How do I know if my roof has two layers?

Look at the edge of the roof at the gutter line. Two stacked shingle edges, or a thick edge, usually means an overlay. We confirm on the visit.

Do you remove moss without pressure washing?

Yes. We remove it by hand and treat what remains. Pressure washing forces water under shingles and strips granules.

I own a rental in the West End. Can you deal with the tenant?

Yes, if you give us permission and contact details. We arrange access with the tenant and report findings back to you.

Is a tear-off required, or can you overlay?

An overlay in Tacoma needs a permit and inspection. We usually recommend a tear-off so the deck can be checked and repaired.

Will zinc strips leave streaks on a West End roof?

Zinc can streak slightly below the strip, and it corrodes copper gutters. Our moss removal page covers where we use it.

Reroofs, moss control and gutters for West End Tacoma homes

Most West End houses are newer than the rest of Tacoma, but newer here still means thirty to fifty years old. Roofs from that era are coming due.

Call (253) 449-1922

Answering 24/7
From our Puyallup office
Pierce County

Roofer removing moss by hand from a shaded rambler roof

Short answer

Yes, we work across Tacoma's West End, where NeighborhoodScout describes most homes as built from 1970 to 1999. Many of those houses are on a second roof now, some laid over the first one. We see a steady mix of reroofs, moss treatment on shaded north slopes, and gutter work on both owner-occupied homes and rentals.

Ranches and split-levels from 1970 to 1999

NeighborhoodScout describes West End housing as mostly built from 1970 to 1999, with some homes from 1940 to 1969 mixed in. Most are single-story ramblers and split-levels with moderate pitches, which makes them simpler to reroof than the steep older houses closer to downtown.

The catch is history. Through the 1980s and 1990s, laying new shingles over old ones was common, and plenty of West End houses still carry two layers. A Tacoma permit guide reports that a new layer over existing roofing needs a permit and pre-roof inspection. We prefer a full tear-off, which in Tacoma is often permit-exempt for a single-family house when the framing stays the same, and which lets us see the deck. Our roof replacement page covers the steps.

Moss on shaded roofs and needles in the gutters

Sea-Tac averages 39.34 inches of rain a year over about 156 days, and moss loves a roof that stays damp. Tree cover across Tacoma ranges from 3% to 64% between census blocks, and residential property holds 44% of the city's canopy. Where a West End lot backs onto tall firs, the north slope of the roof often grows a thick mat that lifts shingle edges and holds water against the granules.

We remove moss by hand from the top down, then treat and install zinc strips where they make sense. We skip pressure washing because it drives water under the shingles. Our moss guide explains when moss means treatment and when it means a new roof.

Two layers of old shingles visible at the eave during tear-off

Rentals and owner homes side by side

The West End has a mix of owners and renters. For landlords, the most common call is a roof or gutter problem a tenant noticed, followed by a question about whether to repair or replace. We give a straight answer on the remaining life of the roof so the decision can be budgeted.

For owners, gutter work is often the next job after a reroof. Older sectional gutters on houses from this era leak at the seams, and many were sized for less roof area than the house has after additions.