Moss-Damaged Roof Replaced in Olde Town Arvada

The north slope of this 1938 Olde Town home hadn’t seen direct sun in decades — mature silver maples made sure of that. The moss carpet growing on it looked almost charming from the street. Underneath, it had been lifting shingle edges and holding snowmelt against the mat every winter, and the decking told the story: soft spots across a third of the slope.

Replacements on pre-war Arvada homes are re-decking jobs waiting to be discovered, so we scoped this one accordingly. The contract listed a per-sheet price for decking before tear-off began; the owners approved each section from photos we sent as we opened the roof up. Eleven sheets later, the structure was sound again.

The rebuild used architectural shingles in a teak blend that suits the neighborhood’s period homes, over ice and water shield extended past code minimum on the shaded slope. Zinc strips at the ridge now wash the north face with every rain, keeping the moss from re-establishing. Three days on site, including a half-day of decking work that a faster crew would have simply covered up.