How Can I Prevent Moss and Algae Growth on my Roof?

How Can I Prevent Moss and Algae Growth on my Roof?

This is a question that most of the world doesn’t have to even consider. How can I stop moss and algae growing on my roof? People think about this in Scotland because of the climate up here. They are not asking it in London. They have never even thought about it in Las Vegas. In Dubai they may not even know what you’re talking about.

That’s because this is an issue that affects green places and lush pastures. Rolling hillsides populated by sheep and often lashed by rain. If you’re thinking about moss and algae on your roof, it’s because you live in a place where the grass is green and the temperatures are often cool or downright cold. Some of your friends wonder why you live here. You sometimes wonder that yourself. But here you are in a blessed part of the world where nature is on your doorstep, and the price you pay is a bit of low, slow, spongy growth on the slates.

What is Moss and Why is it on my Roof?

Moss is a very common, very old plant species that has been around since the year dot. It can also be called lichen. Algae is a similar type of plant more often describing real water plants such as seaweed. They are all soft and many are slimy.

Before there were houses, these things were growing on trees and rocks. Since we started putting up stone structures with roofs, moss has found a perfect home, or rather millions of perfect homes.

Roofing tiles are often rather porous, or at least not 100% water-repellent. It’s a kind of side effect of looking good and natural. Ironically, that creates the conditions moss and algae like. So, you see it up there, and it creeps around the edges of the tiles, squeezing underneath and generally clogging things up and interfering with the interlocking that is crucial to the system. You also see lumps of it on the ground where it has fallen, making the place look untidy.

It’s natural. But just because something is natural, that doesn’t mean we have to accept it on our patch.

If There is No Prevention, What is the Cure?

Now we’re getting realistic. In this part of the world, roof moss and algae are a fact of life. But even if they are inevitable, they are not invincible.

You can get rid of roof moss. Here is how.

  • Brush it off the roof. But not too harshly or you could damage the tiles.
  • Wash it off the roof. But don’t use a pressure washer or, again, you could damage the tiles.
  • Spray it with chemicals. There are some very effective chemicals which can be applied with a watering can or some kind of spraying device. The moss will change colour as it begins to die, before losing its grip and falling off. But caution is advised here, too, because these chemicals are harmful to the environment, so you don’t want to damage the earth by flooding it with poison. In addition, much of the falling moss will land in the gutters and log them.

With all three of these suggestions there is one obvious problem: how are you going to get up there in safety to carry out the work? You and your domestic stepladder vs. a 20 foot climb and then crabbing about on a slippery slope. It’s not a great idea.

Get a Professional to Clear the Moss and Algae Growth from your Roof

This is the only real solution. It’s all part of roof maintenance, which is all part of home maintenance. It means protecting your investment, doing what is necessary to keep your place in good condition. A good roofing contractor in Central Scotland will clean your roof and gutters, and while they’re up there they can be keeping an eye on anything else that needs done, and that’s important because just as householders are not advised to get up there and clean the roof, they shouldn’t be carrying out their own inspections.

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