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How To Clean Moss Off Roof?

Although moss attack on your roof is a less common occurrence, but when they occur they can be very harmful to your asphalt shingles if not attended to. Generally, moss are commonly found in damp environments such as the North slopes, overhanging treses or overhanging regions of the roof which causes shade which enables moisture to be stagnant and moss to develop. If you observe a green fuzzy stuff appearing on your roof, that’s likely to be moss.

The same way algae navigated its way to your roof as they can be airborne and travel via wind, squirrels, birds or other little flying or climbing animals, moss also gets carried similarly. One moss finds its way up your roof, they’ll find spaces between the shingles where they’ll form thick spongy moss which can be difficult to clean off if you don’t know the best way to go about it.

If you’re not a competent DIYer or confident enough to carry out this task, we’d strongly recommend you hire the services of a professional who can guarantee the best results effortlessly.

The best way to go about the cleaning task for both your roof and environment is to incorporate a product called Spray and Forget or Wet and Forget. You can get these at most local hardware stores. Simply put the product into a hose end sprayer and can be applied from the ladder at the edge of the gutter or even from the ground. This method may take a up to 6 months before you’ll start seeing the results but it happens to be the safest. Another method that can be used is bleach and water which is very aggressive but provides a quicker result. However, this is best done by a professional to avoid seriously damaging your roof.

Do You Need Felt Under Roof Tiles?

Before now, roofing felt were mainly incorporated to serve as a temporary waterproof roof on a building which would later on be changed for the permanent solid tiles or slate roof. This is due to the fact that rebuilding a roof can be time consuming taking a few number of days, the roofing felt would be used to protect the structure as well as the property it contains by acting as a barrier between the house and the harsh elements such as rain, wind, snow, sleet and more, while also providing minimal insulation until the structure is complete.

However those are in the olden days, in recent times, roofing felt ( also referred to as breathable roofing membrane or breathable felt) is now being used to create a safe and waterproof roof which is long lasting and will protect your house, properties as well as other outbuildings for a long period of time while also complying with the Building Regulations. So to answer the question - yes, you’re going to need felt under roof tiles as it has been made mandatory by building regulations.

Now let’s take a look at the different functions served by felt.

✓ You’ll need felt under roof tiles to prevent the roof space from being exposed.

✓ Roofing felt protects homes where a roof has not yet been installed to serve as a temporary protective layer against the elements.

✓ Roofing felt is particularly crucial for modern homes which are constructed to be more energy efficient and work to hold warm air from escaping the house. This is great to reduce your heating bills while also keeping both you and your loved ones cosy all throughout the year.

✓ Overall, building regulations imply that an underlay underneath the slate or tiles is now a compulsory requirement.

How to repair a flat roof depends on the type of flat roof you have. We’ll talk about how to repair felt, asphalt, fibreglass and EDPM flat roofs yourself. But ultimately if you want the best finish, it’s best to ask a professional to repair your flat roof for you. Repairing a flat roof Whether you’ve got an old pour-and-roll type felt roof or a newer torch-on felt flat roof, you can get cracks, lifting around joints, leaks or dips. As a temporary measure, you can buy a special paint that you paint over cracks. For a more permanent repair, you can add a patch of torched-on felt or add a layer on top. Asphalt flat roof repair As your asphalt flat roof gets older, you may notice blisters, cracks or shrinkage and sagging around flashings. Again, you can use a paint on fix from a tin as a temporary repair, or add heat-applied flashing tape around flashing. For a more permanent fix you can use a liquid system, but many are only available to the trade market. You can also add a patch of torched-on roofing felt over a crack. How to repair a fibreglass (GRP) flat roof Fibreglass flat roofs are usually excellent, but problems can involve leaking flashing and cracks near upstands, trims or board joints. You can add acrylic sealant to cracks or holes for a good DIY repair, but a flashing problem is more difficult to fix. You’ll need to clean and sand the affected area of flashing, then laminate a 600g chopped strand mat into place, cure it and add a topcoat colour to match the roof. That sounds like a job better left to a specialist. EDPM rubber flat roof repair Rubber roofs often suffer from shrinkage when mechanical fixings haven’t been used near upstands, flashing leaks or holes or cuts. If you’ve got a small tear that you want to repair, you can add some lap sealant to the area – but use it sparingly. For a more permanent repair to flashing, buy some self-adhesive flashing that will mould into shape easily. Clean the area you want to repair, add EDPM primer, then stick the patch of flashing on from the centre outwards with a hard roller. You can add lap sealant around the edges if you want more protection from water.

