moss on roof - problem?

quote:

Originally posted by Fisbey:
I have moss on my roof

Moss off roof

Depends, but probably not. Environment plays a big part because if you live under a canopy of trees then it would be expected, but in a city centre maybe not.
You would want it cleaned off and the surface of the clean tiles treated to prevent re-growth, and with luck the surface of the tile will be undamaged. Moss will eventually cause the tile surface to flake which will cause the breakdown of the tile, so you need to get rid of it, but beware of firms that offer a cleaning sevice by using jet-washers. It's okay if they really know what they are doing, but too much pressure will remove the tile surface and leave a porous tile that will then break down fairly quickly with weathering. I'm talking about clay tiles here - or slate. Interlocking concrete tiles with a sand surface are a different matter and once the sand has gone you are left with a knackered tile. You can't do much with them except carefully pick the moss off as most of the tile surface will come off if you try a pressure wash. Concrete interlocking tiles are the spawn of the devil and should be banned for being cheap, ugly and put in the vault of architectural vandalism along with stone cladding and patio doors. I would rather trust a recommended roofer than a roof cleaning firm personally.

No, no trees sadly.

Bit of a pisser really as the roof was new year before last, which is why I'm puzzled as to its appearance.

The birds pick bits of it off as it falls on my conservatory roof....

I'm going to reinsulate my loft as it's not really anywhere near sufficient and see how it looks in the summer - then maybe get a 'professional' to have a look.

Thanks Rasher.

What tiles are they? If it's that new you might want to contact the tile manufacturer for advice/comment. Also, what is the pitch of the roof and what did they replace? Did the old roof have moss too? Do the neghbouring properties have moss too? (environment)

They replaced the whole roof! and yes some neighbouring properties have moss too. I'll see what the roofer says - maybe he can comment/advise.

Doesn't Kate Moss have horrid knees?

Blimey I looked in the loft last night and to my disbelief half of it isn't insulated at all...

Nice little weekend job....

Fisbey,

It may be worth checking if you are entitled to a grant to do the insulation, where there is none, before you do it yourself. Not sure who the relevant agency is in your area, but it would allow you to spend the saved cash on something else.

Regards

Nic

Thanks Nic - strangely enough I was looking into that yesterday!

Am having my house rewired in 3 weeks and will do the insulation after that (and much clearing up no doubt!)

I think my energy supplier supports a scheme at Focus do it all where you get 3 rolls of insulation for the price of 2, which is a start..

Regards

If you also have some lichen growing on the roof it is often an indication that you have good quality air flowing around and about and that is not too bad at all.

Fisbey,

Moss is usually a problem for north facing roofs (lack of sun and retained dampness)and those where shade interferes.

Stiff(ish) broom clears better in terms of tile longevity than a jet-spray (which in cold weather especially can be very harsh on tiles - I've seen used on brickwork and not good).

Insulation prices have increased enormously over last few years and check with your local authority too, as with depth of 300mm (10') advised, this is quite expensive to do and you might not want to do yourself. The amount of insulation required can be under-judged by some measure and you need a big car!