Moss is a very common and unattractive blight on any roof, but did you know it can actually cause damage and lead to costly repairs?

It's one of those things that we see, accept and just sort of forget about, but moss is far from benign and should be considered an invading roof threat to be eliminated.

Moss typically crops up on north-facing roofs that receive less sunlight, and these dark, cool, moisture-prone areas create the perfect conditions for moss to thrive.

So how do you get rid of these strange flowerless growths and stop them from coming back? Roofgiant will reveal some of our favourite moss-prevention secrets to keep your roof smart and intact all-year-round.

Trim Overhanging Trees And Foliage

Moss loves to grow in damp, shady conditions, so any overhanging trees or dense foliage that forms a canopy over your roof will create the perfect habitat, trapping moisture for these dense carpets to propagate.

Cut back any branches or leafy boughs as far as you can so sunlight can cover the roof for most of the daylight hours, creating a dry, unappealing surface that moss will struggle to form on.

Clear Roofs As Regularly As Possible

Similar in principle to our previous point - clearing your roof of twigs, leaves and other debris will also help prevent moss growth by creating a drier, sunnier, and therefore less attractive habitat for moss to grow.

However, if you want this tip to work, you're going to need to clear your roof regularly, particularly if there are nearby trees that shed a lot of organic matter throughout the year.

Use Copper On Your Roof

Samac's Copper Wire Coil is a clever roofing accessory designed to prevent and eliminate moss. By installing copper wire along the top of your roof and the lengths of your roof, with 3-metre spacing in between each run of wire, the copper wire will emit ions when it rains, killing moss on contact and could prevent regrowth for occurring in the future.

Laundry Detergent: The Eco-friendly Solution

Get up on your roof while it's dry, sprinkle a cheap biological washing powder over the surface and wait for it to rain. Leave up there for a minimum of 3 days before scrubbing away the dead moss and debris. Bio washing powder uses natural enzymes to break down the moss, which is a far safer method than bleaches and other harsh chemicals that can cause toxic runoff when applied, harming the environment and potentially causing damage to other living things in your garden.

The Kitchen Solution

Looking for an easy moss-killing solution you can put together using items in your kitchen? Poor a gallon (or 8 pints) of water into a bucket, add a tablespoon of vinegar, around 400-500g of salt and a few generous squeezes of a soap bottle. This easy to prepare mixture, when applied, will sink into the moss thanks to the soap and draw out the moisture, helping to kill the moss with help from the salt and vinegar.