Chemainus Moss Removal for Roofs, Steps and Paths

Chemainus sits on the dry side of Vancouver Island, and its roofs still turn green. Moss here has less to do with how much rain falls and more to do with how long a roof stays wet once it stops. In this town three things stretch that out: tall trees around the parks, damp air coming up off Stuart Channel, and roofs that have been on their houses for a long time.

The town is part of the Municipality of North Cowichan and is the southern end of the area we cover, reached by way of Ladysmith. Most jobs here are roof moss removal done by hand, often with the steps and walkways added on.

How a Chemainus roof dries, one side at a time

Much of the town is built on ground that climbs west from the harbour toward the hills below Mount Brenton, so a lot of houses face roughly east over the water toward Thetis and Penelakut Islands. On a typical gable roof that layout plays out like this:

• The side facing the channel catches morning sun, but on grey, still days in the wet season the air off the water keeps it damp well into the day. Moss here tends to be a thin, even film rather than thick clumps.
• The south side dries fastest and usually carries the least growth, unless a fir or maple stands between it and the sun.
• The north side gets almost no direct light from November to February. On nearly every Chemainus roof we climb, this is where the moss is deepest.
• The uphill side on the higher streets loses the low winter sun early, because the next lot up, its house and its trees block it.

Knowing which slope is worst tells us where the time goes on the day, and it is why we ask for photos of each side when you request a quote.

What falls on the roof here

Askew Creek Park and Echo Park (Wul’aam) put stands of Douglas fir and western red cedar right beside homes. Needles and cedar sprays drop all year, gather above the lowest rows of shingles and in the valleys, and stay wet. Moss rarely starts on clean shingle; it starts in that damp layer.

Bigleaf maple adds a fall problem. Its leaves are large, and when they land on a roof they flatten into wet sheets that can sit for weeks and leave a green stain behind. Nearer the shore, arbutus sheds leaves and peeling bark through the summer, which tucks in behind chimneys and skylights and is ready to hold water once the rain comes back.

Roofs from several eras

Chemainus started as a sawmill town in the 1860s, and the streets of Old Town still hold older houses built for mill families. Many of those have had more than one roof since. On an older asphalt roof, much of the gritty surface may already be gone, which leaves a rougher mat that moss roots into easily. We lift it in short sections and test how the shingle flexes before moving on.

Cedar shake shows up on some houses and on a good share of older garages and sheds. Shake needs a lighter touch and the gaps between pieces opened up so the wood can breathe; the details are on our cedar shake roofs page.

Out toward Fuller Lake, Westholme and Saltair the lots are larger and metal is common on shops and newer houses; our tile and metal roofs page covers those.