Roof moss advice needed.....

[gerrymoore]

I've spent the last week...and the week to come ...clearing the moss off my bungalow roof. We have very large overhanging (council owned) trees that seem to make the moss worse on our roof than anyone else nearby....yes I know it doesn't do any real harm but it looks bloomin awful.

The previous owners of the house spent nearly £900 having the roof cleaned and then 'sprayed with fungicide' to stop the moss coming back..a complete waste of money!!

Now my question...I have read that copper flashing across the ridge tiles will form a dilute solution of copper sulphate when rained upon which will keep any future moss at bay. This will cost around £200 if I fit it myself

and I'm happy to pay that if it means I don't have to spend another two weeks scraping...

Has anyone used copper or can give any advice - other than moving house!!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I've spent the last week...and the week to come ...clearing the moss off my bungalow roof. We have very large overhanging (council owned) trees that seem to make the moss worse on our roof than anyone else nearby....yes I know it doesn't do any real harm but it looks bloomin awful.

The previous owners of the house spent nearly £900 having the roof cleaned and then 'sprayed with fungicide' to stop the moss coming back..a complete waste of money!!

Now my question...I have read that copper flashing across the ridge tiles will form a dilute solution of copper sulphate when rained upon which will keep any future moss at bay. This will cost around £200 if I fit it myself View attachment 63429 View attachment 63430 and I'm happy to pay that if it means I don't have to spend another two weeks scraping...

Has anyone used copper or can give any advice - other than moving house!!

We have copper roofed extensions and I can say definitively that the copper stops moss and algae forming on the clay tiles below the copper flat roof.

You can see at the fore front of the photo algae on the tiles that are not under the copper roof but the main expanse of tiles that are below the copper are all clear.
The roof is about 6 years old.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

a copper wire strung across will do the same,

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks for the quick replies....so copper does seem to work....the copper wire idea sounds a lot cheaper than £200..any idea what size I would need....think some 8mm central heating type pipe might do the job??

 

[Bsmith]

Just a thought, has anyone tried spraying it with weedkiller?

 

[Migmac]

Think I would buy a decent roof ladder ,copper does work though

 

[brightspark]

i wouldnt bother scraping it .off just use a decent power washer and spray down over and as said use a decent ladder .if u have ever fell of a roof u wouldnt be using that

 

[brewdexta]

We had Kate Moss on our roof, took ages to get her off. We ended up using 3 Ryvitas and 20 Benson's to entice her

 

[gerrymoore]

I agree the ladder doesn't look too good but I have got a proper hook over the ridge and i'm lying down on the ladder to scrape the moss ( I don't even like heights...but it is a bungalow and I have a scaffolding below the ladder..... and a parachute).

I read a lot of reports..... do's and don'ts .... re power washing. The moss is really thick and strong so don't want to damage the (small) tiles..plus it's very 'moorish' once you get started..there's a certain satisfaction every time you dislodge some really thick stuff....!!

I do aim to give the roof a good 'softer' power washing when it's done but I'm more afraid of standing up with a lance than I am lying down scraping

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I would be tempted to flatten some lengths of 10mm copper pipe and screw it either side of the capping as it relies on the rain overflowing the copper and running down the roof.
Having a single piece running on the centre of the capping will have negligible water flowing over it.

 

[colnerov]

Would it not be better to wait until the summer to do this? The moss will have dried significantly and would easily be brushed off, it's probably at its strongest now with all the water on board. I hope that's your best granny knot holding those ladders together. You are a braver man than me, I don't like heights either and I wouldn't go up on my bungalow roof, because I'm not built for roofing

Colin

 

[SmartWerks]

We had Kate Moss on our roof, took ages to get her off. We ended up using 3 Ryvitas and 20 Benson's to entice her

Bag of coke or crack and she would have been down like a shot

 

[Kent]

looks like a Frank Spencer lash up job that ladder trick Could have the early makings of a u-tube hit that

 

[Paul99]

We've used flattened 15mm copper pipe along the ridge in the past - must work as we haven't been back since to repeat the moss removal. Forget power washers if it's thick you'll be there for ever - I've tried. Better to scrape then wire brush it off when its almost bone dry after a spell of hot weather. As for spraying it - forget glyphosate based weed killer and get hold of patio / algae remover (acetic acid based) - it takes month or so before you notice it turning brown but it's the best stuff we've come across for the job. Spray it a couple of months in advance and it's easier to scrape / brush off too...

 

[gerrymoore]

I may change this thread to read..roof ladder advice needed... ...I've set a video camera up for a possible YouTube upload moment

All (mostly) very helpful hints. Conerov.... I would have waited until summer but not sure what day it's on this year!!

Paul99 thanks for the hint of using flattened 15mm copper pipe..re the 'fungicide' - I have a gallon can of Jeyes fluid..would that do the trick??

 

[Paul99]

Paul99 thanks for the hint of using flattened 15mm copper pipe..re the 'fungicide' - I have a gallon can of Jeyes fluid..would that do the trick??

The old / original Jeyes fluid would most definitely worked but the modern stuff - I very much doubt it - it's gone useless you could always try it though..

 

[gerrymoore]

Paul...I think this is the old stuff..bought it a couple of years ago off ebay and the tin was rusty then but it's never been opened!! Any idea what % solution I should use? I've just checked on ebay..I can get 30 metres of 15mm copper tubing brand new for £45...sounds a bargain!!

 

[Kent]

I may change this thread to read..roof ladder advice needed... ...I've set a video camera up for a possible YouTube upload moment

All (mostly) very helpful hints. Conerov.... I would have waited until summer but not sure what day it's on this year!!

Paul99 thanks for the hint of using flattened 15mm copper pipe..re the 'fungicide' - I have a gallon can of Jeyes fluid..would that do the trick??

Sorry was just thinking about the advertisers revenue I don't see what is so bad about moss and such personally, this time of year the birds like to gather such for nesting and it does create quite an eco system

 

[Cobbler]

I can't imagine the smell if you coated your roof with Jeyes Fluid, it smell bad enough when you put down a drain. Over that sort of area it would stink the town out, can't even blame it on the dog!

 

[Paul99]

The problem with moss is that keeps the surface of the roof tiles damp all year around which quickly ends up damaging the tiles. More a problem in winter where the moss between the tiles holds loads of water the freeze thaw action can split and crack tiles which even the most eco friendly tree hugger would want to avoid.

As for strength I can't remember and I can't put my hands on our tin to check. Vaguely recall something like 15:1 for fungus / algae growth but could be wrong. Make sure though if you do use it that there is no rain forecast for a day or two wouldn't want it getting into soak away / watercourses especially if it is the old stuff...