Removing yellow lichen from tile roof

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Removing yellow lichen from tile roof - anyone used sprays?

qwertee

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#141347 9-Mar-2014 22:27

Hello

Our roof has red tiles with areas of yellow lichen growth
Has anyone used a spray that removes this, and what brand did you use?

I am not prepared to use a water blaster or scrub the lichen off. (for safety and other reasons)

30 seconds come to mind but I would like some real life experience from people who might have used a specific brand

thanks

bener

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1001918 9-Mar-2014 22:31

Other reasons? That lichen will be pretty hard to get off with just a spray, even if you find a good one it'll likely still need scraping/scrubbing or waterblasting.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#1001923 9-Mar-2014 22:45

bener: Other reasons? That lichen will be pretty hard to get off with just a spray, even if you find a good one it'll likely still need scraping/scrubbing or waterblasting.

You can get sprays that will kill it, and they it may come off eventually. Although will still possibily been some rubbing.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79297 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1001927 9-Mar-2014 22:52

Please create topics in correct forums. Moved topic.

qwertee

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1001929 9-Mar-2014 22:58

Thanks for the feedback
Sorry - did not realise that a forum topic existed.

gzt

17149 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1001930 9-Mar-2014 23:00

Photo might be useful here to see the type and extent.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#1001936 9-Mar-2014 23:05

The lichen wouldn't happen to be south facing would it? If so, that stuff is a bugger to get off, and will likely just grow back afterwards anyway.

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8868 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1001956 10-Mar-2014 05:33

Wet & Forget claims to remove lichen from roofs:

http://www.wetandforget.co.nz/products/outdoor-cleaning/wet-and-forget.html/

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Niel

3267 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1001958 10-Mar-2014 06:09

Whatever you get (including when you want to remove mould from bathrooms etc.) be aware that many household cleaners just bleach the stuff and never kills it especially if it is well embedded in the substrate. You want something that works slowly over time, not instant. There are a few products on the market where the instructions say to spray off after a few minutes, those are the ones to avoid. Get something that you leave on.

You can never have enough Volvos!

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1001962 10-Mar-2014 07:44

Wet & Forget or 30 Seconds both have a roof spray for this. It can take several months to see a difference but it does fade eventually. Alternative is to get a roof maintenance company in. The crowd that keep ringing me a couple of times a year quote around $500...a bit steep to my mind and there scaremongering sales tactic of claiming it is going to destroy my house unless I call them in just pi**ses me off.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1001969 10-Mar-2014 08:06

For our iron roof we made up a mixture using the chlorine granules we use in our spa pool. Put it in a sprayer and did the roof (wife did the roof, our roof doesn't have wheelchair access).

Do it on a calm cloudy day, cover any plants near the house, wear old clothes face mask and goggles. After a month or two it was all gone.

qwertee

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1001970 10-Mar-2014 08:06

Thank you guys.

Some of it is on the south facing side as well.
I will try the wet and forget stuff and I understand that it takes months to fall off,
and maybe needs a repeat treatment.

The cost of getting this removed professionally is too steep, hence the DIY approach with a sprayer.

Bung

6489 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1001987 10-Mar-2014 09:30

Consumer did a test of the ADBAC type ammonium sprays and found that price didn't indicate effectiveness. Spray on and be patient.

Buzz Bumble

332 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1001991 10-Mar-2014 09:33

"Just spray ... and walk away" ... and then come back a few months later to clean out the gutters. ;-)

trig42

5814 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1002008 10-Mar-2014 10:04

We sprayed 30 Seconds (I think) moss and mildew killer on the roof of our place that had lichen growing on the dark/shaded areas. It took a while (about 3 months) but it is all gone.

It is a corrugated iron roof

Buzz Bumble

332 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1002090 10-Mar-2014 13:23

You could just leave it there and brag to everyone who visit how eco-friendly you're being and lowering your "carbon footprint". ;-)