselling it, but "low-maintenance" feels pretty fair. At least now when I'm up there, it's more of a quick check rather than a full weekend project.

"At least now when I'm up there, it's more of a quick check rather than a full weekend project."

Haha, exactly - tile roofs are like the lazy Sunday afternoon of roofing. Still gotta do stuff occasionally, but way less stressful. Plus, copper strips FTW...YouTube tutorials save lives (and weekends).