Honestly, I’m a bit skeptical about how long those surface cleanings last, especially in humid spots. Have you noticed if the algae comes back faster after just brushing, or does it buy you a decent stretch between cleanings? I’ve seen mixed results depending on shade and tree cover.
Brushing only ever gave me a couple months before the green stuff crept back, especially on the north side under big oaks. Tried a few “quick hacks” but honestly, unless you treat it after, it’s just a short-term fix. Humidity here doesn’t help either.
Brushing’s basically cardio at this point, right? I’m with you—scrubbing the green off just buys me a little time before it’s back, especially on the shady side. My place is under a couple of monster maples, and the humidity here is relentless. I tried one of those “spray and forget” treatments last year. It worked for a bit, but then the algae just laughed and came back twice as thick.
I’ve heard about installing zinc or copper strips along the ridge to help keep things cleaner, but I’m not sure if that’s overkill or actually worth the money. Anyone tried that on Atlas shingles? I’m always looking for something that doesn’t break the bank, but I don’t want to end up making things worse. Does it mess with the shingle warranty or anything? Just trying to avoid another round of roof gymnastics if I can...
I’ve actually put copper strips on a few roofs with Atlas shingles, mostly for folks in super shady, damp spots like yours. In my experience, it does slow down the algae, but it’s not a miracle fix—especially if you’ve got big trees overhead. As for warranties, Atlas is a bit picky; sometimes they’ll void coverage if you modify the shingles, so it’s worth double-checking your paperwork. Personally, I’d rather deal with that than keep hauling myself up there every spring... but yeah, it’s not exactly cheap up front.
That’s interesting about Atlas being strict on their warranty. I was actually looking at copper strips after seeing black streaks show up on my north-facing slope—lots of tree cover, always damp. But I’m a little worried about voiding the warranty, since my shingles are barely two years old. Did you ever have to file a claim after putting the strips up? Also, curious if you noticed any staining from the copper runoff, or is that just an internet rumor?