Moss can be a beautiful addition to your garden, but it’s not a good idea to leave it on your roof. In fact, allowing it to grow can lead to serious damage to your roof and other parts of your home.
First, moss can lift and loosen shingles, causing water to leak through your roof and rot the shingle’s outer protective layer. This can be very costly to repair and often requires a full roof replacement.
Second, moss can spread to other areas on your roof where there’s not much protection. This can create a more substantial and costly issue because it can lead to wood rot inside your home.
Third, moss can cause damage to your gutters by collecting and clogging them with leaves and debris. This can cause your gutters to overflow onto the lower roofs and stop draining properly.
Finally, moss can collect in the crevices of your roof and in the cracks between your shingles. This can lead to a buildup of moisture, which can cause mold and bacteria.
The first thing you can do to prevent moss is to keep your roof free of debris. This includes clearing out your gutters, better with the engagement with a professional gutter cleaning service like Gutter Cleaning Lexington KY at least twice a year. You might also include trimming branches that may be blocking sunlight from reaching the roof.
Another good way to prevent moss growth is to install strips of zinc or copper (available at most home improvement stores) just below the ridge caps on both sides of your roof. These metal strips repel water so it doesn’t soak into the roof shingles or tiles.
You can also use a mixture of bleach and water to kill the moss that’s growing on your roof. Mixing half a cup of bleach with four gallons of water, then rinsing the area once it’s drained will help eliminate most of the moss.
To clean your roof, you can use a water hose or a soft washer. However, be sure to wear rubber gloves and safety glasses and avoid getting on top of your roof unless you have the skills and equipment to do so safely.
A long-handled soft-bristle brush can be used to scrub off the moss. The scrubbing will break up the clumps and make them easier to remove.
Alternatively, you can use a chemical roof cleaner to remove the moss. This will not only remove the moss but also any organic material that might be encouraging its growth, like fallen leaves or tree branches.
Apply the roof cleaner to the moss with a soft-bristle brush, allowing it to sit for a few minutes and then rinsing away. Once it’s done, you can remove the remaining moss by hand.
If you’re not comfortable with the prospect of removing moss from your roof on your own, you can hire a company to do it for you. These companies specialize in cleaning roofs and can do a thorough job for you.
As a general rule, the sun is the enemy of moss. Moss spores only grow in damp, cooler environments and will not thrive in the hot and dry summer heat that a sun-soaked roof can provide. If your roof doesn’t receive adequate sunlight, moss can thrive there and be detrimental to the structural integrity of your home.
