How to Clean Roof Stains

LESLIE: Podcasting the Money Pit, we’ve got Lynn in West Virginia. How can we help you?

LYNN: Hi, there. Well, we have a problem with our roof. It has a high pitch. And one side of it faces the north and it’s developed some bad streaks. We tried treating it with a product called Jomax With Bleach …

LESLIE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: OK.

LYNN: … and used a power washer to rinse it off; followed the directions. And we actually have treated it twice.

LESLIE: Did it go away and come back or did it just never go away?

LYNN: No, nothing has happened at all. It looks just – it may have faded slightly but it’s still very, very ugly. And our house is for sale and I think it’s preventing us from selling.

TOM: Well, first of all, the stains on the roof that are caused by moss do not structurally affect the shingle. It’s not going to make the roof leak. It’s really just a cosmetic issue.

LESLIE: Right, but it has a visual impact and she’s got the house on the market.

TOM: I understand. You’ve tried to use Jomax, which is a very good product. It’s not worked for you. The only other suggestion that we might make for you – and it’s not really a quick fix – that is to take the ridge vent and replace it with a copper or a nickel ridge vent. Because what happens is as the rain hits that metal vent, the vent tends to lose some of its metal and that acts as a roof cleaner; as sort of a mildicide …

LYNN: Oh.

TOM: … as it runs down the roof and it keeps the roof brighter. Other things that you do – and again, these are not short term fixes but …

LESLIE: What about – do you have – is it very, very shady? Do you have any access to trimming back any of the tree or the branches that might help that mold grow? If you can get the sun on it that’s really going to make a difference.

LYNN: Well, I think you’re very right. The sun is what we need. (inaudible) position of the house. It’s not the trees; it’s the way – that side of the house is the north and the pitch of it is so high …

LESLIE: It creates its own shadow.

LYNN: It just creates a shadow. And the sun comes up on the east end of the house, sets on the west and never touches the front of the house.

TOM: How old is your roof?

LYNN: It’s 11 years old.

TOM: Yeah, so it doesn’t really need to be replaced then. You know what, Lynn? I think you might just find the right buyer for that house. They’ll consider that part of the charm. (Lynn laughs)

Lynn, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.