Roof cleaning

[Marland]

Seem to be quite a few small business setting up to do this, now I am all
for young people setting themselves up in their own business when other
paths of income are no longer available but in all honestly why , Solar
panels may benefit from a wash every so often to remove encrusted bird muck
but an ordinary roof? We’ve had roofs for thousands of years without
needing to have them cleaned,
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

Is it just to impress the neighbours , I don’t know anyone who travels
around looking and judging people by their roofs or feels their house is
dirty because of the state of theirs Maybe I’m out of touch.

GH

[Andy Burns]

Post by Marland
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

Over last decade or so, level of moss has got much higher (could be lack
of sulphur from coal burning, or other factors?) and emptying gutters of
moss has become practically an annual job, to avoid overflow during
downpours.

[Marland]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Marland
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

Over last decade or so, level of moss has got much higher (could be lack
of sulphur from coal burning, or other factors?) and emptying gutters of
moss has become practically an annual job, to avoid overflow during
downpours.

Thinking about it wasn’t there a contributor to this group around 20 years
ago who ran a business supplying ridge tile shaped sheets of copper that
were intended to produce a run off when it rained that inhibited moss
growth . I think she was based in Scotland.

GH

[Andy Burns]

wasn’t there a contributor to this group around 20 years ago who
ran a business supplying ridge tile shaped sheets of copper that
were intended to produce a run off when it rained that inhibited
moss growth

I thought it only needed a bare copper wire, not a whole sheet?

I wish I'd done it 10 or 20 years ago when I was happy enough to
scrabble about on the roof, now I'd probably do a Rod Hull.

[Marland]

Post by Andy Burns

wasn’t there a contributor to this group around 20 years ago who
ran a business supplying ridge tile shaped sheets of copper that
were intended to produce a run off when it rained that inhibited
moss growth

I thought it only needed a bare copper wire, not a whole sheet?
I wish I'd done it 10 or 20 years ago when I was happy enough to
scrabble about on the roof, now I'd probably do a Rod Hull.

Maybe a wire doesn’t produce enough of the Copper Sulphate run off which is
what kills the moss.
I don’t have enough knowledge on the subject to say. There seem to be a
number of suppliers of Copper roof components to combat the problem .

GH

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Marland
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

Over last decade or so, level of moss has got much higher (could be lack
of sulphur from coal burning, or other factors?) and emptying gutters of
moss has become practically an annual job, to avoid overflow during
downpours.

It's a ***@mn sight more often that "annual" here.
Every time we have a major downpour, a fresh lot of moss is dislodged
and ends up in the guttering.

[Tim Streater]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Marland
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

Over last decade or so, level of moss has got much higher (could be lack
of sulphur from coal burning, or other factors?) and emptying gutters of
moss has become practically an annual job, to avoid overflow during
downpours.

Every time we have a major downpour, a fresh lot of moss is dislodged
and ends up in the guttering.

Another reason why I had it done.

[Andy Burns]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Andy Burns
emptying

gutters of moss has become practically an annual job, to avoid
overflow during downpours.

Every time we have a major downpour, a fresh lot of moss is dislodged
and ends up in the guttering.

I've fitted a "hatch" similar to this in my downpipe and should be able
to get some drain rods (or at least electricians fishing rods) up to
poke moss out of the gooseneck it usually blocks in.

<https://www.lintelsnorthwest.co.uk/65mm-square-downpipe/65mm-rainwater-squarestyle-downpipe-access-pipe>

[alan_m]

Post by Marland
Seem to be quite a few small business setting up to do this, now I am all
for young people setting themselves up in their own business when other
paths of income are no longer available but in all honestly why , Solar
panels may benefit from a wash every so often to remove encrusted bird muck
but an ordinary roof? We’ve had roofs for thousands of years without
needing to have them cleaned,
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.

The problem with moss and some roofing materials is that the moss
doesn't necessarily die off in the summer, it depends on location,
location, location :) The moss gets in all the small cracks and acts
like a sponge. In winter the water held by the moss expands and starts
spalling of parts of the tile.

Post by Marland
Is it just to impress the neighbours , I don’t know anyone who travels
around looking and judging people by their roofs or feels their house is
dirty because of the state of theirs Maybe I’m out of touch.

While some of the cleaning may be to impress I've seen a few youtube
videos where the amount of moss removed from a small(ish) roof has been
massive.

I did see one video where someone new to the game of cleaning roofs
managed to get a lot of water in the loft space :( It's not just using
turning on a pressure washer full pelt but also the technique and
understanding what is being cleaned :)

On the back of my house I have sections of the roof which doesn't get
very much direct sunlight and is in shade all winter and most of the day
in summer. I do get a problem with quite a lot of moss growing on my
concrete tiles in this area. My solution is a garden sprayer, diluted
BAC50 and soaking the roof every two to three years. This kills off the
moss and a few heavy rain storms in the following months will wash the
dead moss from te roof. The diluted BAC50 seems to keep the growth of
moss at bay for 2/3 years.

[Spike]

Post by alan_m
I do get a problem with quite a lot of moss growing on my
concrete tiles in this area. My solution is a garden sprayer, diluted
BAC50 and soaking the roof every two to three years. This kills off the
moss and a few heavy rain storms in the following months will wash the
dead moss from te roof. The diluted BAC50 seems to keep the growth of
moss at bay for 2/3 years.

What dilution do you use for the BAC?

I have an area prone to moss, and I’d like it killed off…

[alan_m]

Post by Spike

Post by alan_m
I do get a problem with quite a lot of moss growing on my
concrete tiles in this area. My solution is a garden sprayer, diluted
BAC50 and soaking the roof every two to three years. This kills off the
moss and a few heavy rain storms in the following months will wash the
dead moss from te roof. The diluted BAC50 seems to keep the growth of
moss at bay for 2/3 years.

