Not only does moss make the roof lose its good look but also, it can shorten the lifespan of your roofing tiles because they damage them. Therefore, there’s always need to ensure that there are none on your roof by constantly removing the moss whenever you notice it. To remove moss from the roof tiles, you need certain materials and gear.
The tools and materials you need include safety glasses, an extension ladder adder, rubber gloves, safety rope, garden hose with a spray nozzle, soft bristle scrub brush, commercial cleaner (or a DIY solution), pump spray bottle and a Plastic Sheeting. With these tools and materials ready, use the following steps to remove moss from your roofing:
The First Step
Place the ladder carefully near the area where the moss has grown and wear shoes that are slip-resistant, rubber gloves, eye protection and old clothes. You may also use a safety rope to secure yourself on the ladder. Using plain water, hose off the area where the mosses are and do it in a downward spraying angle. After that, use the long-handle soft bristle scrub brush to get the moss off the roof. Scrub them from the top downwards so as not to lift the shingles.
Continuously, be gentle in your rubbing. Watch out not to scrape, pound or scour on the roof. Also, start by working in a small section before moving so that you don’t crack, rip or break the shingles. It’s important to note that the use of a pressure washer on the roof should be avoided because jets of water coming from it are at a high power enough to damage shingles and even dislodge the granules of the roof shingles.
The Second Step
In case a simple scrub on the mosses is not enough for cleaning your roof of the moss, you have the option of using commercial solutions for cleaning. Alternatively, certain DIY options can also be helpful. If you choose to use a commercial cleaning solution, it’s advisable that you shouldn’t head to the roof with it unless it’s a cloudy day. This is because such solutions evaporate quite fast and you may lose a big portion of it into the atmosphere.
You should be sure to spread the plastic sheet over plants, decks or siding which can be affected by the homemade or commercial cleansers. Whichever solution you pick to help you remove moss from your roof tiles, follow the instructions of the manufacturer when applying them. For homemade solutions, you’ll need to use plain water to wet down the roof first. After that, apply the solution and then allow it between 20 and 45 minutes before you scrub lightly with the soft-bristle scrub brush and then rinsing with water.
The Third Step
Because removing moss from the roofing tiles regularly can be costly and time-consuming, it’s vital that you deal with the problem once and for all and prevent it from returning. To do this, you can install copper or zinc coated metal on both sides of the roof just below the top ridge.
Copper has a high toxicity to algae and moss. Zinc, on the other hand, is very affordable. Also, because natural light from the sun is a great preventive for the growth of moss, ensure that any tree limbs overhanging the roof are pruned to allow for the sunlight to get to your roof tiles.
Mosses and algae can be real ugly sights if you let them thrive on your roofing. So, ensure that you get to clean them before they become serious and then find a more permanent solution to ensure they don’t return so quickly.