How to Affordably Keep Moss Away, FOREVER!

Living on the west coast means living with roof moss and knowing how to deal with it. Fortunately, you have us in your corner to help you know how to tackle roof moss affordably, effectively, and perpetually. If you're not interested in reading about all the ways that some companies will sell you on roof moss products that don't work, skip to the last paragraph. For the sake of transparency, I'm going to quickly touch on all the common ways that some companies convince customers to fork over heaps of money on solutions that don't really work.

What You Need To Know About Roof Moss

Now, this probably isn't what you want to hear, but roof moss doesn't simply go away in a one-and-done solution. It is a perpetual problem that, for as long as wind blows and rain falls, will keep showing up on your rooftop. Roof moss, like any moss, comes from tiny, microscopic spores that float in the wind and collect in small cracks or wind-sheltered areas on your roof. There, during our notoriously rainy fall, winter, and spring, it thrives as it soaks up moisture and sunlight. Moss needs virtually nothing else to grow - just water and light. So, how the heck do you take care of it once and for all?

Harsh Chemicals To Treat Or Prevent Roof Moss

There are a number of chemicals that roof moss does not like. Zinc, copper, and other metals are often bonded with sulfides to create powerful chemicals that you might think would work great if simply sprayed onto your shingles. The problem is, these chemicals don't stick around very long. Exposure to the sun, rain, snow, and ice degrades and washes them away. They do the job of killing what's there, but in terms of long-term effectiveness, they fall short. What's worse is that these chemicals end up as run-off that collects in your storm drainage. Storm water runoff is untreated, which means it directly affects nearby streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and eventually the ocean. Chemicals like zinc sulfide and copper sulfide are known to cause some serious ecological issues and may even be illegal to use for the purpose of roof moss treatment or prevention, depending on who you talk to. It's worth pointing out that MossAway exclusively uses eco-friendly treatment solutions that are specifically designed for the purpose of treating asphalt shingle rooftops for moss, algae, and lichen - but more on that later.

Roof Sealant To Treat Or Prevent Roof Moss

Surely sealing your shingles with a sealant will keep the moss off, right? Well, no. To be quite honest, I'm really baffled by how some companies can sell these products to customers in good faith. Moss just needs a place to land followed by a bit of sun and moisture and sealing your roof does nothing to stop that from happening. It does, however, keep your roof shingles from breathing as designed which can actually worsen the situation with aging shingles. This is according to a number of roofers we've asked about the product - and believe me, we've asked around. Being in our business, you naturally want to find the very best solution for your customers and I truly wish this was a good one. But in the end, it seems to be nothing more than selling people on the faint hope that it will do some good, long-term - and it's an expensive bet, to say the least.

Zinc Strips To Treat Or Prevent Roof Moss

You've probably been told that zinc strips are a good way to keep moss away. If you haven't, you've likely seen those dull strips of silver metal dangling from under your neighbors ridge cap and wondered "what the heck are those?". For a long time, zinc strips were sold as a way to keep moss gone, but the folder in my camera roll fully dedicated to pictures of moss growing under zinc strips would argue that it is in fact, yet again, nothing but expensive snake oil. There may be some places in the world where these work, but the west coast seems to be beyond the limits of the capability of zinc strips.

So How Do You Keep Roof Moss Off Your Roof?

The answer is to keep tackling it year after year. Tackling it early and often will keep the growth from taking over your roof and keep the cost low. The most affordable way to keep roof moss off your roof is a regular preventative maintenance plan.

MossAway is Victoria's award winning roof moss removal service - and for good reason. We offer a free service called the Moss Free Membership that addresses any concerns year after year in a roof report. We even include things that aren't moss-related like missing shingles, storm damage, chimney issues, and more. 

How does it work? Each year, we schedule your free roof assessment. Our evaluator takes photos of anything that you might be interested in addressing and we tackle moss problems early, before they become expensive problems.

As you'll know if you've ever received a quote for moss removal, the most expensive service is the first moss removal & treatment. This is typically because we're reacting to the problem. The Moss Free Membership is a way to be proactive and reduce costs, significantly. Ideally, Moss Free Members should expect to spend no more than a few hundred dollars on preventative maintenance every 1 to 2 years to keep moss gone.

If you'd like to learn more about our services, please feel free to call by phone or send us a free quote request.

Contact Info

Request A Quote