Roof moss removal is a topic which is often expounded upon by people who have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about.  These self-professed “experts” often claim that the only way to clean moss from a roof is to walk up onto the shingles with the biggest, baddest power washing apparatus you can find and start blasting the stuff off.  What these ill-informed contractors don’t know, however, is that there is an easier and safer way for most situations.

To be blunt, if you want to kill roof moss then you’d be wise to take a look at chemical cleaning methods first.  There are chemical solutions that can be gently applied to roof moss which will completely destroy it and the root system without the need for any sort of power washing.  If you’re using the right detergents with the correct ratio then the moss should turn from a green to a whitish color right before your eyes.  If it turns a white color then you know it’s dead.

Once you’ve used an appropriate roof moss killer then it’s just a matter of time before Mother Nature rinses the nasty stuff away.  It might take a week.  It might take a month.  The bottom line is that once the moss is dead it just needs some heavy rain to finish dislodging and rinsing off the roof on its own.  Yes, this little nugget of roof cleaning wisdom is not well-known but the true professionals are fully aware of it.

This method for cleaning roof moss should be sufficient for most situations where there is only minor or medium-grade moss growth, but I should add the caveat that it may not be enough for some scenarios.  If your roof moss is so thick and widespread over your roof that it looks like a carpet or huge rug then you may need to resort to low-pressure pressure washing.  I know, for example, that roof cleaners in the Northwest must often utilize power washers for moss removal because it’s so widespread and thick, and I don’t blame them for doing so.  Just remember to be careful and use common sense if you must do this because roofs can be easily damaged by pressure washing if not done expertly. 

If you have moss on your roof the worst thing you can do is just let it run its course.  If allowed to go unchecked it will really chew up your shingles and drastically reduce the lifespan of your roof.  With new roofs running in the tens of thousands of dollars these days I don’t know why homeowners wouldn’t do everything in their power to extend the functional life of their shingles.  Make sure to quickly address any sort of organic growth on your roof and you will reap the savings benefits for years to come.