One of the many enquiries and questions I get asked is about moss, when to remove moss, or what problems does moss cause, is moss a problem? The most common problem I come across over the years with roof related issues with moss is that the gutters get blocked, also moss blocks the down pipes which restricts the rainwater flowing from the roof which can then fundamentally cause other problems elsewhere. It can also fall onto the drive and this means you are constantly getting that broom out and sweeping the drive or path clean. Some people can live with moss and others can’t but when is the the time right to remove moss? Well, if you are getting problems with the gutters and down pipes or you look at the roof and you can’t see it only a big blanket of moss, this I when you should be considering to remove the moss. In all the years that I have been removing moss I tend to find that moss mostly appears on more north facing properties or roofs that are surrounded by trees or in the shade. There are many ways in which you can remove the moss but the most effective and safe way is by hand, this maybe labor intensive but this makes sure that the moss is carefully removed from what ever roofing covering you have clay, slate concrete etc., this will also ensure that no damage has been created in carefully removing the moss especially if you have an older roof this will definitely make sure that the roof covering continues to protect and makes your house water tight. There is also another option that I always get asked about and that’s jet washing, power washing it can come under many names, these are ways in which I would avoid, one of the main reasons is that the high pressure water which will remove the moss but will also remove and damage the tiles underneath and not know about it until the jobs done and you start to see a leak/stain on the ceiling, especially on older roofs, I have also seen roofs that have had moss removed by power wash and taken of the top layers of the colour and loses its outer layers i.e. the colour and drastically change the look at the roof. Although this is a quicker method but a method that a lot of people don’t understand it. There are also chemicals that you can spray on the roof, I would avoid this also as this also doesn’t always work and also could effect the wild life, there are company’s that generally do spray an anti-moss spray but if your roof is a much older roof generally speaking moss generally returns regardless, the most effective way that we have found is by hand removing the moss by hand not only does this ensure the integrity of the roof but also ensures that the roof coverings are not effected by doing so. When is the right time of year to remove moss? Well, I always tell my customers to avoid winter as this time of year the temperatures are very low and it is cold and the moss tends to freeze and this makes it harder to remove, it is also very dangerous and slippery on the roof, the right time of the year in my opinion is spring or summer time as moss generally dies back in the summer months. Should you remove the moss? Well, this depends on the problems it is causing. Do you have a few millimeters of moss that is fine or a few inches of moss that can be a problem, it will also hide that the fact that you may have a broken tile and you wont be able to see it. This can be causing more problems for the future, it also blocks your gutters and down pipes as previously mentioned above. Maybe next time you step out take a look at the roof and see how much moss you have, if your uncertain give us a call.