Going Green is not always a good thing
While many roofing contractors will debate issues regarding how to handle your roof maintenance, one thing on which they can all agree is that moss is a bad thing. What many homeowners do not realize is that while moss growth may be unsightly, it can be remedied rather easily without replacing or repairing the current roof shingles. Today, we’ll examine why moss is detrimental to your roof and how to properly attack it.
The Green Monster
When moss begins to grow on your roof it creates a cycle of turmoil, hindering your roof’s ability to function properly. Roofing shingles can rise and become loose once moss and algae begins to grow, creating an opening for water and debris to sneak in. Loose and lifting shingles will promote wood rot among the decking, not to mention becoming possible projectiles during moderate to severe wind activity. Moss also tends to catch other passing debris, which can increase water buildup and wreak havoc upon your shingles.
How Your Kitchen can Kill Moss
Ridding your roof of moss can normally be handled through the simple use of some household items that are more than likely in your kitchen right now. Such agents as distilled vinegar, tomato juice, or even orange juice can be used to eliminate pesky moss. The trick is to dilute the aforementioned products with the correct amount of water, as to not harm your shingles.
What NOT to do
Looking now at some things to avoid when addressing your mossy roof, you really do not want to use a pressure washer. These tools, used ideally for power washing your vinyl siding, will damage your shingles—causing premature lifting and curling. You are also not going to want to scrape the moss off your roof. Albeit tempting, scraping your roofing shingles will ultimately do much more harm than good, since you run the risk of ripping or cracking your shingles.
As always, if you would rather not spend a crisp fall afternoon on your roof among various fungi, we suggest you give us a call. We’ll come to your home and quickly ready your roof for winter while de-mossing your shingles.
