Roof Moss Removal And Cleaning Guide With Costs

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Roof moss removal is an essential part of the maintenance of most domestic roof types and surfaces. This is especially true with the damp climate in the United Kingdom.

Moss tends to thrive in damper parts of the UK, usually when your roof has plenty of shade and little sunlight. These plants absorb the moisture in the air and plant their roots in your roof. This can lead to all types of problems such as drainage issues or tile and shingle damage.

Roof Moss Removal
Throughout this page we provide information about removing moss from your roof. We also go into plenty of detail about why you should do so on a regular basis.

How Do I Remove Moss From My Roof?

There are several ways of removing moss from your roof which we will walk you through. The first method is what we would recommend to prevent moss returning in a hurry. It’s important to make sure you do this on a dry day. If possible, when it’s been dry for several days so the roof is not damp.

1) If you are going to perform the work yourself then it’s critical to make sure you have a scaffold in place. Most experts will have a scaffold tower at the edge of the roof where they are working. Moss is very slippery so it’s important to make sure you are safe in case you slip.

2) The second step is to use a hard brush to get rid of most of the excess moss from the roof. You can then take a softer brush or broom to remove any dust from the tiles.

3) Once you are happy that you have got rid of most of the moss it’s time to clean up. Depending on your roof, you will now have moss in your gutters or valleys. It’s important to make sure you clean these out to prevent problems later. A gutter or valley full of moss will cause drainage problems and more damage to your roof.

Applying A Roof Moss Removal Killer

Now you have a moss free roof it’s time to apply a moss killing agent to prevent it returning. Depending on how thorough you are, this process could prevent moss from coming back for a year or more.

A good moss remover spray will cost between £20-30 with the machine. For around £60, you can get a good spraying machine with 5 litres of moss killer. Using this machine will allow you to spray a nice even layer of moss killer across the roof.

For best results we recommend letting the spray dry and applying a second layer later. The time for your roof to dry could be anything from a few hours to half a day. That will depend on the weather conditions at the time.

Getting Rid Of Moss Without A Killer Spray

Another method of getting rid of your roof moss is without a moss killer. This solution is good in the short term but will not prevent moss from returning. You could use a high pressure water cleaner to blast the moss away. Please use caution when using this method as you could cause water damage to the roof. The best thing to do is spray downwards at an angle starting from the roof ridge. This will reduce the chances of damaging your roof.

How Much Does Roof Moss Removal Cost?

The price of roof moss removal will vary depending on the state of your roof. You may only want to get rid of the moss with no cleaning agent or protection. Most roof cleaners will charge around £10-£15 per m2. The price will go up if you choose to have an extra coating for protection.

A standard terraced house will cost somewhere between £500-£750 depending on the size of the roof. This will be closer to £1000 if you want an extra coating to protect your roof from returning moss.

    Moss Removal Tool
    This is an example of a good moss removal tool which we link to in the page content.

    moss removal tool

    Why is roof moss more of a problem now?
    Because we have less power stations pumping toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. The result is less acidic rain which moss and other algae’s are sensitive to.

    What tiles does roof moss damage?
    Clay tiles tend to suffer more damage at the hands of roof moss. These tiles can lose their laminate layer and freeze if they get wet. This is why Clay tiles are more suitable for roofs with steeper pitches. This gives the tiles a better chance to dry off.

    Moss in guttering and pipework
    It’s important to clean your guttering and pipework to avoid potential damage. This can cause drainage problems and bend or break plastic piping.