Moss and lichen on a roof, deck or patio is more than ugly — it is structurally damaging. Moss holds moisture against the substrate, lifts shingle edges, rots wood, accelerates freeze-thaw cracking on concrete and pavers, and creates slip-fall hazards on every walkable surface it covers. Lichen anchors with rootlets that physically bond to the substrate and will continue to grow even after the visible portion is removed. Both require a chemical treatment to kill them at the root — pressure washing alone simply blasts off the top and leaves the rootlets behind to regrow.
AquaShine treats moss and lichen with a combination of zinc sulfate and approved biocides applied at low pressure and allowed to dwell. The treatment kills both organisms at the cellular level. After dwell, we soft-rinse the surface — never high-pressure on shingles or wood — and the moss falls away. For roofs we always pair the moss treatment with a full soft-wash to take care of the gloeocapsa magma (black streaks) that almost always accompanies moss growth. For decks and patios we follow up with our wood or paver restoration cycle.
The most important part of moss treatment is prevention. After the visible growth is gone we install zinc-coated strips along the roof ridge (for roof moss) or apply a long-term biocide treatment to decks and patios. These keep moss from returning for 3–5 years.
Most moss treatments run $279–$799 depending on coverage. Roof moss treatments are usually bundled with a soft-wash for a discounted package price.