In the warm spring and summer months many homeowners spend extra hours outdoors working in flower beds or mowing the lawn. While keeping any yard clean and tidy can add to a home’s aesthetic charm, a few extra chores can help keep your home looking its best as well as prevent further maintenance down the road. When you spot any moss or lichen growing on a roof it’s important to remove it as soon as possible.
How to Spot Moss
Moss is a flowerless plant that appears as green clumps in shady and damp areas. That’s why it’s particularly important to keep an eye on any parts of your home that sit beneath a tree or other type of overhang. Moss is made up of tiny colonies of many plants growing together, rather than a single plant. They start small, but can grow into a much larger problem.
Here are five reasons it’s important to pay attention to the plant life taking up residence on your roof.
1) Moisture
Not all moss is easily visible from the ground; regular rain can make a roof appear clean and healthy when it’s not. It’s important to try and catch the growth of moss before it becomes an aesthetic problem from below. Moss is known for sucking up water like a sponge, which can mean rot or leakage problems later on because it holds on to the moisture instead of allowing it to drain off the roof. Immediate cleaning of any moss or lichen that appears can reduce the risk of greater damage later on.
2) Wood Rot
Like ice dams and regular shingle damage, moss can allow water to get into and through your roof. Moss, just like ice and stormy weather can easily increase the likelihood that a roof will leak or rot. It can also attract unwanted birds and insects. Wood rot can often be hard to spot, so staying ahead of it by removing moss and other growth from a roof is an excellent preventative measure.
3) Mold Spores
Beyond physical damage issues that moss and lichen can inflict on a roof, their presence can also indicate the existence of mold spores which, in turn, can lead to mold growth. Beyond protecting the health of a roof, removing moss can protect the health of the home in general, and the people who live there.
4) Gutter Damage
The growth of moss or lichen can lead to problems not only on the roof itself, but can lead to gutter damage as well. If moss falls off the roof on its own it can often get caught in gutters and lead to blockage issues. Moss can easily lead to drainage problems no matter the season. By cleaning a roof on a regular basis homeowners can not only prevent damage but prevent the growth of moss from the beginning.
5) Roof’s Lifespan
To get the most out of any roof it is imperative that it be cleaned regularly. Keeping your roof free from mold and other debris will help extend its life and help you maximize your investment in your roof.
Regular maintenance can spare homeowners much larger headaches down the road. A regular cleaning of any roof once or twice a year is usually sufficient to prevent major issues. Be advised that power washing is not always a great option, as the force can also damage a roof. When in doubt, always check with a professional. A small investment in the present can help you save a lot later on.