Sure, living on the West Coast comes with many advantages. The temperate weather, proximity to the beautiful ocean, and the variety of nature trails and ski hills to keep you active year-round are nothing short of spectacular. However, despite its many perks, West Coast living brings bouts of damp climate resulting in algae and moss growth on your rooftop. Theses elements stain your roof and lower the integrity of the materials. To keep you and your roofing in Burnaby safe, here’s how to remove moss & algae from your roof.
What Are the Risks of Moss and Algae on your Roof?
Before jumping into treatment, it’s important to note the reasons moss and algae removal are so important. Moss can develop in the slightest level of moisture. When living in a damp climate such as Vancouver, it’s difficult to avoid moss growing on damp roofs. Algae appears as black streaks or stains on your roof. However, if you notice a black-greenish hue to your roof, it’s most likely algae. Both Moss and Algae will lower the roof shingles life expectancy.
Both moss and algae can ruin the look of your roof, causing unsightly staining and discolouration. Furthermore, moss can gradually disintegrate roofing shingles, growing into the materials, and affecting the overall integrity of your roofing system. A quick roof inspection can determine the severity of your roof’s moss and algae growth.
Protecting Your Yard During Moss Removal
Oftentimes, moss and algae can be removed using eco friendly products from most roofing supply or hardware stores. Another option is a simple water diluted bleach solution. However, when treating your roof with bleach, most of it will run off the edge of your roof and into your yard. Unfortunately, this chemical can be toxic to plants and grass. So, when treating your moss removal in Burnaby, it’s important to take some precautions. If you can, remove your furniture and cover your plants, grass, and any other elements of your yard with a tarp or plastic sheeting. This will prevent the bleach from soaking into the soil of your grass and plants. However, if you’re not able to tarp the area, spraying your grass and plants with water could minimize the impact of the bleach.
In addition to this, there are a few maintenance tasks you can do to optimize treatment and prevent moss/algae growth in the future. Before treating your roof, perform the following:
- Clean your gutters to promote drainage
- Trim surrounding trees to allow direct sunlight onto your roof
- Remove debris such as branches, twigs, and leaves from your roof
- Add copper or zinc strips to your roof to discourage moss and algae growth
Removing Moss and Algae from Your Roofing in Burnaby
Step 1:
It is recommended to lightly remove the build-up of excess moss and debris on the roof before spraying a treatment to help expedite the removal process.
Step 2:
Protect yourself by wearing gloves, a breathing mask, and goggles. Using a moss treatment solution from your local roofing supply or hardware store, follow the recommended instructions on the packaging. Typically, you will need to dilute the treatment with water and use a backpack sprayer. Spray a generous amount onto the affected roofing shingles to disintegrate the algae and moss.
Step 3:
If using a bleach solution sit for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of the moss and algae growth. Using a garden hose set to a low pressure, rinse the roofing shingles to remove the solution. Do so in a downwards motion so the water and bleach solution washes down and off your rooftop. If using a roof treatment product you will typically want to leave the product on the roof and allow the rain to rinse it away naturally.
Step 4:
While wearing gloves, run your hands along the shingles to feel for slime. If there’s still algae or moss present, reapply the solution to those shingles and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes, followed by a rinse.
Getting a Roof Inspection in Burnaby
While you can remove moss and algae from your roofing in Burnaby, prevention is the much safer and efficient alternative. Oftentimes, moss stems can stem algae growth, both of which point to several potential roofing problems. While you may not see any clear areas of damage on your roof, it doesn’t mean they’re not there. With Canuck Roofing, our roofing contractors are trained to identify any underlying issues that may be causing problems. By having a roof inspection done once or twice a year, you can catch and fix these issues before they develop into large, costly, and extensive repairs. To have our experienced roofing contractors inspect your roof, please contact us directly!