How to Remove Moss From a Roof

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How to Remove Moss From a Roof and hope the blog can help you.

A verdant carpet of moss on the roof might give your home a pastoral vibe, but it can also cause damage. Follow these steps to get rid of roof moss and keep it from coming back.

Although a moss-covered roof conjures up images of fairytale cottages, the presence of moss actually tells a real-world story of damage and neglect, not enchantment. Moss clings to a roof using small hairlike structures called rhizoids, and pretty much all it needs to thrive is shade and moisture. Like a sponge, moss holds moisture on the roof and also traps soil and debris. All of this moisture and organic material can lead to leaks, especially on compromised roofs. 

“When you have moss [on the roof] and it’s retaining that moisture, if there’s any sort of crack or hole in the shingle, especially in the winter, it will shrink and expand,” which can potentially damage the shingle, explains Andrew Prchal of Gunner, a Connecticut-based firm that specializes in roofing, siding, and windows. 

As moss grows, “it can cause the bottom of the shingle to lift, which can also lead to leaking,” adds Niki O’Brien, operations manager at Custom Exteriors, based in Berthoud, Colorado. For these reasons, roofs with unchecked organic growth may experience a shorter lifespan. 

If you’re not so keen on the fairy garden look for your home, learn how to remove moss from roofs and keep it from coming back. 

Where does moss form?

Moss can grow on any roof that’s exposed to moisture and shade, but it’s most common on porous roofing materials, such as asphalt and wood shingles. While moss can grow on any type of roof, “the least likely roof to find moss on is a metal roof. Its slick surface typically sheds water fairly quickly,” O’Brien notes. 

Because moss needs moisture to grow, it tends to show up on persistently moist surfaces, such as sections of a roof that are north-facing or shaded by trees. In addition, flat or low-pitched roofs, which shed water more slowly than steeper roofs, are more likely to accumulate moisture and, as a result, moss. Not surprisingly, moss is especially common in the notoriously rainy Pacific Northwest, where roof moss removal can seem like a regional obsession. 

How to Identify Roof Moss

Moss is pretty easy to spot. Just look for fuzzy green clumps on your roof shingles. You may first notice it in cracks and crevices between shingles where moisture collects, providing a perfect place for spores to settle and grow. Once you’ve spotted it, get busy removing moss from roof areas. It’s bad for both your roof’s integrity and your home’s curb appeal.