Moss on Shingles

[farmboy 14]

Hi everyone....I really am wanting to clean my roof (small job by all your standards)1800 sqft house, single story rancher. I have a pressure washer and have read several threads but am afraid that I read the black stuff coming off the roof isn't the grime but tar holding the shingles together! Can anyone clarify for me the potion I should use. I have read alot of apple sauce /bleach solutions and also read simple cherry?....which would seem a bit safer. Anyways appreciate any assistance you may offer.

With much gratitude...

michele

[veteran 14]

Never use a pressure washer on shingles. You will do more harm than good. Depending on the roof, sounds like a good job for a pump-up sprayer and a garden hose rinse. Or... hire a roof cleaning contractor!

[farmboy 14]

i was thinking downstreaming with low pressure as I have read alot on here......I wasn't thinking I would use any sort of high pressure

[apsurfacesolutions 17]

i was thinking downstreaming with low pressure as I have read alot on here......I wasn't thinking I would use any sort of high pressure

Won't work you need to do some more research

[Rick2 42]

Using the "search" button will give you more information than you would want on this topic.

[farmboy 14]

hmm I thought this was an ask the pro's for the DIY er.....I am not afraid of work, in fact I love a challenge and to see a project through from start to finish. Esp to take something from old back to 'new' and shiny. Anyways I have read alot for the past 6 months. Perhaps I have misunderstood the pressure washing 'lingo' but I know that I will not be using 'high pressure' for this application. I have my tonic recipe which apparently has worked for many of you and just needed a steer in the right direction as far as how the best procedure is. NOT looking at stealing anyones trade secrets or anyones jobs......thanks anyways I will figure it out as there are people in this world who don't mind sharing and giving a bit of guidance in their fellow earth walkers!!

[Rick2 42]

No trade secrets here, pretty common knowledge in this field of work. I'll cover some of the basics, that should get you started in the right direction. First thing is NOT to powerwash a roof, you will ruin it. It's going to take a little patience to clean it but it will be worth it. You'll want to coat the roof with a diluted mixture of sodium hypochloride (a very strong bleach). Some people will call it S.H., some will call it "Love", but it's just sodium hypochloride. It can usually be bought as 12 (or 12.5) or 15 percent strengths. Call around to your local chemical suppliers. Out here I have to fill out quite a bit of paperwork in order to be a regular purchaser or this chemical. It has to be cut with water; I use about 60 to 65 percent water because I buy the 15 percent drums, not the standard 12.5 percent. The next step is the most difficult... getting the chemical onto the roof. Most of us here (myself included) run special pumps, hoses and guns designed to supply the SH. This stuff will eat through the seals of regular pumps and destroy them in a matter of minutes. Be sure your equipment has Viton seals otherwise you will have to throw it in the trash as soon as the SH begins to flow through it. A bleach pump sprayer will work but I don't recommend it because 1) you can't get the volume of liquid needed onto the roof without spending all day on the roof. 2) It's not very safe spending that much time walking all over the roof, up and down the ladder spraying a nasty chemical. A couple different things are going to happen once the SH hits the roof. The black algae will vanish in a matter of moments and the green moss will turn white. This is good. When the moss turns white you will know it's dead, just give it time to allow it to kill the tiny roots stuck into the shingles. The last part is the easiest; wait for rain to wash it all away. Depending on how severe your moss problem is it might take several rain storms to remove it, (I've had roofs that have taken several months to clean). Watch for clumps of white moss at the bottom of the downspouts. Lastly, protect your eyes, your hands, and cover any plant life you dont want killed when the SH touches it. To be quite honest with you it might be cheaper to hire a professional in your area to do this for you. Rather than buying the equipment and chemicals (if you can buy the chemicals) for a one-time job it might be benificial to have someone with experience do it. For example I would charge about 150 dollars to do a small ranch style house. For that price the customer is getting my truck, my equipment, my chemicals, my time, my knowledge and a beautiful roof when I'm finished. It's a win-win for them. If you insist on doing it yourself try to plan it a day or so before a good rain storm.

I'll add some pictures of roof that were sprayed on Saturday. I did them on Saturday because the forcast called for heave raid all this week and so far they have been correct. You'll see large white clumps of moss that were green just before the SH it them, you'll see black algae being desolved as the SH drips past it and you'll see the truck down below thit the chemical tanks, roof pumps attached to the front ladder racks and a extra drum of SH in the back. Well you should see these things, I haven't tried to upload the pictures yet. I hope this helps you. Honestly though, it might be cheaper and easier to hire someone that cleans roofs.

[apsurfacesolutions 17]

With downstreaming you can not get a strong enough solution on the roof.

[farmboy 14]

thanks Rick...I always like a challenge and wouldn't mind giving it a try. SHaring your knowledge and your TIME is much appreciated and if you were in my area. The money would be in your back pocket. There is no one that I am aware of that does this service around here.

Thanks again,

michele