What dilution do you use for the BAC?
I have an area prone to moss, and I’d like it killed off…

I use approx 10:1, Water:BAC50. Spray and let it dry. Don't tread in it
and walk it to other areas until its dry. I tend to wait for a dry sunny
day with no wind to spray.

The moss will die and turn brown within a day and then turn into a
powdery like substance over a few weeks but may take a month or two of
natural weathering before you get a clean surface

[Andrew]

Post by alan_m

Post by Spike

Post by alan_m
I do get a problem with quite a lot of moss growing on my
concrete tiles in this area. My solution is a garden sprayer, diluted
BAC50 and soaking the roof every two to three years.  This kills off the
moss and a few heavy rain storms in the following months will wash the
dead moss from te roof. The diluted BAC50 seems to keep the growth of
moss at bay for 2/3 years.

What dilution do you use for the BAC?
I have an area prone to moss, and I’d like it killed off…

I use approx 10:1, Water:BAC50. Spray and let it dry. Don't tread in it
and walk it to other areas until its dry. I tend to wait for a dry sunny
day with no wind to spray.
The moss will die and turn brown within a day and then turn into a
powdery like substance over a few weeks but may take a month or two of
natural weathering before you get a clean surface

Yuk. Benzalkonium Chloride, used as a preservative in a variety
of ocular-use medications like COSOPT and Latanoprost.

You don't want to get that stuff in your eyes in case you
sensitize yourself to it and ever need to use ocular eye drops
in future.

[Tim Streater]

Post by Marland
Seem to be quite a few small business setting up to do this, now I am all
for young people setting themselves up in their own business when other
paths of income are no longer available but in all honestly why , Solar
panels may benefit from a wash every so often to remove encrusted bird muck
but an ordinary roof? We’ve had roofs for thousands of years without
needing to have them cleaned,
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.
Is it just to impress the neighbours , I don’t know anyone who travels
around looking and judging people by their roofs or feels their house is
dirty because of the state of theirs Maybe I’m out of touch.

We had ours done a few years ago. The people who did it had prevously done a
good job of replacing the timbers and lead in a leaking gulley in the roof
here (the original work didn't include provision for the lead expanding in
summer, so after 20 years, the lead cracked and started leaking).

The roof was cleaned with a high-pressure spray, a number of ridge tiles were
re-cemented into place, and all the roof timbers checked for rot. In addition,
two coats of some moss repellent were applied all over.

Roof looks much nicer now, too.

[nib]

Post by Tim Streater

Post by Marland
Seem to be quite a few small business setting up to do this, now I am all
for young people setting themselves up in their own business when other
paths of income are no longer available but in all honestly why , Solar
panels may benefit from a wash every so often to remove encrusted bird muck
but an ordinary roof? We’ve had roofs for thousands of years without
needing to have them cleaned,
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.
Is it just to impress the neighbours , I don’t know anyone who travels
around looking and judging people by their roofs or feels their house is
dirty because of the state of theirs Maybe I’m out of touch.

We had ours done a few years ago. The people who did it had prevously done a
good job of replacing the timbers and lead in a leaking gulley in the roof
here (the original work didn't include provision for the lead expanding in
summer, so after 20 years, the lead cracked and started leaking).
The roof was cleaned with a high-pressure spray, a number of ridge tiles were
re-cemented into place, and all the roof timbers checked for rot. In addition,
two coats of some moss repellent were applied all over.
Roof looks much nicer now, too.

The other half of our semi had their roof cleaned 4.5 years ago while
ours was untouched. Until late last year they looked obviously different
but now they are indistinguishable. Is that about the right interval?

nib

[Andrew]

Post by nib

Post by Tim Streater

Post by Marland
Seem to be quite a few small business setting up to do this, now I am all
for young people setting themselves up in their own business when other
paths of income are no longer available but in all honestly why , Solar
panels may benefit from a wash every so often to remove encrusted bird muck
but an ordinary roof?   We’ve had roofs  for thousands of years without
needing to have them cleaned,
OK sometimes moss grows but it usually dries and falls off in Summer.
Is it just to impress the neighbours , I don’t know anyone who travels
around looking and judging people by their roofs or feels their house is
dirty because of the state of theirs Maybe I’m out of touch.

We had ours done a few years ago. The people who did it had prevously done a
good job of replacing the timbers and lead in a leaking gulley in the roof
here (the original work didn't include provision for the lead
expanding in
summer, so after 20 years, the lead cracked and started leaking).
The roof was cleaned with a high-pressure spray, a number of ridge tiles were
re-cemented into place, and all the roof timbers checked for rot. In addition,
two coats of some moss repellent were applied all over.
Roof looks much nicer now, too.

The other half of our semi had their roof cleaned 4.5 years ago while
ours was untouched. Until late last year they looked obviously different
but now they are indistinguishable. Is that about the right interval?
nib

Two houses opposite me had this done about 8 years ago and they still
look clean compared to neighbours. Maybe it helps that both houses
have east-west roofs so plenty of sunlight on both sides.

Mine is North-South, great for solar PV but the North flank gets very
little sun and inside the loft it suffers from condensation when the
weather turns from mild/muggy to below zero as we go from late autumn
to winter.

My problem is the gang of Rooks who peck away at the moss looking for
insects every morning. Then the wind blows the dislodged lumps of
moss off.

It is noticeable how much grit is now being lost from these Marley
Modern flat files (1976), after every gale and a couple of houses
have been re-roofed