How To Deal With Moss On Your Asphalt Shingle Roof
When you have a home on a shady lot, moss could become a problem for your roof. Both moss and algae grow in shady areas, such as your roof, but moss is the most damaging since it grows like a thick blanket of plants with roots that burrow under the shingles. Here are ways to deal with moss on your roof.
Increase Sun Exposure
There may not be anything you can do to increase sun exposure on the north side of your roof, but if you have trees that make shade on the roof, you can trim them back to allow more sun to hit the shingles.
Moss prefers damp places, and the sun will dry the roofing out and make it hot so moss won't be likely to grow. In addition to trimming back branches, you might have a tree trimmer thin the branches of the tree so more sunlight can filter through to your roof.
Remove Moss As It Grows
It can be a pain to remove moss every year or so, but it's best to remove it when it first starts growing. As moss grows, it spreads, and the roots start lifting shingles. When that happens, rain runs under the shingles and causes the roof to rot.
That starts a cycle of roof destruction since moss loves dampness and will thrive. While thriving, the moss creates more dampness that encourages more growth and increases roof damage.
You may need to hire a roofer to clean your roof if the slope is very steep. Moss is slippery, and since you may need to use water to get rid of it, the entire roof will be slick and dangerous to walk on. You can buy moss-killing products to apply to the moss in liquid or powder form. Some need to be rinsed off and others don't.
Apply Zinc Or Copper Strips To The Roof
Some moss-killing products contain zinc sulfate because zinc kills moss. You can get a similar effect by having a roofer install zinc strips along the top of your roof. Rain washes the zinc down the slope of the roof and keeps moss from growing. Copper strips work well too, but they cost more, so zinc is a good choice.
Have Roof Damage Repaired
When moss grows on your roof, your roofing is at risk of damage that leads to water leaks. The longer the moss stays on the roof, the worse the damage will be.
It's good to have your roof checked for damage, especially if you think your roof may be leaking. A roofer may need to replace lifted shingles or replace rotted parts of the deck to restore your roof and prevent water damage to your home.
Contact a roofing company like Milam Services to learn more.