When it comes to maintaining the exterior of your home, it’s easy to focus on tasks like mowing the lawn, cleaning the windows, or painting the siding. However, one often overlooked aspect of exterior home maintenance is the presence of moss on your roof. Moss may seem harmless, however, beneath its greenery lies a potential threat to your home’s structural longevity. In this blog, our team will explain why it’s crucial to remove moss from your roof and the potential consequences of not removing it from your property.
Why is moss bad for your roofing?
Moss and algae often thrive in shaded, moisture-prone areas and pose multiple threats to your roof. Allowing moss patches to grow on your roof results in water retention against its surface, ultimately leading to the health of your roof to decline leaving you the property owner with even bigger problems. Due to the amount of water being soaked up, it allows water to travel through the tiles and access the wooden components of your home which can cause structural damage in the long run.
3 reasons why you should remove moss from your roof
Here we have put together the main three reasons why it is important to remove moss from your roof:
Obstructing rain flow
Moss on the roof can obstruct rain flow by acting as a moisture sponge. Instead of rainwater efficiently draining off the roof’s surface, moss absorbs and retains it. This absorption creates pools of water on your roof because of this, the constant dampness fostered by moss can encourage the growth of harmful organisms, such as fungi and mildew, further deteriorating your roof. Additionally, moss-covered shingles or tiles disrupt the natural drainage channels, stopping rainwater from flowing away from your home as intended. The trapped water can infiltrate areas it shouldn’t, leading to potential leaks and water damage inside your home.
Extra weight
Due to the moss acting like a sponge, the retained water can add a large amount of weight to your roof which can become problematic, especially if your roofing structure isn’t designed to handle such heavy loads. The added weight can put stress on the roofing materials and weaken their structural integrity over time. In extreme cases, the excess weight from moss combined with other environmental factors like heavy snow or rainfall can lead to roof collapse or structural damage. (Did you know that wet moss can add up to 20 times more weight onto your roof compared to when it is dry!)
Clogged gutters
As moss grows and accumulates on your roof’s surface, it sheds fragments and spores that rainwater can carry into your gutters, along with leaves and other debris. Over time, this combination of moss, debris, and stagnant water in clogged gutters can obstruct the natural flow of rainwater away from your home. This can result in various issues, including water overflow, gutter damage, and even potential water infiltration into your home’s foundation or basement. Keeping your roof moss-free not only ensures the longevity of your roofing system but also helps maintain proper gutter function, preventing costly water-related problems.
How to prevent moss from growing on your roof
There are a few ways to prevent moss from growing on your roof, one of them being installing zinc or copper strips along the roof’s ridge can be a long-term solution to moss prevention. When it rains, these metals release ions that inhibit moss growth. However, in doing this it may take a while to see results as it is more of a long-term solution. In the meantime, there are numerous moss-prevention products which can be found anywhere, such as zinc sulfate or potassium salts. These can be applied to the roof according to the manufacturer’s instructions to deter moss growth.
Cleaning your roof regularly and professionally can highly decrease the chances of moss growing on your roof. Our team can clean your roof using soft washing roof cleaning service and specialised chemicals to ensure your roof is safe from dangerous bacteria and organisms.
How to remove moss on your roof
If you want to remove moss from your roof there are a few things you can do such as:
Remove the moss yourself: If you are considering taking a more hands-on approach. Start by using a long-handled brush or broom to gently scrub the moss off the roof’s surface, be careful not to damage the roof whilst brushing it. Once the moss is loosened, you can rinse it away using a garden hose or a low-pressure power washer. To prevent moss from regrowing, consider applying a moss-killing solution or installing zinc or copper strips along the roof’s ridge to deter future growth.
Moss killer: Using moss killer is a clear choice for removal, but it’s important to note that these chemical solutions can carry the risk of groundwater contamination, so if you don’t feel comfortable using chemicals stay away from this step. If you choose to use chemical treatments, ensure you always wear suitable protective clothing for your safety.
Professional Exterior Cleaners: The most hassle-free and effective way to clear moss off your roof is to contact a team of professional exterior cleaners, such as Servos Exterior Cleaning. Roof cleaning experts have the knowledge, experience, and specialised equipment to safely and efficiently remove moss from your roof. They can also assess your roof’s condition and recommend the best preventive measures to ensure moss doesn’t return. Hiring professionals not only saves you time and effort but also ensures that the job is done thoroughly and without risking damage to your roof.
Regular driveway maintenance not only enhances the safety and accessibility of your home during winter but also contributes to the overall aesthetic and longevity of your driveway.
Need professional help removing moss off your roof today?
If you are having trouble removing moss off your roof and require help from a team of professionals. Servos’ roof cleaning services can help control moss from growing on your property, whether you are a commercial or a residential building our team can help, call our team for a consultation at 01745 289055. Our team of experts will provide you with a tailored solution for your moss removal.
