With the coming change in seasons from Summer to Fall here in the Seattle area, we know what that means for the weather: rain. Rain equals moisture, and moisture on your roof can result in moss. As harmless as it looks, moss can be very damaging not only to your roof, but also the rest of your home. Here are 3 things you should know about moss.
Moss can grow on almost any surface. It needs 3 things to grow; shade, moisture and a temperature between 32 and 70 degrees. Believe it or not, moss does not have a root system which means it does not need soil to grow.
Does moss cover the northern slope of your roof like mine? When we bought our house, the northern slope was covered in moss, while the south side was clean as a whistle. Can you guess why? Here in the Pacific Northwest, the sun shines from the south, and during the short winter days, the northern slope of our roof will hardly see the sun for those few months. Combine that with the constant cloud cover and a perfect environment for moss is created.
Moss hibernates like a bear. The only difference is that it sleeps during the warm, dry, months when the conditions for growing aren’t ideal. But when the fall in Seattle arrives, temperatures drop and the moisture level rises, then the moss begins to wake up to grow.
There are a few effective methods of killing the moss of your roof. Powders and sprays can be found at your local hardware store. They are sprinkled or sprayed on your roof. Some of the dead moss will fall off the roof over time while the rest of it might need a little encouragement. Usually a light sweeping with a broom can remove the rest. Just be sure to read my previous blog post titled Why Pressure Washing Your Roof Could Cost You $10,000 before using a pressure washer.
