after 12 years my roof has developed a little moss on the roof, more pronounced on the north side. it seems like it gets its start at the bottom of the shingles where the sun may never hit directly then expands into the sun from there
I would like to nip it in the bud. any good home remedies that wont take the stain off the cedar siding below?
Replies
Don't know any good ones but I am watching this thread -- got a customer who has the same situation.
Bump.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Zinc or copper strip up under the ridge caps, leave a bit exposed to the weather.
I saw an Ask TOH episode where Tom Silva applied a zinc strip under a row of shingles about every 4 feet going down the roof. The roof had lyken on it.
"May the forces of evil be confused on the way to your house." -George Carlin
I installed zinc strips on my wood shingle roof right after I did it.
No moss at all even under trees.
One area I forgot to do started getting moss pretty bad. I used a wood cleaner from HD that took it right off pretty easily...I installed more zinc strips.
"the most amazing buddhist prayer song I have ever heard during my trip through the hidden mystique countries like Nepal and India. I've heard it playing everywhere in Kathmandu - buses, ashrams, hotels,streets, etc... "author unknown
how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
where'd ya get the zinc strips. I'm thinking the nature of my ridge vent would allow me to lay in some copper or zinc without inhibiting drainage
where'd ya get the zinc strips<<Roofin' supply house. $35 a box. they're about 3' long each.
"the most amazing buddhist prayer song I have ever heard during my trip through the hidden mystique countries like Nepal and India. I've heard it playing everywhere in Kathmandu - buses, ashrams, hotels,streets, etc... "author unknown
how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
moss on the roof ... i just sprayed mine with a solution from the farmer's supply in our area it called moss remover,simple enough, it's pretty mild and once applied becomes slipprey as ice up there. it seems to be mainly soap in liquid form. can't verify the results as it's to soon, but it's cheap enough and harmless so worth a gamble. cheers andy
Fairly common out here. I have taken to using a copper strip (4ft x 8inch long sections folded in half so they are 4ft x 4", that way the wind doesnt lift them) tucked under the edge of the 3rd or 4th course of shingles below the ridge cap (that way there's a little more rain water running across the copper). It's worked really well for me. I guess that the rain water leaches enough copper out that it acts like the bottom paint on a boat and keeps the growth from starting and helps kill off whatever may be there already. Haven't tried the zinc strips, I wonder if they would last as long as the copper.
BILL
Haven't tried the zinc strips, I wonder if they would last as long as the copper.<<
Betcha they out last the roof : )
"the most amazing buddhist prayer song I have ever heard during my trip through the hidden mystique countries like Nepal and India. I've heard it playing everywhere in Kathmandu - buses, ashrams, hotels,streets, etc... "author unknown
how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
As many have said, strip of copper flashing tucked under a row of shingles high up on the roof, maybe leaving an inch or so exposed. I saw the power of this technique recently when I picked up my daughter from camp in Maine. I noticed on the roof of one of the camp buildings moss that must have been over an inch thick, like a green carpet on the north side of the roof. Running down the roof near one of the eaves was a copper cable coming from the lighting rods. 3-4 inches on either side of the cable there wasn't a speck of moss, almost like someone dug a trench through it. Wish I thought to take a picture.
"Betcha they out last the roof"
Good point... Out here zinc doesn't do well because of the salt air but someplace else I bet they'd last a lot longer.
BILL
Verrry interesting thread. The gazebo I built in the back yard has a small amount of moss. Would the runnoff from copper or zinc strips damage the grass or garden?You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
No...its not that potent...its more subtle...just enough to work on the roof over time
"the most amazing buddhist prayer song I have ever heard during my trip through the hidden mystique countries like Nepal and India. I've heard it playing everywhere in Kathmandu - buses, ashrams, hotels,streets, etc... "author unknown
how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Had a similar problem on my roof.
There is a technical bulletin at http://www.casma.ca/cas_tech13html
In it they talk of zinc strips and a solutin made of one part chlorine bleach to three parts water with quarter cup of TSP. to clean the roof. Spray it on scrub gentlely and hose it off. Be carfull as it makes the roof very slippery
There is also a soap called Safer's De-Moss call 1-800-387-5306 or 1-416-291-8150
Good luck
http://www.holtzheritage.com
Zinc strip , copper strip , heavy copper wire any of those placed below the ridge so that rain water runs across them will work. Depending on your neighborhood the zinc may last longer as it doesn't attract thieves quite as much as the copper does these days.
So will Tide powdered detergent I have been told , sprinkle it over the roof couple of times a year . ( This one I haven't personally tried but my roofer swears it works , does it on his own house.)
MOSS-B-Gone granuals, available from farm and garden shops here.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Dovetail is right. Many roofers and shingle manufacturers recommend Tide with Bleach. You need to leave it on for three days without rail or excessive wind, and the moss dies off within a week. Some of the larger areas of dead moss may still be attached to the roof and need to be brushed off. I use a leather glove.
There are a couple of benefits to going this route. It doesn't damage the roofing, and the run-off into your storm system is fairly benign.
Would the copper or zinc strips do anything about removing black streaks down the roof? Or would of any of the above mentioned chemicals/solutions remove the streaks?