Algae prevention, where to get Zinc strips

Rlud

(Long rambling post .. just to get to my question)
Ok, so beyond ecological advice not to use bleach, I have gone and cleaned my roof using the Bleach / TSP formula. Once that was done, hosing would not remove anything (or at least very little) I tried gently brushing a couple shingles, and then hosing .. this worked .. however to brush every shingle .. you have to be nuts, plus that has to be pretty abrasive. Got out the pressure washer .. ya, even though the advice is .. " Don't Do It" I gave it a try. Very carefully / gently wide nozzle.. This worked very well. Checking the first few shingles.. where I'm sure it removed granules, I could not tell a difference. Maybe as the shingles are 40 year shingles, there just made a bit better.. regardless I did it. Some of my logic to PW my roof .. SO maybe I lose a couple years of life .. but I'm sure i would lose the same or more if I didnt get the algae / moss off. Now the roof looks new again. But to keep it new, I am pretty sure I am going to try putting the Zinc strips up. or Galvanized steel .. whatever you want to call it. The question is , where to get the darned stuff for a reasonable price. These rolls I see online, look about as sturdy as paper, and Im sure there electroplated and not hot dipped. So again, what is a good source ?
I found some at HD .. but its a 16 inch wide roll. How the heck do you cut that into a usable strip ?

joecaption

Look in the yellow pages under roofing supplys, not a box store item there going to have.
Cutting back some of those trees would also go a long way to help.
What you may have seen was flashing.
Copper will also do the same thing.

Rlud

So, your saying the galvanized flashing is not as good as a Zinc strip supposedly made for the purpose. Somehow, I think its reversed.. the galvanized flashing is probably made with a thicker coat of zinc than the strips that I have seen.

Windows on Wash

The layer of zinc applied to a base metal flashing is microscopic and combined with other metals in most cases. Once it is weather off, you will also just be dropping rust on the roof.

The Zinc strips for algae prevention are all zinc in most cases.

Big difference in material and its ability to yield.

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Rlud

Ok, so you've talked me back into a zinc strip .. where can you get a quality one? Will what you get quality as joecaptian says from a roofing supply ? or is there an online supplier that can be trusted ?

Windows on Wash

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...st%2Caps%2C179

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