The other day there was an article in the Vancouver news about a tremendous amount of foam that turned up in a local stream. At the time it never dawned on me that was caused by someone trying to remove Moss from their roof. The investigation into the cause lead to a townhouse strata complex that has sprinkled Tide granular detergent on the roof of their buildings to remove Moss. Tide does contain surfactants that effectively remove Moss, however, the problem with this method is that it also contains other chemicals that can end up in our watersheds. The second problem with using this method is that there is no control over the amount of surfactant that is applied. Then when it rains the surfactant is washed off the roof, into the gutters and into our storm drain system, ending up in our watershed in copious quantities. Hence the foaming creek we saw in the local news reports.
So how can you effectively remove Moss from your roof without damaging the roof or the environment? By using a product that is formulated to do the job and safe to use . . . . there are several of them on the market. The original one, and still the best is Spray & Forget. This product was developed by a young engineer who had a problem on his own roof. While the problem he had was not moss but black streaks running down the roof from the peak. His research found that the black streaks were in fact a form of algae known as gloeocapsa magma. He began to formulate a liquid that he could spray on his roof to eliminate those ugly black streaks. After several attempts he found an environmentally safe formula that solved his problem. As the Black Algae is a form of mold he began testing on other roof growths that proved a problem for homeowners. He found that his formula also was effective in removing Moss, Green Alga, and Lichen. Hence Spray & Forget was born.
Industrial Plastics & Paints first discovered the existence of the product while attending an Ace Hardware Trade Show. Living in the Pacific Northwest we were well aware of a problem with Moss and the damage it can do to a roof if not removed. We also were aware that any physical approach to Moss removal could damage or shorten the life of the roof. Power washing is the worst thing you can do for Moss removal as it can damage the roof by driving water into the shingles or knocking off the granular coating that protects the asphalt shingle. It can even drive water under Vapour barriers leading to rotting of the wood under the roofing material. For this reason DO NOT LET ANYONE power wash your roof.
The easy answer to maintaining your roof and protecting the environment, pets and foliage around the house is to simply spray the roof with Spray & Forget. Always follow the directions and use recommended dilutions to ensure that your roof protects your home for as long as possible all while doing your part to protect the Environment.
