As we say, home is where the heart is, and the roof is what keeps the heart going. During summer evenings and winter, days roof becomes an essential part of the house. A lot of people use it for barbeque, planting, or even sunbathing. Investing in a house’s roof is worth a million, but it all goes to vain if it’s not managed correctly. The roof adds the ultimate meaning to the house, which is the final ‘shelter.’ Hence, the roof holds immense importance. A clean roof adds to the ambiance and gives a light and relaxed feeling. To sum it all: the cleaner the roof, the prettier it is.
Nowadays, lots of roofs are infected by mold, lichen, and moss, which are harmful to the roof. One needs to look out for these harmful substances and save the roof. Mosses are small green plants ranging from one to ten centimeters on average and are like fungi but have different properties.
How does the moss grow in your roof?
The part of the roof that gets the least amount of sunshine causes moss to grow, and gradually the moisture seeps into the lower part of the roof through tiny cracks causing the structure to weaken and disturb the roof’s look. In short, moss is like SpongeBob SquarePants, it loves the water, and it holds the most of it when it rains.
One must be wondering how do I get moss off the roof? Seems laborious. Don’t worry; follow this article, and let’s discuss foolproof methods to get moss off your roof.
The effects of Algae, Lichens, and Moss on roofs
Organisms like algae, lichens, and moss feed on limestone fillers used to give weight to roof shingles. When these substances consume the filler, the roof loses its weight because of the granules lost.
The growth of algae, moss, and lichens on a roof will hold moisture on the roof more than usual and drastically reduce the roofing material’s life. Algae and lichens harm your roof by removing granules by anchoring their roots into it. These organisms fracture the roof by damaging its major parts. The loss of mass on the shingles decreases their ability to reflect heat rays.
Thus, making it hotter than normal makes it weaker and decreases its life span. Also, electricity bills spike up. Algae, lichens, and moss decrease the roof’s life span to 30 years lesser than it actually is.
The growth of algae, moss, and lichens is not sudden, but some signs that make its growth possible.
How to get moss off your roof?
Few important tools can help you get rid of the moss on your roof. Here are a handful of tools that you require for a moss-free roof:
Few important tools needed to get rid of moss on roofs:
We recommend a professional service to clean the moss, it’s not too expensive, but it keeps the health and safety of the person working in check.
If you plan to do it yourself, these are the following accessories required and steps to be followed.
- A long and strong broom.
- Working gloves.
- Safety harness.
- Pump-upmost cleaning solution.
- Zinc Strip, hammer, and nails.
- You can also make a solution at home using bleach and water, but that might cause itchiness or a burning sensation.
- A tree clipper.
Procedure to remove moss from your roof
- Moss mostly grows under the shaded area or where the sunlight is the least. First, use the tree clipper and cut out all the excess branches that are overhanging towards the roof, so there are no darker or shaded spots left.
- Use the tall broom and start lightly sweeping off the roof, remove baby pieces of the moss, and sweep it clean to get rid of most of the debris. Depending on the size of the roof, it might take an hour to a few.
- Use the working gloves and Install the metal zinc strip using the nails and hammer under the edges of the roof. Zinc will give reflection and light, which will decrease the chances of moss growing again.
- Spray the roof with a pump-up moss solution and leave no space unattended.
- It will take a few days or more, and all the moss will start disappearing. A nice rain shower will clean the roof, and it will be as new as a newly build house.
- Ensure all your favorite plants under the roof are washed so no solution residue is left and no damage is done to the plants.
Roof cleaning contractors near me
We do not recommend using a power wash on the roof, it can damage the shingles, and there is a high chance of slipping on a wet roof. But let’s be honest, doing all this is not as easy it seems. You might not have the required experience or time to do a timely moss cleanup.
Are you in search of “roof cleaning contractors near me”?
Mid-Atlantic Remodeling Company mainly focuses on maintaining and cleaning roofs, whether it be algae, moss, or lichens on a roof we got your covered.
Our contractors will carefully inspect your roof, provide you with the cheapest quote, and start working at a time of your convenience. We only use premium products for roof cleaning.
We follow strict protocols of social distancing and all health and regulations. Once the roof is cleaned thoroughly by our contractors, we will leave the premises, and you can inspect it. We strive for the best reviews and appreciate feedback about our service.