By Daniel Weadley
© DanielsRoof.com

Roof moss growth can be controlled and even prevented by installing copper to the roof. When rainwater comes into contact with the copper a residue is released, this creates an environment that the moss cannot grow in.

The copper works best when the moss has already been manually removed from the roof. It only takes a small amount of copper residue to prevent moss spores from growing again.

If the moss isn’t removed from the roof first, then the copper will only protect a very small area, normally within two metres of the copper.

A Safe Metal to Use on the Roof

Copper is a natural metal that is widely used throughout the building industry, from water supply pipes to roof flashings.

It is much more eco friendly to use this “organic” moss killer than a moss chemical, which if used incorrectly can kill fish in rivers. The biggest problem with chemical moss killers is the excess liquid often runs into drains and waterways.

Copper only releases a small amount of residue that probably won’t even reach as far as the guttering, let alone into the streams and rivers. It is worth mentioning again that copper works as an inhibitor, it is so weak that it can’t kill off existing moss to a roof. That first needs to be scraped off.

Copper Ridge

The Copper Ridge is a unique product that is manufactured to prevent roof moss growth. It is fixed to the ridge line of the roof with screws and waterproof caps and will ensure a moss free roof for years to come. It can be used on all types of ridge tiles and is very discreet, it can be seen from street level but doesn’t draw attention.

Excess moss should first be removed otherwise it won’t work. Remember, this product isn’t designed to kill off existing growth but rather to inhibit new growth.

There are a few limitations to this product, some people have reported that it only inhibits moss growth from the ridge to a point halfway down the roof and that it can leave streaky lines on the tiles. I have seen it on several roofs and it appears to be a good product.

The moss inhibitor works best on roofs with flat tiles as the residue can spread evenly over the roof. It is not so evenly spread when the roof has profiled tiles on it. This may explain why some people have reported “streaky” lines on the roof, most likely where the moss killing residue is channeled into a grove in the tile.

Pricing

Each section of Copper Ridge is two metres in length, is 154mm wide and 0.55mm thick. It contains 99.9% pure copper aand is fairly easy for a trades-person to install.

Prices for raw copper are subject to frequent fluctuations so the cost of Copper Ridge may change more frequently than other non-metal products.

Expect to pay between £125 – £150 for 5 sections (10 metres in total) including VAT, fixings and delivery, supply only. Labour costs will vary and will depend on additional work carried out, such as removing the moss.