A moss covering on your home may look harmless. But, if you don’t get your roof treated on time, it may start to fill the void between shingles and tiles; and lift the roof materials, thus harming the structural integrity of your home.
This lifting of the roof may lead to rainwater and other moisture seeping into your roof and causing decay and rot.
You should clear up the moss from your roof as early as possible to prevent your roof structure from getting weak. In this blog, we have mentioned a few steps on how to remove moss from the roof to help you eliminate stubborn moss.
Steps To Remove Moss From Your Roof
Materials You’ll Need
The materials you will need to remove moss from your roof are
- Safety gear ( goggles and gloves)
- Slip-resistant footwear
- Ladder
- Garden hose with a spray nozzle
- Moss remover of your choice
- Scrub brush
- Bristle brush
- Power Washer ( only optional)
Step 1. Prepare The Area
Before you start cleaning the roof, dress appropriately by wearing full-length clothes, gloves, safety goggles, and slip-resistant footwear. Cover all the nearby plants with plastic, set the ladder securely, and start climbing it after grabbing the hose.
Step 2. Spray The Roof With Water
After you have reached the top, spray all the moss-covered sections of the roof with the hose. Start your cleaning from the topmost part of the roof to allow the water to pour down. Ensure that you don’t damage the roof shingles in the process if you don’t know how to clean a shingle roof.
Step 3. Scrub The Shingles
Before applying a moss cleaner, scrub the moss from the roof shingles using a scrub brush or a long-bristled brush. Focus on one roof section at a time for better control of the brush and the scrubbing motion.
Step 4. Apply A Moss Remover
You can either use a store brought moss remover, or if you don’t have one available, you can make a DIY moss remover using vinegar. Just mix 1 ½ cups of white vinegar with 2 gallons of water. Apply the cleaner to the roof with a long spray bottle and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
Step 5. Rinse Off The Roof
Once the solution has sat for 20-30 minutes, climb the ladder and brush the dead moss away with a bristle brush. After that, thoroughly rinse the roof with plain water to remove any leftover debris.
Optional Step: Clean The Roof With a Power Washer
There is also the option of rinsing your roof with a power washer to remove the moss. However, when you use a power washer, you have to take care not to break the roof shingles as the pressure is very high.
If you want to remove moss from the roof using a power washer, stand on the roof and point the power washer in a downward direction. Ensure the pressure is on the lowest possible setting when you are doing it.
Summing Up
A moss covering on your roof can make it look unappealing and harm the structural integrity of your home. Therefore it is crucial to remove it using a proper method.
We hope you have learned how to remove moss from your roof by reading our step-by-step guide. However, follow all the safety guidelines while cleaning your roof and be extra careful while using a pressure washer.
If you want to avoid the risks involved in cleaning your roof, consider hiring a professional roof-cleaning service to remove moss or any other debris from your roof.
