Eco Roof Cleaning Way
Growth of moss and lichen is a very common sight in the households of the Pacific Northwest, thanks to the weather conditions which aid in its growth. Although the spores of moss are always present in the environment, they require a specific type of hospitable surrounding to begin growth. In order to find a proper growth, moss requires shade and a damp area.
In order to prevent this from happening, there are three effective and eco-friendly methods you can follow. For starters, remove any kind of shade that is placed on the roof. Also, see to it that there is no unnecessary moisture accumulation anywhere as it tends to turn the environment acidic. Secondly, try to get rid of any moss with the help of a leaf blower or any kind of hand brush.
However, in case you have a shingle roof or asphalt roof, never pressure wash it. The reason behind this is, if you pressure wash, it tends to damage the shingle granules without which the shingles itself get damaged and end up having a reduced lifespan. Once you are able to rid of most of the moss, the remaining which is stubborn enough to not let go, need to be killed.
Although you will find tons of chemicals that can kill off moss, using vinegar or baking soda works just as well. Not only will it be cheap and cost-effective, but it will also be environment-friendly. Simply mix it with water or apply directly and you will notice that all the unwanted moss that had managed to make your roof it is home, has been killed.
You can also use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar – both works equally well. This too you can use either directly or by diluting in water. However, before experimenting with either, make sure that the surface of your roof doesn’t get eroded easily. In case it does, then definitely dilute it before using it.
Depending on how long the moss has been present on your roof, it can take months before your roof is completely spick and span. When you treat your roof, the growth of moss gets reduced, but it doesn’t stop completely, and it takes a while before getting completely disintegrated. In case the moss is spread over a large area, a second or third sitting might also be necessary.
You can also use Orange juice, Lemon juice as well as Tomato juice. If you’d rather avoid these costly options, opt for soap, bleach, ammonia (do not mix bleach and ammonia together), salt or baking powder. All of them are equally effective and will produce almost similar results.
Also, remember that if you are not confident of cleaning your roof, opt to have professionals come over and do it for you. The process can be lengthy and tricky, so unless you are absolutely convinced, don’t try to do it, else you might just cause serious injuries to yourself, or do worse than good to your roof.