- North sides are always the worst for me too—just stays damp way longer, especially with trees around.
- Copper vs zinc...I’ve swapped both in over the years, and honestly, like you said, the difference is pretty minor unless you’re in a super wet spot.
- Trimming branches helps a ton, but I get not everyone wants to lose that shade. Sometimes just a little more airflow makes a bigger difference than folks expect.
- It’s frustrating how even with all the right stuff, algae still finds a way back. You’re definitely not alone dealing with this.
Sometimes just a little more airflow makes a bigger difference than folks expect.
That’s been my experience too. I used to think trimming branches was just about keeping debris off the roof, but once I took down a couple of low-hanging limbs, the north side dried out way faster. Still, I get why people hesitate—shade’s nice, especially in summer.
On the copper vs zinc thing, I’ve noticed the same. Unless you’re in a spot that stays soaked, neither one is a magic bullet. I tried both on my old place and honestly, the algae came back after a couple of seasons either way. Maybe it slowed it down a bit, but not enough to skip cleaning.
One thing that helped me was switching up how often I rinsed the roof. Just using a garden hose every few months (not pressure washing) seemed to keep things from getting out of hand. Not perfect, but less hassle than hauling out chemicals all the time.
Algae’s just stubborn. Even with all the “right” stuff, it finds a way. At least Atlas shingles seem to hold up better than some others I’ve seen—my neighbor’s three-tab shingles looked rough after just a few years in the same spot.
I’m with you on the airflow thing—never realized how much difference it made until I finally got around to trimming back some overgrown maples. The roof dried out way faster, and I swear the moss patches shrank a bit. I tried those zinc strips too, but honestly, they didn’t do much for me either. Rinsing with the hose every now and then seems to keep things under control, at least for now. Atlas shingles have held up better than I expected, but I’m still learning as I go... rookie mistakes and all.
Funny, I thought those zinc strips were supposed to be the magic bullet for algae, but mine just kind of sat there looking shiny and useless. Maybe it’s a climate thing? I’m in the Pacific Northwest, so moss is basically a roommate at this point. Trimming back trees helped way more than I expected—my gutters aren’t overflowing with green gunk anymore either. Still not convinced rinsing does much long-term, but it’s better than nothing when you’re learning as you go. Atlas shingles have surprised me too... I was bracing for the worst after reading some horror stories online.
“Maybe it’s a climate thing? I’m in the Pacific Northwest, so moss is basically a roommate at this point.”
Same here—Seattle area. Those zinc strips were a letdown for me too, honestly. I thought I’d see some miracle change, but nope, still had that green fuzz creeping back every winter. Cutting back branches made a bigger difference than anything else, like you said. I tried one of those pump sprayers with diluted bleach (careful not to get it on the plants) and that seemed to help for a season or two, but it’s definitely not a forever fix. Atlas shingles surprised me too... I was expecting them to curl or stain way faster, but they’re holding up better than my neighbor’s GAFs so far. Maybe luck of the draw?
