Despite all of your cleaning efforts, you might see moss on the top of your home. While you might be tempted to leave it, moss can cause a lot of problems for your roof. If you want to stop that fuzzy green growth, make plans to remove it. Here are a few reasons why keeping moss on your roof is a bad idea.
What Is Moss?
You might see that green growth on your roof, but what is it? Moss is a collection of flowering plants that thrive in shady or damp conditions. These plants are non-vascular, meaning that they don’t have roots. Instead, moss absorbs water from spores or appendages. Since moss tends to grow upwards, it can spread on flat surfaces like roofs.
Some people think that moss gives a home that rustic look, especially on cabins and cottages. For that reason, these homeowners allow moss to grow wild. However, leaving moss on your roof can be a bad idea, leading to a wide range of problems.
By leaving moss on a roof, it can develop mold. That heavy blanket of moss will retain moisture. As a result, the water rots the roofing materials and promotes mold growth. Once mold sets in, it can shorten the life of your roof. Mold can also be attractive to pests, such as rodents.
Moss is known to develop underneath your shingles. As the moss spreads, it will start to upright these shingles, causing severe damage. Uprooting can create leakage, holes, and structural problems. If you have heavy moss growth, it can severely damage the roof. In some cases, you might need a roof replacement.
A Few Things To Consider Before Removing Moss
Now that you know about the problems arising from moss, how do you safely remove it? In many cases, you can remove moss by yourself. However, some infestations are so severe that you will need professional help.
You might be tempted to use household cleaners to remove the moss. In many cases, the cleaning chemicals can interact with the roofing materials, which can cause staining. Professional roofing crews use cleaners made for removing moss from a roof.
When moss develops on a roof, it can weaken its structure. Many people head up to the roof to inspect for any damage. If you have broken tiles and holes in your roof, you could get hurt. Unless you have experience with roofing repairs, you should leave this work to the professionals.
Treating Moss
If you are searching for ways to remove moss, homemade remedies are available. Removing moss might seem easy, but most methods only provide temporary relief, and some can even lead to more damage.
Pressure washing is often one of the most common ways to remove moss, but there are some drawbacks. That high-pressure water can damage your shingles if you don’t follow instructions. Plus, this method only removes the top layer of growth. Eventually, those spores will grow back on the roof.
You could hand scrape the moss from your roof. However, that is only one step in the moss removal process. You will need to use chemicals or other methods to remove moss from the roof permanently.
Bleach is another way to kill moss. You will want to be careful. This chemical can ruin vegetation and cause discoloration on the roof. Bleach is also known to burn the skin and irritate the eyes. For that reason, you want to be careful when using this chemical.
Warning:
**Attempting to remove the black streaks on your roof with bleach may void the Manufacturer’s Warranty on your shingles.
There is a moss control powder. It contains properties that will not harm your roof. You will want to be careful with this powder since it can harm plants and wildlife. For this method to be effective, you need to apply the powder when the moss is wet.
Laundry detergent is one type of method that many homeowners use. You might want to grab a cup and get to work on your roof. Laundry detergent can eliminate the moss, but the degreasers are known to weaken the tar in the shingles.
Trying to tackle moss removal by yourself can be difficult. You could try some of these homemade remedies, but in many cases, the moss will just grow back. Allow a professional to get rid of these pesky spores.
Moss Prevention
If you want to keep moss off your roof, prevention is the best method. Once you have removed moss from your roof, you want to keep it away. You need to trim away any branches that hover over the roof. Those damp conditions are a breeding ground for moss. Routine cleaning can help to prevent moss from developing on your roof.
Along with that, always remove debris and sticks from the surface of the roof. You should also unclog the gutters. If you have any area that retains moisture, it is the perfect environment for these spores to grow. By taking time to clean your roof, you can cut down on the formation of moss.
For those who want a natural remedy, think about adding zinc strips to the peak of the roof. When it rains, the zinc is released, and it stops the growth of moss.
Moss Can Damage A Roof
All moss growth can lead to problems for your roof. You might think it gives a rustic feel to your home, but it can cause irreparable harm to your roof. If you ignore moss on your roof, expect a hefty repair bill in the future. You could try to clean the moss by yourself, but many of those over-the-counter remedies just don’t do the job. Moss removal should be handled by a trained professional who can permanently eliminate it.
Find A Professional For Your Roofing Needs
Whether you need a repair or replacement for your roof, you want to find a reputable company. The team at RGB Construction has the experience to tackle those critical roofing issues. We can even help with moss growth on your roof and home. If you want to schedule a consultation, please give us a call at 856-264-9093.
