You may have sometimes noticed a green and fuzzy layer slowly taking form on the edges of your roof shingles. These are moss growths that are not uncommon on tiled roofs and can even lead to severe damage if left unchecked. Apart from lending your roof an ugly and unkempt look, moss can also block your home’s drainage system, cause major structural damages, and other long-term issues. While you can clean moss off your roof with the right equipment, if it is not done accurately, you will end up damaging your roof tiles.
What is Moss?
Moss is referred to an entire species of non-vascular herbaceous plants that can multiply at an extremely fast rate especially in damp conditions. Once on your roof, they can easily multiply and expand at a rapid speed and cover your entire roof within a matter of a few days. Many homeowners see moss as a sort of garden weed, only more invasive with the ability to thrive in areas where regular weeds would not.
What are the causes of moss growth on the roof?
Moss growth on roofs is accelerated with the presence of water and debris. Moss thrive in damp conditions, especially if your roof is in a shady area because the shade does not let the moisture evaporate. Besides this, if you have a lot of trees near your home, the chances of moss growth further multiply because this leads to the collecting of leaves and twigs on the roof that in turn feed moss growth. If left untreated, moss can wreak havoc on your roof and thus the problem should be addressed as soon as possible.
How to spot moss growth on the roof?
You need to first ascertain that there is moss growth on your roof which is not always possible standing on the ground. Although you may sometimes spot it from below, they usually grow under the roof shingles because of the appropriate conditions here for moss to flourish. It is advisable to hire a professional company like Allegiant Roofing to conduct a thorough check of the roof and gauge if there is moss growth.
How to prevent moss growth?
The best way to prevent moss growth on the roof is by maintaining good roof hygiene. You need to ensure that your roof is clean by getting a seasonal clean-up job done where all debris and buildup get removed. In case your home is shaded by several large trees, you should get the roof thoroughly checked more often by a qualified and professional roofing company. Apart from this, you should-
- Remove leaves, twigs, branches, and other forms of debris from your roof at regular intervals
- Keep an eye out for punctures, broken shingles, or cracked tiles that make way for moisture to seep into areas below the shingles
- If there are open areas, get them patched at the earliest and keep your gutters clean at all times
We hope you find the above information useful. The bottom line is that prevention is always better than cure, therefore get regular roof maintenance done from professional roofers to avoid moss growth to avoid it snowballing into a major issue.
Contact our team at Allegiant Roofing for your regular roof inspection.
