Zinc sulfate (monohydrate): Mix 3 pounds of powder in 9 gallons of water. Once clean, apply one of the following solutions with a pump-style sprayer: Instead of a pressure washer, use a long-handled scrub brush. Improper pressure washing can ruin your roof. If you’re experienced with a pressure washer, use that to clean. If you’re one of those who like moss, let it grow in garden areas where it can be enjoyed without the danger of injury.īefore applying anything to kill the moss, clean the roof. Also remove it from areas like decks and steps where people may slip and fall. No matter what it’s made of, roofs should be kept clean.Īlthough many people love moss, keeping it off the roof is essential for the roof’s longevity. However, moss will lift the shingles, allowing water through to damage underlying materials. Moss clings to asphalt and metal roofs, as well, but doesn’t degrade those materials. That encourages the growth of fungi and hastens decomposition of wood roofs. The moss traps soil and debris, which retain water and keep the roof wet for a longer period of time.

The growth of moss doesn’t damage surfaces, said Pscheidt, co-author of the Extension new publication The Care and Maintenance of Wood Shingle and Shake Roofs. Chances are it’s Dicranoweisia cirrata and Bryum capillare making a home on your roof. Mosses are primitive, flowerless plants that number 12,000 species. “You’ve got to let the sun in or it will return.” “You can clean all you want but to keep moss at bay, the environment needs to change, said Jay Pscheidt, a plant pathologist with Oregon State University Extension Service. The key to keeping it at bay is to trim trees so sunlight filters to the surface of the roof.

There’s nothing to be done about the moisture, but moss also needs shade to grow. The ubiquitous plant clings to shingles, causing damage that can lead to expensive repairs and replacements. – In the moist Pacific Northwest, moss on roofs is inevitable.

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