So, the water came through the kitchen ceiling

[Capitol]

When we had some heavy rain last year, some water came through the kitchen ceiling. At the time I thought it was a problem of cracked mortar on the coping of a wall above. Anyway, it did it again this year, so I thought I'd have to do something about it when the rain stopped and the tiles dried out. Came home on Tuesday and it was pouring down, that's when I noticed the flood spurting out from the end of the guttering and over the coping. I also noticed the 20inch plant growing from the downpipe at roof level. I sent a grandchild up yesterday, as I am banned from walking on roofs if she is around, who removed the offending plant and the pile of moss blocking the downpipe. After a quick hose down, the guttering is now doing it's job and hopefully the kitchen will stay dry. I guess I'll have to caulk the mortar joints soon, but that's only a 20 minute job whilst she is out! Can we please go back to a high sulphur atmosphere, as the moss problem is a damn nuisance!

[Chris Bartram]

Is that the cause? I've lived in my house for over 20 years. In the last few, I've noticed that on the single-storey, pitched title roof of my kitchen, we have a good amount of moss, but this has only happenned for the last few years.

[Chris Hogg]

A remedy (allegedly) is to run a length of exposed copper along the ridge (wire or flat strip but I guess wire is easier to come by; strip some old 2.5mm cable). The very slow bleed of copper as it corrodes is apparently enough to prevent moss growing. Quite how you're supposed to fix it, I'll leave others to suggest!

[Brian Gaff]

Not sure, it could be climate change perhaps, but something has obviously changed as the concrete outside my back door never had moss for over 15 years, but in the last 5 its terrible. I do not think all of a sudden that the concrete has become more porous than it was. Maybe its sticky water? :-)

Brian

[Chris J Dixon]

Has anybody actually done this?

Chris

[damduck-egg]

Years back on this newsgroup there was a contributor on this group who did such a thing as part of a business, based in Scotland ISTR. possibly they supplied copper ridge "Tiles" which are another way of getting copper up there. Perhaps though these remedys just replace green /brown moss with green/brown copper stains though a stain will be unlikely to roll off and block a gutter.

Shelf adhesive copper tapes are sold in various grades. Ones sold for dolls house lighting would not be suitable as not weatherproof but some types are sold as suitable for the task being discussed. Easier to lay flat than a bit of old cable .

Now just for fun to see if rubbing the Tom lamp works. I wonder if copper strip on the roof will act as a lightning conductor.

G.Harman

[Chris Hogg]

Not me, certainly, but plenty of accounts here

[GB]

We had a copper roof once, until the house burnt down! Not a trace of moss.

[Bob Eager]

Window strip for burglar alarms perhaps?

[charles]

perhaps cleaner air?

[Jonathan]

You should be able to get adhesive copper strips in a garden centre which are supposed to deter slugs and snails. Not sure they work but the adhesive is pretty sticky.

Jonathan