Removing Algae From Slate Roof

Clean up any organic matter on the roof such as twigs leaves or other debris.

Removing algae from slate roof. Step 1 fill a bucket with with warm soapy water. If your household water pressure isn t enough to generate the proper nozzle pressure at the jets the manufacturer recommends boosting it. Lichen can be a tough growth to remove due to the symbiotic relationship between the fungus and algae. 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.

Step 2 use a stiff brush such as a pushbroom to scrape away any stubborn mold or lichen patches still remaining. It is a powder. In addition to rotting and possibly damaging your roof organic material is one of the chief growing places of both moss and lichen. Algae is just a thin film of organic growth that can be removed by washing the roof with certified organic oxygen bleach.

If necessary dip a toothbrush in the soapy water. 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. Moss is a thick organic growth. What you do is put it into a pump sprayer spray it on the roof and you need to keep the roof wet.

Copper strips prevent the growth of moss and algae. Roof moss removal and algae tips. The way to clean off roof algae is to go ahead and mix up some oxygen bleach with water. Often the damage is hidden under overlapping slate courses and becomes apparent only when the roof starts to leak.

Scrub the slate vigorously to remove the algae. Fortunately removing algae from slate is fairly straightforward. Start at the top of. Use a mild dishwashing soap that does not contain acids such as lemon or lime.

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. 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. Roofing manufacturers have tackled the problem of roof algae by creating shingles containing copper which is deadly to algae. Moss is thick algae is paper thin.

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. Lichen and green moss growth on a slate roof. Also slate is slippery when wet. Wet forget is a safe roof cleaner that will remove lichen without any scrubbing or scraping.

Roof moss removal usually requires a broom or heavy stream of water. Step 2 dip a nylon scrub brush in the soapy water. The upper part of the ladder will lie flat against the.