Removing Moss from Roof

Author
Discussion

Carrot

7,294 posts

202 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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xstian said:
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.
This OP was a bit harsh but just to throw in, everyone I know that has had their roof moss cleaned have had to get remedial works done a short time after, whereas before the roof had been fine for many years.

We just get the gutters cleaned out once a year, all good and never had a problem.

Fundoreen

4,180 posts

83 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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A very odd thing this year. Did hear the crowes tapping away on the roof during the very cold spells. Piles of moss outside every day.
Eventually they stopped but im curious why this was a big year for them.
The area from the chimney to the gutter looks very clean now. Bit worried the moss was some sort of binder and protector.
I just pick the moss up off the drive once a week and clean the gutter out maybe once a year.
Would never let anyone up there to do any sort of non roof fixing maintenace.

Gareth79

7,666 posts

246 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Apparently there's a low pressure steam cleaning system which is used by reputable firms?

Wombat3

12,142 posts

206 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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I don't think its a good idea to leave it, over time it will damage the roof tiles & as it comes off it blocks gutters which is inconvenient (and can cause other water damage) & eventually cloggs & silts up land drains and soakaways which is a bit more than inconvenient.

On my last house which had concrete roof tiles I had to have the facias & soffits replaced so the thing was scaffolded % I got them to clean off the moss as well which they did with brushes & brooms etc.

They then went over it with fairly standard moss weedkiller which I guess soaked into the tiles because it never came back & indeed is still clean today. As has been mentioned a strip of copper up close to the ridge line is supposed to be a good preventative as well.


CoolHands

18,625 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Can’t you just spray with weed killer and let it die? Seems like the least effort

Evoluzione

10,345 posts

243 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Sorry for the way it hit the screen, it was a very bad day yesterday.
It just seems a very bizarre and 1st World problem to worry about moss on the roof. To such a degree you're talking about spending over £1k on having the roof powerwashed.

'Hello Dear what are you doing today?'
'Oh i'm going to jetwash the house roof'
'What?'

It's like something from a comedy sitcom like 'One foot in the grave' or 'Some mothers do have 'em' and also reminds me of some kids dad I knew when I was a kid. Every weekend he'd take the wheels off his Morris Marina and pick the stones out of the grooves before putting them back on.

motco

15,945 posts

246 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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My roofing man did mine in 2012 by scraping it off. The tiles are Marley Modern interlocking concrete and moss loves them. He sprayed it with diluted Jeyes Fluid which kills the spores and no, eight years later it is just beginning to re-grow. I doubt he'd do it again because he said it's one of the most backbreaking jobs he's done. From what you chaps say the £600 he charged for a roof covering c.1,500 sq.ft was good value!

Wombat3

12,142 posts

206 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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motco said:
My roofing man did mine in 2012 by scraping it off. The tiles are Marley Modern interlocking concrete and moss loves them. He sprayed it with diluted Jeyes Fluid which kills the spores and no, eight years later it is just beginning to re-grow. I doubt he'd do it again because he said it's one of the most backbreaking jobs he's done. From what you chaps say the £600 he charged for a roof covering c.1,500 sq.ft was good value!
Time to just get it sprayed again before it takes hold

motco

15,945 posts

246 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Wombat3 said:
motco said:
My roofing man did mine in 2012 by scraping it off. The tiles are Marley Modern interlocking concrete and moss loves them. He sprayed it with diluted Jeyes Fluid which kills the spores and no, eight years later it is just beginning to re-grow. I doubt he'd do it again because he said it's one of the most backbreaking jobs he's done. From what you chaps say the £600 he charged for a roof covering c.1,500 sq.ft was good value!
Time to just get it sprayed again before it takes hold
Not a bad idea, but the house is single storey at the front and half of the left side, and two storey at the back with a low pitch roof. Easy to spray one side, hard to do the other. Luckily the north side is the one that gets mossy and that's fairly accessible. It's a funny house...

Aluminati

2,504 posts

58 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Gareth79 said:
Apparently there's a low pressure steam cleaning system which is used by reputable firms?
‘Doff’

A friend does it this way with pickers. Walking on the roof will usually break a tile or three.

Uncle John

4,284 posts

191 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Our roof is covered in moss.

Been here 7 years & decided to clean out the gutters, they were surprisingly clear.

Our window cleaner offers the clearing service, he did a test patch on our roof a couple of years ago, stuck out like an Albino & now is covered in moss again.

GT89

382 posts

113 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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OP where abouts in South Hampshire I you, I'm just about to have my roof and separate garage roof done. Scraped, and soft treated, soffits, facias and guttering cleaned for £675.

silverthorn2151

6,298 posts

179 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Aluminati said:
Gareth79 said:
Apparently there's a low pressure steam cleaning system which is used by reputable firms?
‘Doff’

A friend does it this way with pickers. Walking on the roof will usually break a tile or three.
We, or rather my clients builder, uses this on a mansion block in London. It's very good at clearing the moss and serves to sterilise the roof preventing rapid regrowth.

Aluminati

2,504 posts

58 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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silverthorn2151 said:
We, or rather my clients builder, uses this on a mansion block in London. It's very good at clearing the moss and serves to sterilise the roof preventing rapid regrowth.
We use it a lot cleaning down stonework on older/listed buildings as it doesn’t damage the stone.

Very effective, and uses a lot less water.

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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bennno said:
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.
Yeah fair point, I forgot how bad it can get, I did my house with a long pole window kit , but it was a few big bits.

craig1912

Original Poster:

3,295 posts

112 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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GT89 said:
OP where abouts in South Hampshire I you, I'm just about to have my roof and separate garage roof done. Scraped, and soft treated, soffits, facias and guttering cleaned for £675.
Near Fareham- got two more coming to have a look in next couple of days so will see what they quote

GT89

382 posts

113 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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craig1912 said:
GT89 said:
OP where abouts in South Hampshire I you, I'm just about to have my roof and separate garage roof done. Scraped, and soft treated, soffits, facias and guttering cleaned for £675.
Near Fareham- got two more coming to have a look in next couple of days so will see what they quote
Ah right, I'm in horndean. Mines being done week tomorrow, I can send the details across should you wish

silverthorn2151

6,298 posts

179 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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Aluminati said:
silverthorn2151 said:
We, or rather my clients builder, uses this on a mansion block in London. It's very good at clearing the moss and serves to sterilise the roof preventing rapid regrowth.
We use it a lot cleaning down stonework on older/listed buildings as it doesn’t damage the stone.

Very effective, and uses a lot less water.
We actually bought a unit as it worked out cheaper than having the atone steps and walls cleaned by a specialist. We have storage and some builders that are trained. Cleaning the moss from the roofs is added value.

It's extremely effective and efficient and, as you say, no damage and no flooding.

Spunagain

755 posts

258 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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We used a company called Smart Shield Uk based in Watford to clean my late mum’s house’s old roof in preparation for sale back in 2019. I was really dubious but my brother insisted and he was right.

They used a chemical spray which was used to drench the tiles over several hours which made the moss just drop off. They also replaced about 50 cracked tiles while they were there, all for £1350 including VAT for a 4 bedroom house, separate double garage and a tiled frontage. It made a very old roof look new and really smartened it up (the roof was very old when we moved in in the early 80s.). I think it got us more viewings. I reckon we got a good deal as it took a team of them the whole day to do it.

Grayedout

407 posts

212 months

Thursday 25th February 2021
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We've not cleared our roof of moss but we have stopped it blocking the gutters using these

https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/hedgeh...