I have moss on my roof and would like to know what to do to stop it.

 

First, what type of roof do you have? Wood roof are more susceptible than asphalt. Second, do you have alot of trees causing dense shade? Moss on a roof is much like moss on the north side of the tree. There is not much that can be done if moisture and sun cannot dry it up. Third, it may be an older roof needing replacement.

 

Its an asphalt roof and about 10 years old in perfect shape and yes there are some trees on neighbors property and its on the north side.

 

There is nothing you can do if is densely shaded. Just leave alone and let the roof take its course. There may be someone who has tried certain things but nothing I know of will get rid of the moss except dry sunny places. You may want to trim the trees to allow some sunlight in to help dry the roof. This won't get rid of whats ther but will retard newgrowth.

 

Power wash maybe???

 

There are commercial moss removers that can be applied to moss. These kill the moss. Then, you can scrape it away. There are products like Moss Out and Spray and Forget that are marketed for moss problems on roofs. Power washing can damage roofing and it is not recommended. Avoid chlorine bleach or cleaners containing it because bleach can damage asphalt. There are asphalt roof cleaners available. There are zinc and copper strips available that can be installed along the ridge of the roof to prevent moss.

 

Will the zink or copper strips also get rid of the moss? Also where do i get the strips?

 

The zinc or copper strips will prevent moss. They do not remove moss. You can search for the strips online or check with local roofing suppliers and home centers.

 

Being from the great Northwest I deal with moss even on roofs that are not shaded by trees. I treat my roofs on an annual basis with a product designed to get rid of it. It kills the moss and then it can be removed by using a broom. If the moss is not controlled it will grow under the shingles and lift them up and causing premature failure of the roof. By all means treat the moss and remove it, which will extend the life of your roof.

 

Thanks for the clarification about killing the moss and sweeping it off with the broom. Did you take any further steps to prevent the growth of moss?

 

What is the name of the product you used to kill the moss.

 

The last one I used was Moss-B-Ware, but I have used several brands with the same success. I also should tell you that the broom method is not as easy as it sounds and you must wait until the moss dies. If you have a lot of moss it may take a couple treatments. My garage had quite a bit of moss on it and after a couple of treatments it looks good. As you might guess many people never treat their roofs even here in Washington and end up replacing them earlier than neccessary.

 

I don't know if I can revive an old topic like this but it makes more sense than starting a new one...

I have a cabin with an asphalt roof completely covered on the north side with bright green healthy moss. The roof is in very good shape otherwise. I've gotten a recommendation to install galvanized strips at the ridge to control it--but that won't kill what's already there. I'd prefer not to use nasty chemicals, especially since I have a shallow well. An old-timer at a local farm supply said to use ammonium sulphate to kill the moss (this despite stocking packaged chemical moss killers). He said the sulphur will kill the moss but it seems odd to use a fertilizer to kill something green & growing. Any ideas?

 

Some people may prefer a *green* roof. In Norway they like to use sod or grass roofs to give the house a rustic look. A friend of mine there recently built a mountain home and he has a sod roof. It's weird to see grass growing on a roof but apparently the sod offers an extra insulation blanket.

 

Perhaps... but it's very bad for a shingled roof.