I am trying to find some tips to prevent moss from growing on a red tile roof. I like the roof a lot but every few years the moss needs to be removed and its very difficult to remove it without breaking tiles. In fact, even professional cleaners break tiles when they go up there. They don't make the tiles anymore so I have to pay quite a bit for them to get replacements. Its the only drawback with an otherwise beautiful tile roof.
Copper at the top of your roof should help. They sell copper strips to help prevent moss at the hardware store.
We used Clorox Bleach for Outdoors to kill the moss and mold growing on our cedar home.
This is for exteriors. When the formula combines with water, it won't harm shrubs and doesn't damage the enviornment. It is a lye compound similar to what the previous responder mentioned.
Our shrubs were just fine, but tender plants like annual flowers were hurt. I'd put a plastic covering on it.
We cleaned our entire house which is quite large with about 4 bottles mixed according to directions. We used a plastic sprayer tank that we got at Home Depot.
Our main hospital here in Devon uses bare copper wire (about 3/8" dia) clipped just below the ridge tiles. When it rains the chemical reaction washing down kills the moss and keeps it clear.
I have used bleach to kill moss on cemetery stones, also lobster fishermen use bleach to kill algae, etc. that grows on the bottom of their boats. They put it in some type of a sprayer, like used to spray fruit trees, or a fire fighters (Indian Tank) and spray it on. That way unless the roof is extremely large you may not have to get on the tile, but spray from a ladder. If used before the moss gets very big the rain would wash off the dead stuff.
I have also heard of using the bleach to kill it, but you have to be careful of it coming down on greenery below and killing it.
There is a lye mixture that you can also try. I know it worked WONDERS on our weeds and dandelions and it did not kill any of our grass. We mixed 16-16-16 lawn fertilizer with lye and it worked very well.
Thanks for the tips but when I pour bleach on our moss it does zip. How long should you leave it ? Maybe I am not patient. I have about 1000sq ft to do so please help before I risk life and limb will it really work?
I have a similar problem on my roof which has asbestos/cement tiles. I tried using copper wire stretched below the ridge tiles, but it has not worked very well. I am told by the "experts" that I should have used a larger diameter copper wire, about 8 to
10mm instead of the 3mm electrical wire which I happened to have!
There are several hospitals in Devon. Which one has the 3/8" copper wire in the roof? Thanks
