The Chemistry behind ROTban and Why It’s Better

So you have moss, algae, and other unsightly green growths on parts of your yard, siding and roof.  This problem is worst in shaded / wet areas of your yard.  You also notice that the algae loves your vinyl deck.

You get out the scrub brush and pressure washer a couple times a year, but it’s a never-ending cycle of work.  Now you know how Cinderella felt.

What Promotes Moss Growth? How Does pH Affect Algae Growth?

There are several factors involved in nature cultivating good algae / moss on your siding, retaining walls, roof, and decking.  Conditions must be right, and our Vancouver climate is ideal for growing moss.  A moderate temperature is essential, with little sunshine and a moist environment.  Moss & especially algae require little to no soil for growth, so they flourish on most surfaces.  One other often overlooked factor in moss & algae growth is pH.  For those who don’t know, pH is a measure of acidity – a lower pH means more acidic.  It means more hydrogen ions are around to interact with its surroundings.  Most of the plant world revolves around pH (and nutrients).  Every plant requires a specific pH range to grow.  Some plants need more acidic soil (eg fir trees), whereas other plants need a more basic (less acidic) soil to really do well (eg your lawn).  Moss & Algae are no different.  Moss and algae do well in slightly acidic environments.  This is why you will see moss growing under shady fir trees. Try growing grass in a forest!  Treating your moss-laden grass with lime (very high pH) is good for the grass, but not the moss there.

Algae on Vinyl Siding & Decks

Now that you know the moss & algae like an acidic environment, you can extrapolate that to understand why some areas of your yard may see algae before others – like your vinyl deck or siding.  Vinyl breaks down in sunlight.  The breakdown products are acidic.  This runoff creates an area that algae just love.  Add in shade and some moisture, and you have yourself a no-maintenance algae grow-op.  Our general environment here tends to be acidic.

Home Remedies to Remove Moss & Algae

You have two options.  Physical removal or chemical removal.  Physical removal (such as pressure washing) is a lot of work, potentially damaging, and there is nothing preventing the moss from coming back right away. It’s like dirty dishes or laundry in a house of 10.  If you own your home, you have likely heard of using bleach, laundry detergent, zinc strips, or some other home remedy.  These all work in principle, partly, and for a while.  They all produce a basic solution which counteracts the acidity of your roof / deck / retaining wall, etc.  Zinc strips will create it’s own streaking mess. You can spot a roof with zinc strips from literally a mile away.  I’d rather have a mossy roof!  If you want to spread detergent all over your roof, you inevitably will miss spots and the detergent may not stick around for any length of time.  Before you know it, you will be back on the roof, risking life & limb to de-moss your roof again, and again…

There is a product that’s well advertised and available in hardware stores.  It claims to work in seconds.  However, right on the bottle, the directions say to keep on re-applying until it works, and when the algae returns, apply it again!

Moss & Algae removal using ROTban

OK, you are scared of heights, tired of pressure-washing your home, or need a more permanent solution.  ROTban has been formulated and in commercial use for over 20+ years to KEEP moss & algae away. We can’t say how we make it keep on working so long, but ROTban increases the pH to a point where the moss & algae cannot grow.  More importantly, it is formulated so that it stays on the surface for years.  We have a really long Warranty because we can achieve that, and because we are here to stand behind it.  That’s where we are different.  That’s why using ROTban™ Service is better than the rest

Maybe you are retired and like the work.  Maybe you are not. That’s when you should call Gregg at ROTban for a free estimate!