What’s the best way to remove and treat moss on my roof?
Moss can be a big problem here in Seattle and the rest of the Northwest. Not only does it look bad but moss can cause premature degradation of your roofing material shortening the lifespan of your shingles. Moss can literally grow it’s roots into the surface of the roofing especially the granules on composition shingle roofing. This makes it very difficult to clean by hand and physically breaks dow the roofing material.
So how can you remove and treat moss on your roof?
- First the moss must be properly cleaned off of the roof. This is best accomplished by high pressure air cleaning. This method is superior to high pressure water. Pressure washing with water can erode the granules off of asphalt shingles. Water intrusion can also result around penetrations in the roof such as skylights, chimneys, vents and other crucial areas. High pressure air cleaning does not create this type of damage.
- The next step is to inhibit the moss from regrowing. The most effective and least expensive way to do this is by using a moss inhibitor such as Moss Out. It can be purchased from your local Home Depot or Lowes store. It’s very easy to use and very effective if you follow the directions.
Other ways to prevent moss are to regularly clean your roof before the moss can take hold in the first place. Regular cleaning and maintenance is the key to getting the most years out of your roof.
Will moss grow on metal roofing? Moss cannot root into the surface of metal roofing, but if debris is not regularly cleaned off a metal roof the moss can start growing and feeding on the dirt, leaves, and pine needles. Is moss is a big problem and you want to have a maintenance free roof as possible, definitely consider metal roofing as an excellent way to keep moss to a minimum and make your life much easier!