Removing Algae From Slate Roof

Roofs generally have a lot of metal in the form of vents gutters drains nails and cables so this can be a plus for most types of roof.

Removing algae from slate roof.

The way to clean off roof algae is to go ahead and mix up some oxygen bleach with water. Use a mild dishwashing soap that does not contain acids such as lemon or lime. Roof moss removal and algae tips. Also slate is slippery when wet.

It does not take the color out of the shingles and it does not hurt the shingles or vegetation or anything else near your home. Algae is just a thin film of organic growth that can be removed by washing the roof with certified organic oxygen bleach. Step 2 use a stiff brush such as a pushbroom to scrape away any stubborn mold or lichen patches still remaining. Copper strips prevent the growth of moss and algae.

Moss is a thick organic growth. The best access for most homeowners comes in positioning a long extension ladder from the ground to the roof at the same pitch as the roof. If your household water pressure isn t enough to generate the proper nozzle pressure at the jets the manufacturer recommends boosting it. It is a powder.

Wet forget is a safe roof cleaner that will remove lichen without any scrubbing or scraping. Moss is thick algae is paper thin. The upper part of the ladder will lie flat against the. Step 1 fill a bucket with with warm soapy water.

Step 2 dip a nylon scrub brush in the soapy water. In addition to rotting and possibly damaging your roof organic material is one of the chief growing places of both moss and lichen. Fortunately removing algae from slate is fairly straightforward. Whenever it rains trace amounts of metals are washed down the roof inhibiting algae growth.

Lichen can be a tough growth to remove due to the symbiotic relationship between the fungus and algae. To keep the algae from coming back insert 6 inch wide strips of zinc or copper under the row of shingling closest to the roof peak leaving an inch or two of the lower edge exposed to the weather. What you do is put it into a pump sprayer spray it on the roof and you need to keep the roof wet. Bayer 2 in 1 moss algae s spray nozzle creates a flat stream that is easy to apply.

That way whenever it rains some of the metal molecules will wash down the roof and kill any algae trying to regain a foothold on your shingles. If necessary dip a toothbrush in the soapy water. Algae stains don t show up below the metal flashing around chimneys or roof vents because the copper and the zinc coating on galvanized sheet metal are toxic to algae. Many people try to remove lichen by brushing and scraping it off with abrasive tools.

Scrub the slate vigorously to remove the algae. Lichen and green moss growth on a slate roof. Roof moss removal usually requires a broom or heavy stream of water.