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Our current roof is covered in moss and lichen and black streaks and it needs to be replaced. The roof on the rear of the home looks great because that's where the southern exposure is whereas the roof on the front of our house looks just awful.
We're in the process of getting estimates for a new roof. One guy claimed that installing a zinc strip at the ridge vent would be effective at preventing moss & lichen, but then another contractor said it's a myth and that zinc strips don't work.
Has anyone had this problem with moss & lichen on the roof and were you able to fix it? We did consider cleaning it, but we were told that power washing asphalt roof shingles is not recommended. So, we tried spraying everything from moss killer (made for rooves) to a water/bleach mixture and nothing has worked.
We have areas here in the PNW where moss is a problem on roofs. The best solution is to have them cleaned every year or two and sprayed with zinc sulphate.
Quite a while back The Philip Carey Corp made an SRS shingle that had zinc granules on the bottom edge of every shingle. They warranted the roof against any kind of staining. It was available in white only and worked. The P Carey Corp was bought out by The Celotex Co and they are no longer in my area. I haven't seen any type of stain resistant shingles in a long time. I've recommended to friends to get cheap bleach from Walmart, put it straight into a garden sprayer and spray the roof down. No need to rinse but wear protective clothing. The bleach won't hurt any plants but will run mosquitoes. Works around here.
We're in the process of getting estimates for a new roof. One guy claimed that installing a zinc strip at the ridge vent would be effective at preventing moss & lichen, but then another contractor said it's a myth and that zinc strips don't work.
Has anyone had this problem with moss & lichen on the roof and were you able to fix it? We did consider cleaning it, but we were told that power washing asphalt roof shingles is not recommended. So, we tried spraying everything from moss killer (made for rooves) to a water/bleach mixture and nothing has worked.
A friend I hunt with has a cabin that has a strip of zinc along part of the roof peak. Everywhere on the roof below the strip has absolutely no moss or lichen, but everywhere else on the roof does. My friend told me that he wished he had run zinc along the entire roof peak when it was built. The cabin is very small and there is no reason other than the zinc to explain why there is no moss growing below it, but there is heavy moss everywhere else.
Newer shingles will get mossy and form algae from the Limestone that is used in the manufacture of shingles. This was recently added in shingles.
Even newer shingles, like this years shingles......are even worse. Im not sure of the brand exactly, maybe GAF or Timbertex, They made them about 1/3 the thickness of what they used to be.... This means that you can literally take a new shingle, and roll it into a ball like fruit rollup.
My job right now is removing this stuff from peoples roofs. Using some products and low pressure washers..
We spray the stuff on the roof, density of the moss/ algae does not matter. We let it sit for a few minutes, and then get up there and spray it all off...
Let me tell you, you would be AMAZED at how clean the roofs come out. I mean people are shocked... like jaw dropping shocked.
BTW- I got into roofing stuff over ten years ago from my brother who helped me out as a young teen with summer jobs. I also worked at a roofing company that is well respected in New Haven and learned a TON of stuff. So you know Im not just saying this stuff.
Also, after your roof is cleaned, theres a specific product that is sprayed on the shingles to prevent any growth. This soaks in and stays.
Last edited by NewHavensFinest; 06-26-2013 at 07:29 PM..
We bought 35 year architectural shingles that came with a 10 year warranty for moss and algae growth. I'm guessing the treatment washes off after 10 years. It's only been 4 years, so we'll get back to you in another 6, if we're still living here.
I'm somewhat hesitant to have the roof pressure washed at this point only because they shingles aren't in the greatest shape as a result of years of moss & lichen growth. Isn't it possible that if we had the roof pressure washed, it would cause additional damage or shorten the life of the shingles even more? The roof may look better, but how much more life would we get out of it? I guess I'd have to see how much it would be to have a 2400sf roof washed to see if it's worth it.
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