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THE GREEN MONSTER
Is your roof starting to discolor? It could be the beginning stages of algae or moss. Algae starts as a dark color and as the sunrays hit it, the algae put up a protective layer which is the green. This is normally the part of the algae that you see. By the time you see the green layer of the algae it has probably been there for months. The North side of your roof or moisture prone areas are parts of your roof that are more likely to have algae and moss. If left untreated your shingles could lift and curl and then come off much easier if there is wind.
Some ways to remove the algae and moss.
- Remove branches that are causing any extra shade to your roof. Shade doesn’t allow for moisture to completely dry from the roof, therefore; causing mold and algae. Cutting off the branches also keeps animals off your roof.
- Remove leaves and other debris from the roof to allow for the all the parts of the roof to dry. Debris left on the roof will not allow for everything to dry, which causes moisture buildup, which causes mold and algae.
- You can also do a mixture of 50:50 water and laundry bleach and spray it on the moss and/or algae. Leave it for 15 or 20 minutes then wash it off. You might have to do this multiple times and the bleach could kills plants on the ground if the bleach washes off onto them.
- Taking a standard bristle scrub and brushing down can also remove the algae or moss. You need to make sure you brush down and not up. Brushing up could cause the seal of the shingles to break.
- Copper or Zinc are a more natural way to remove algae or moss. Putting the metal on the ridge of your roof will allow water with copper or zinc particles to run down the roof and cause the algae and moss to die. Copper has been known to extend the life of shingles.
This might not be the best do it yourself cleaning job. Algae can be as slippery as ice so we encourage you to call the professionals before you try to clean. Don’t get hurt doing something that we’ve been trained to do.
Sources:
https://www.doityourself.com/stry/moss-removal-tips
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ask-toh/getting-algae-and-moss-roof
https://www.askthebuilder.com/removing-moss-and-algae-from-roofs/