What is Moss?
Moss is a small, flowerless green plant. It falls in a bryophyte family as it does not have any stem or roots. Because of this, mosses grow low and flat on the surface.
Not having a typical support system helps them to grow at places where other plants cannot. It is a plant that grows naturally on almost any surface, including roofs, sidewalks, footpath, trees etc.
Moss produces air-borne spores (dispersed seeds) that can land on any surface and in cool weather, these spores grow into moss. It grows readily on roof shingles, especially between the shingles where the spores are collected.
Moss is different from algae, lichen or fungi in a way that it causes much more damage to the roof and is difficult to remove.
Relationship of your roof with moss
As mentioned, the roof is one of the favourite places for the moss to grow, especially if the roof is shaded by trees or on the ones that are not exposed to the sun.
Sun usually causes the moss to dry up, which does not happen in the shaded region and combined with cooler temperature produces a perfect growing condition for moss. In drier weather, the moss goes dormant, turning into a rust-coloured plant.
Once established, it acts like a sponge. It absorbs the rainwater letting it seep into your roof, destroying your shingles.
You can try removing the moss yourself but to get rid of it completely you will have to use the chemicals and special tools to clean the surface.
It is recommended you always get your roof treated with a certified roof cleaner/demosser. Jones Exteriors is one of the well known and recognized organization in the industry. Based out of Vancouver Island, they can cater to your roofing needs within a day.
Damages caused by moss
The excess water collected and stored by the moss eventually find its way underneath the roof shingles through capillary action and it soaks through the roof underlayment.
Water will eat through the soaked underlayment and if not treated in time the dampness can even cause holes in your roof. This will also weaken the foundation of your roof thus making it susceptible to collapse.
High precautions should be taken while working on your roof as the moss makes the surface too slippery and wet.
What’s even worse than the scenarios mentioned above is that if you leave the moss untreated for long enough time, the dampness will wet your roof and will cause the growth of mold, bacteria and insects inside.
This dampness can lead to the majority of the respiratory problems such as:
- Development or worsening of asthma
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Hay fever
- Bronchitis
- Eczema
- And many more.
As you can see, the damages are not only monetary but also respiratory, which is even worse if you have kids living under these roofs.
Take Action
If you think you noticed moss or dampness on your roof, do not just wait for the things to get worse. Give Jones Exteriors a call today and leave the hassle on us. Our highly experienced and trained staff will provide you with the best advice.