Removing Moss from Roof

Author
Discussion

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Just moved house and roof has a lot of moss on the roof. It drops on the cars and blocks gutters. Just getting three quotes together for someone to do it.

I understand high pressure Jet washing is a no no but what is the best method and how do we stop it coming back.

First quote came in at £1450 which includes minor maintenance and washing soffits, windows etc. Which is from a company with a decent local reputation.

Ntv

5,177 posts

122 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
craig1912 said:
Just moved house and roof has a lot of moss on the roof. It drops on the cars and blocks gutters. Just getting three quotes together for someone to do it.

I understand high pressure Jet washing is a no no but what is the best method and how do we stop it coming back.

First quote came in at £1450 which includes minor maintenance and washing soffits, windows etc. Which is from a company with a decent local reputation.
Where are you? In SW London we paid £900. It was a big job and head office felt they had vastly undercharged as the guys should really have used scaffolding, but instead risked it with ladders.

Ideally you put threads of copper across it after. Copper has an element that will spread invisibly when it rains, and completely eliminate re-growth.

We didn't do that and 18 months still no moss back.

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
South Hampshire- wasn’t sure if they would use scaffolding

chriz1

654 posts

214 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Spray it with bac50

red22

146 posts

167 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Have you got daughters. I did mine with two daughters and it only cost me some moaning.

Terminator X

14,920 posts

203 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
red22 said:
Have you got daughters. I did mine with two daughters and it only cost me some moaning.
You sent them up on the roof?!

TX.

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
red22 said:
Have you got daughters. I did mine with two daughters and it only cost me some moaning.
confused

928

221 posts

176 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
craig1912 said:
I understand high pressure Jet washing is a no no but what is the best method and how do we stop it coming back.

.
No idea how to do it properly, however you are right on no jet washing, on cement tiles I guess? Two neighbours had it done here, one has since re-roofed within a year. The other I don't know how the roof is doing but in view of the cowboys waltzing around two stories up without any safety gear I'd hazard the roofers will be back.

Family had 50 year old cement tiles cleaned for moss. Leaked next winter then re-roofed with new tiles.


CypSIdders

835 posts

153 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
What you need is a murder of crows!

The ones on the roof of my UK house spend all day, every day pecking at clumps of moss and then hurling the bits off the roof.

Evoluzione

10,345 posts

242 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
What you need is to get a life really and stop worrying about the stupidist of things.

Last Visit

2,796 posts

187 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Evoluzione said:
What you need is to get a life really and stop worrying about the stupidist of things.
Strange post.

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Evoluzione said:
What you need is to get a life really and stop worrying about the stupidist of things.
confused

red22

146 posts

167 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Yep sure did, although I admit to being up there as well and our roof has a parapet round it, so not likely to fall off if you did slide down. Wouldn't be brave enough to do it on a normal roof.

Evanivitch

19,798 posts

121 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Evoluzione said:
What you need is to get a life really and stop worrying about the stupidist of things.
Blocked guttering. Damp. No big deal?

Cold

15,207 posts

89 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
Seems like the perfect opportunity to muck about with a rented cherry picker. thumbup

(Then just scrape it off by hand/broom)

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Wednesday 24th February 2021
quotequote all
I took on Commercial building in a forest that had a roof caked in moss , I asked the landlord to clean it as part of the pre lease , which they did.

Looked amazing following the clean and ensured The soakaways wouldn’t clog with moss like they had .

However ....the landlord just jetwashed it and tbh it finished off the roof !! I’d never ever recommend jet washing , no chance in hell

All the decent roofers I know and speak to now say you should carefully scrape off and are so busy they tend to turn it down as it’s laborious , £1500 doesn’t sound a bad price if they take their time .

Due to the time it’ll take on there they shouldn’t really use a ladder so £500 could /will be scaffold costs . I’m sure lots will still use ladders (I’ve got no issue with that , the laws/hse guidance have changed/

If it was my house I’d just hire a cherrypicker and a telescopic window cleaning kit

bennno

11,502 posts

268 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
quotequote all

We did it on our old house, 40 year old concrete tiles were a magnet for moss, lots of wire brushing (it wore out at least 6 wire brushes) then a spray of wet and forget got rid.

Was a pain prior, blocks gutters and drain pipes, falls on paths and turns in to mud to be walked in to house etc.

xstian

1,966 posts

145 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
quotequote all
Evoluzione said:
What you need is to get a life really and stop worrying about the stupidist of things.
I kind have to agree with this guy. You have to clean the gutters out once a year anyway, so what's the problem. They also stand out afterwards, kind of looks like someone has been round and bleached them.

I think roofs are a bit like block weave driveways, they look better with a bit of aging.

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,273 posts

111 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
I took on Commercial building in a forest that had a roof caked in moss , I asked the landlord to clean it as part of the pre lease , which they did.

Looked amazing following the clean and ensured The soakaways wouldn’t clog with moss like they had .

However ....the landlord just jetwashed it and tbh it finished off the roof !! I’d never ever recommend jet washing , no chance in hell

All the decent roofers I know and speak to now say you should carefully scrape off and are so busy they tend to turn it down as it’s laborious , £1500 doesn’t sound a bad price if they take their time .

Due to the time it’ll take on there they shouldn’t really use a ladder so £500 could /will be scaffold costs . I’m sure lots will still use ladders (I’ve got no issue with that , the laws/hse guidance have changed/

If it was my house I’d just hire a cherrypicker and a telescopic window cleaning kit
Thanks for a sensible response. Some strange people on here! rolleyes

bennno

11,502 posts

268 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
quotequote all
craig1912 said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
I took on Commercial building in a forest that had a roof caked in moss , I asked the landlord to clean it as part of the pre lease , which they did.

Looked amazing following the clean and ensured The soakaways wouldn’t clog with moss like they had .

However ....the landlord just jetwashed it and tbh it finished off the roof !! I’d never ever recommend jet washing , no chance in hell

All the decent roofers I know and speak to now say you should carefully scrape off and are so busy they tend to turn it down as it’s laborious , £1500 doesn’t sound a bad price if they take their time .

Due to the time it’ll take on there they shouldn’t really use a ladder so £500 could /will be scaffold costs . I’m sure lots will still use ladders (I’ve got no issue with that , the laws/hse guidance have changed/

If it was my house I’d just hire a cherrypicker and a telescopic window cleaning kit
Thanks for a sensible response. Some strange people on here! rolleyes
Good luck removing moss with a telescopic window cleaning kit. As below wil need a wire brush, tape it to a pole. Then soak roof in wet and forget or similar.