What to Know About Moss Growth on Your Roof

Your roof is supposed to prevent the outside elements from getting inside your home, but wear and tear can cause the roof to become less effective. One common problem with asphalt shingle roofs is moss growth, which can age the roof and increase the risk of leaks. If you want to protect your home from moss, keep reading.

What Causes Moss Growth?

Moss commonly grows on asphalt shingle and wood roofs because it can easily grab the material with its small roots. The debris that lands on your roof throughout the year serves as a perfect foods source for the moss to flourish. For moss to really thrive, however, it needs two more things: moisture and shade.

Direct sunlight is often too powerful for moss, causing it to dry out and die, but shadowy areas with indirect sunlight through tree branches, tall structures, etc. can create the ideal shaded environment. Shaded areas also allow for moisture retention, which promotes moss growth.

The rainier the season, the higher the risk of moss growth. Plus, once moss starts to grow, it absorbs more water and that retained water provides more moisture for the moss to spread.

What Damages Are Caused by Moss?

The least serious complication from moss growth is reduced curb appeal. Moss makes your home look poorly maintained, which can affect how fast you can sell your house and how much you get for the house when you sell.

More seriously, however, the moisture stored by the moss leaves your roof exposed to water. Similarly, the moss can act as a dam to prevent some water from finding the gutters. Both of these issues can cause the shingles to breakdown, allowing water to get underneath, which drastically increases the risk of a leak or more serious damage.

At the same time, the roots of the moss are digging into your shingles, which can dislodge them, allowing particles and moisture to enter. All this moisture (and the moss itself) attract pests, which can further damage the roof or get inside your home.

One surprising complication is the extra weight moss puts on your roof. Asphalt shingle roofs are light, which is why they work on most houses. However, the extra weight from the moss and moisture can cause the roof to become too heavy and collapse.

How Can You Remove and Prevent Moss Growth

Preventing moss growth doesn't take that much work, but you will need to keep tree branches away from the roof. Not only do they provide the shade moss wants, but they may allow other debris to fall on the roof and cause damage. Don't forget to occasionally remove any debris that does get on the roof, and clean out your gutters regularly.

If you really want to keep moss at bay, consider installing zinc strips. This safe method works for about a year to inhibit moss growth. Unfortunately, it's a poor choice if you already notice moss beginning to grow. Luckily, however, you can remove moss from your roof with a variety of other methods.

If you only have a little bit of moss and your shingles are in good condition, you may be able to wet the moss with a garden hose and scrape it away. Using a pressure washer or scrubbing too hard (especially on old shingles) may damage the roof.

You can also find many moss control powders on the market that can be used to kill the moss. Because these powders aren't great for wildlife and vegetation, however, make sure you work with a skilled roofing contractor.

Even if you live in a wet environment, you can prevent moss growth. If moss does begin to grow, it's important to stop it fast before it begins to destroy your shingles. For more information about mold prevention, removal, and repairs, contact us at Ratliff Enterprises, Inc., today.