Pine trees are ubiquitous in the U.S. They are fast-growing, adaptable to many climates, and mark the Christmas season with their beauty and the smell of pine. But there is an aggressive streak that lies within!
An issue, prevalent in but not limited to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, is the accumulation of pine needles (also called “pine straw”) on prepainted metal roofing. Although metal roofing is better than asphalt shingles when it comes to shedding leaves, twigs, pine straw, and other debris, there will be occasions when build-up occurs. See an example below:


Sometimes your doctor writes a prescription for your ailment, and sometimes your doctor wants to run some tests first. The first example is a prescriptive approach (do this and you will be okay), whereas the second example is a performance-based approach to solving your problem (take some meaningful measurements and then determine what to do). The same two options are also used in the metal building industry.