Your roof tiles are turning green and mossy – what is that?
If you’ve lived in the same house for years you may not have noticed the lichen growing and your roof looks the same to you as it always has. But if you’ve just looked up for the first time in a long time or you’ve moved into a new home you might be shocked to spot all that green algae-looking gunk growing across your lovely roof.
There is lichen on your roof.
What is lichen? Does it matter and can you just leave it?
We’ll explain – let’s take a look.
What is lichen?
Lichen looks like a green algae, although it’s technically classed as a fungi. It grows all over the place, particularly pavement, decks, furniture and roofs.
What causes lichen to grow on roofs?
Like most things on our planet, lichen likes moisture and warmth. That’s why Victoria is the perfect breeding ground for this pest. Our seasonal weather with warm summers and plenty of rain throughout the year helps lichen get nice and comfy.
Circumstances can make your roof an even more appealing place for lichen to live, such as gutters that are infrequently cleared, fallen debris on the roof and poor rainwater drainage. All these factors add to the moisture level on your roof which then encourages lichen on your roof, and in turn if this lichen isn’t in a spot that gets the sun regularly there’s every chance its sticking around.
Should I remove lichen from my roof?
You have a lot going on, is this now another job you’ve got to do? Do you really need to remove lichen from your roof, it’s not doing any harm right?
Wrong – lichen can cause damage to your roof.
Roofs are engineered to direct water away from the home. Anything that’s getting in the way of that is going against the point of the roof and will cause problems.
Lichen will begin to develop roots which will grow into your tiles and roof causing damage. But, more significantly, lichen absorbs moisture, and this moisture will freeze in the winter and expand. That then can lead to cracked roof tiles.
Moisture is a big no, no – for homes anyway. It leads to mould, which is dangerous for your health. So, anything that’s not supposed to be there and is creating moisture on your property, needs to go.
Lastly, lichen is a bit of an eyesore, so if you plan on selling your home, leaving years of lichen on the roof tiles, you will degrade the value of your property.
We find the most common reason to get Moss/Lichen removed from houses we work on is a refreshed look for your roof.
So, how do you remove lichen? Well, here’s how…
How can I remove lichen from my roof?
You can remove lichen from your roof tiles using a solution of vinegar, bleach and soapy water. If you have 1 single tile to clean up, then no problem – get that lichen gone.
However, we have never seen a house with just 1 lichen-covered tile. Where there’s 1 lichen-covered tile, there are many and cleaning up huge amounts of lichen with a bucket of vinegar solution and a sponge would be very time consuming, exhausting and dangerous climbing around a roof.
The best way to remove lichen from a roof is to ask a roof cleaning specialist. They will complete the job safely, remove the mess and ensure there’s no damage to your tiles and roof.
Here’s our roof repair team removing lichen from roof tiles:
And here is the before and after from a home our roof specialist team cleaned. You can see the incredible difference once the lichen is gone.
Before/After:
Lichen is a green algae-looking growth that spreads across roof tiles due to moisture and warmth. Without removing lichen, it will continue to spread and will cause damage to your roof tiles and home.
The best method for removing lichen on roof tiles is to call in roofing specialists who can remove it quickly and safely.
What is lichen?
Lichen looks like a green algae, although it’s technically classed as a fungi. It grows all over the place, particularly pavement, decks, furniture and roofs.
What kills lichen on roofs?
You can use a solution of vinegar, bleach and soap, but the best method for removing lichen on roof tiles is to call in roofing specialists who can remove it quickly and safely.
How do you get rid of lichen?
The best method for removing lichen on roof tiles is to call in roofing specialists who can remove it quickly and safely.
How do you stop lichen growing on roof tiles?
The best way to prevent lichen growing is to keep moisture away from your roof by removing debris and clearing your gutters regularly. You can also seal your tiles with a waterproof coat that protects the tiles and prevents moisture build up that leads to lichen growth.
