By Living Room Realty, March 13, 2018
A green, moss-covered roof may make you think you’ve wandered into a fairy tale. Ferns growing in gutters are quite beautiful. But, in the real world, moss is much less a fantasy than it is a nightmare. Left untreated, the clumpy greenery can cause virtually any roofing material to degrade. Moss starts as a thin green layer on and between shingles, but then it proceeds to lift those shingles up as it grows, allowing water to seep underneath. Hello, wood rot and leaks. Fortunately, removing moss is a fairly simple task that you can perform on a seasonal or as-needed basis to keep your roof weathertight. I would prescribe doing the job with your clients on a warm sunny day. You kill two birds with one stone — You get your daily dose of vitamin D plus the satisfaction of clearing a landscape of fluffy green-stuff. You get to hang out on your clients roof and chat about life with them. Talk about kids, love, career’s, how they met and fell in love, summer plans, etc…. It’s pretty dang great!
Here are four DIY recipes from moss removal that you can use in a spray bottle:
• 8 ounces Dawn Ultra dish soap + 2 gallons of water
• 1 pound powdered oxygen bleach + 2 gallons of water
• 1½ to 3½ cups chlorine bleach + 2 gallons of water
• 1½ to 3½ cups white distilled vinegar + 2 gallons of water
For any of these homemade options, you’ll want to wet down the roof with plain water first, then apply the cleanser and let it sit for 20 to 45 minutes. Lightly scrub with a soft-bristle brush, then rinse with water.
