Moss is for bogs and rocks, not roofs.
Unfortunately, this opportunistic plant can start growing on your roof. Moss
likes moisture. So not only does excess moisture promote the plant's growth,
moss also perpetrates a moist environment. Its presence on your roof will
significantly shorten the roof's lifespan because moss causes the roofing
material to degrade.
So if you see moss growing on your roof,
you should remove it. Once you've completed that task, keep it from returning
again.
Moss Removal
You have a few different options for how to
remove the moss from your roof. The most effective method involves climbing
onto your roof. Once you're on the roof, spray down the target area with a
hose. Use a long-handled brush with soft bristles to scrub as much of the moss
off as possible. Follow up with a roof-safe commercial cleaning solution to
finish cleaning the area.
If you don't want to be on the roof
scrubbing, you can purchase a dry powder moss killer. You still have to climb
on the roof, but in this case to sprinkle the powder in parallel lines that
start from the ridge. When it next rains, the water will activate the powder
and clear away the moss.
If you don't feel comfortable climbing on
the roof at all, look into a liquid moss killer. You'll attach the canister to
your hose and spray it up onto your roof from the ground. Your hose needs to
have enough pressure to reach all the way up to the peak of the roof. Apply the
moss killer when the roof is dry so you can track your progress. You can also
keep a mental tally of the sections you've sprayed.
Moss Prevention
Once the moss is gone, you can take actions
to prevent its return. If your roof sprouted moss once, it can be prone to moss
growth. The plant thrives in moist, shady environments, so your first step is
to remove that environment.
First, trim nearby trees that are casting
shade onto your roof. The more sun your roof sees, the less likely it is to
sprout moss. You can trim the tree in such a way that it still shades windows
while letting the full sun shine on your roof.
Next, make sure your roof doesn't see too
much moisture. One culprit is the presence of leaves and debris in the gutter.
They prevent rainwater from flowing through the gutter and down the spout as
intended. As a result, the water backs up onto your roof, thus creating that
moist condition moss loves. So clean your gutter on a regular basis.
Moss doesn't like an acidic or basic
environment. So if part of your roof doesn't get much sun, maybe because it
faces north, you could create an acidic or basic environment. For an acidic
environment, dilute white vinegar, citrus juice, or tomato juice and spray it
onto your roof. For a basic environment, make a solution of water and baking
powder, baking soda, soap, or salt.
Finally, if you think your roof is
moss-prone, you can add metal to the roofing because the plant doesn't adhere
to this material. Naturally, you can invest in a whole new metal roof if your roof
is at the replacement stage. However, you can also add metal to an existing
roof.
For that process, you need zinc, copper, or
lead flashing. Manufacturers also sell premade strips especially for this
purpose. Install these strips along the ridge of your roof and in lines between
the shingles. The presence of the metal will prevent moss from taking hold in
the crevices, where it likes to start.
Don't let moss compromise the integrity of
your roof. Remove the plant and prevent it from returning with the above steps.
If you prefer to leave the job to professionals, contact Econo Roofing.