How to repair a hole in a flat roof depends on what material your flat roof is made from. If you have an asphalt, felt or EDPM rubber roof, the repairs are quite simple, whereas it’s a bit more tricky if you have a fibreglass flat roof. How to repair a hole in an asphalt flat roof If you’ve got a small hole in your asphalt flat roof, you might get away with using a paint-on fix from a tin. It’s best to use this as a temporary measure to tide you over until you can get in touch with a professional. If the hole is on the flashing, you can add heat-applied flashing tape to it, or use a patch of torched-on roofing felt. There are liquid systems you can use, but usually they’re only available to the trade. Repairing a hole in a felt flat roof It's a similar process to asphalt roofing if you want to repair a hole in a felt flat roof. Use a paint-on fix for a temporary solution, but the best way to repair a hole is to use a torched-on piece of roofing felt to cover the hole and make it watertight again. How to fix a hole in an EDPM rubber flat roof If the hole in a rubber flat roof is small, you may be able to get away with applying some lap sealant to the hole. Only use a small amount, as if you go for a more permanent repair later down the line all of this will need to be scraped off. You can also use a malleable piece of self-adhesive flashing – clean the area, add EDPM primer and stick the patch on from the centre outwards. Add sealant to the edges if you want to give it more water protection. How to fix pin holes in a fibreglass flat roof If you find pin holes in your fibreglass roof, it usually means there wasn’t enough resin used at installation. To repair the holes, you’ll need to sand down the entire roof back to the clear resin. Then clean the area with acetone and apply GRP roofing resin – the acetone ensures that the resin sticks. You might need two coats of resin to get rid of all the holes.

How To Clean A Roof?

If you’re planning to clean your roof, but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place! There are different types of roofs available in the market today and the method used in cleaning one can be largely different from the other. As a result, we’re only going to look at one of the common types of roofs you’ll find in the UK - the Asphalt shingle roof tiles. This roof type is very common and for a good reason. Not only are they visually appealing but they’re also hugely versatile by design which enables them to be adaptable to varying shapes, angles as well as forms depending on your preference or needs. With all the benefits that can be derived from asphalt shingle, they however, need to be properly maintained to help retain their good looks.

To clean your asphalt shingles, you’ll most likely require some type of chemicals especially when dealing with algae stains and some other visual problems. Therefore, make sure you purchase a product marked safe to be used on this type of roof and not those only proven to remove moss and algae stains. Mix the chemical cleaner with a gallon of water and a quart of bleach or as instructed by the manufacturer. Pour the mixture inside a pump-style garden sprayer and mix thoroughly. When done, climb up on the roof and spray as good as you can. Upon completion of spraying the roof with the mixture, then allow to work its magic for some time - about 15 minutes or thereabout should be good.

After that, you can make use of a garden hose to spray down the roof and wash down the mixture entirely. If some stains remain, use a brush to gently wipe the tiles individually.

There is simply not one single answer when it comes to knowing how much would it cost to replace a commercial roof. Replacement costs is a variable which is dependent on several factors.

If you are looking to take a shot at guessing an estimate, you will first need to understand the what is need for the replacement.

YOUR COMMERCIAL ROOF IS AGEING

The first sign of replacement is definitely the age. Generally, roofs come with a warranty of twenty years. Based on your materials, the real lifespan for a commercial roof tends to be around 15 to 25 years. Depending on the maintenance and the materials, lifespan can be prolonged.

YOUR COMMERCIAL ROOF LOOKS TIRED

Compare your commercial property with other buildings in the area. If it looks pale and worn out in comparison, it is high time for replacement.

WATER DAMAGE

A sturdy roof should be able to withstand extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain or high winds. However, if a storm has caused significant damage to your roof, its structural integrity might be compromised. water damage is one of the most indicative signs for a roof replacement.

CRACKS AND HOLES IN ROOFING MATERIALS

Proper upkeep of the roofing materials is required for it to continue protecting your property. If you find any cracks or holes, bent tiles or sheets, replacing them is advisable.

SAGGING COMMERCIAL ROOF

Roof replacement is critical when your roof suffers from sagging or corrosion. Once sagging or corrosion begins, the structure becomes vulnerable to damage.

Keeping all the above factors in mind, replacing your commercial roof can range from anywhere around £10,900 to £44,000 depending on the materials you choose. Materials are available in the market from £35 to around £75 per square meter. If you chose higher or premium quality materials, price can range from £115 to £200 per square meter.

The roof is a particularly important part of the home, providing weather and water protection. Therefore, it’s important to regularly check your guttering system and clean out any debris that could cause blockages.Advice given is to consider having a mesh gutter guard to prevent the build-up of leaves and other debris, especially if you want to harvest rainwater.