The majority of home owners never consider roof cleaning as part of their home maintenance upkeep. Home owner insurance policies are being canceled nationwide when insurance representatives notice moss on roofs. The moss is alive and eating its way thru the roofing material, causing water and ice backups that can lead leaks and costly repairs.
Roof moss, like any other living organism, needs water, food and air in order to survive. The north side or a shady section of a roof is the perfect habitat for moss. The north facing side of your roof does not get direct sunlight which would burn the moss off; instead it remains cooler and retains water longer allowing moss to thrive. Moss can survive on airborne food sources or from eating the surface that it is attached too, like; wood pulp from cedar shingle roofs or from the limestone in the asphalt style shingles.
Roof moss removal can be dangerous and costly but with the right roof cleaning products and equipment you can do it yourself for under $100.00 and in less than 2 hours of work.
Not all moss removal products are effective enough to remove the roots of the moss along with the flower and that is the key, removing the roots, if not it is just like using straight water, it is only a temporary fix when the roots are not removed because the following season the moss will be back in full bloom.
One product that I would never consider using on a roof is chlorine bleach, it can dry and crack shingles causing them to dislodge, it can discolor the roofing material, if it happens to drip down over a painted surface it will leave stain and it will surely destroy any landscaping that it may come in contact with.
An option if you want your roof cleaned completely that day and don't mind spending $600-1,000 dollars is to hire a roof cleaning company, they are professionals and can safely remove the moss.
A second option that is very successful is to do it yourself, the right moss removing chemicals can just be sprayed on the roof moss, causing it to turn brown and dry up. Then with Mother Nature's help, the wind and the rain will rinse the dry moss from the roof. The only downfall, if you can call it one is that it takes about 90 days to see the final results but you are saving hundreds of dollars and getting basically the same results. - 16492
Roof moss, like any other living organism, needs water, food and air in order to survive. The north side or a shady section of a roof is the perfect habitat for moss. The north facing side of your roof does not get direct sunlight which would burn the moss off; instead it remains cooler and retains water longer allowing moss to thrive. Moss can survive on airborne food sources or from eating the surface that it is attached too, like; wood pulp from cedar shingle roofs or from the limestone in the asphalt style shingles.
Roof moss removal can be dangerous and costly but with the right roof cleaning products and equipment you can do it yourself for under $100.00 and in less than 2 hours of work.
Not all moss removal products are effective enough to remove the roots of the moss along with the flower and that is the key, removing the roots, if not it is just like using straight water, it is only a temporary fix when the roots are not removed because the following season the moss will be back in full bloom.
One product that I would never consider using on a roof is chlorine bleach, it can dry and crack shingles causing them to dislodge, it can discolor the roofing material, if it happens to drip down over a painted surface it will leave stain and it will surely destroy any landscaping that it may come in contact with.
An option if you want your roof cleaned completely that day and don't mind spending $600-1,000 dollars is to hire a roof cleaning company, they are professionals and can safely remove the moss.
A second option that is very successful is to do it yourself, the right moss removing chemicals can just be sprayed on the roof moss, causing it to turn brown and dry up. Then with Mother Nature's help, the wind and the rain will rinse the dry moss from the roof. The only downfall, if you can call it one is that it takes about 90 days to see the final results but you are saving hundreds of dollars and getting basically the same results. - 16492
About the Author:
all roof moss cleaning agents are not made equally, John Redihan is the founder of Wash Safe Industries of Harwich, Ma. Wash Safe formulates unique environmentally friendly cleaning agents that target mold and fungus around the home.
