Roof Washing
Does your roof need to be replaced?
Many times people will see the black streaks on there roof and think it needs to be replaced. At the cost of thousands and thousands of dollars for a new roof. But is this true? Perhaps not you must ask yourself does the roof leak? Is there visible spots where shingles are missing or the wood underneath is bubbling? Or is it just dirty? If the answer to the first 2 questions are a no then a roof wash can defiantly be the most cost effective way to bring the beauty back to your home. A basic roof washing can revitalize your roof without spending a arm and a leg.
What do the roofing manufacturers recommend when it comes to your roof?
There are 2 main companies that are referred to as the authorities on roofing one is GAF which stands for the General Aniline & Film. Gaf has many articles about there roofing and one of the best is on how to explain roof algy to a homeowner found HERE. We follow all the recommended methods and cleaning supplies to clean roofs as layed out by GAF.
The second is called ARMA or the Asphalt roofing manufacturing association. There is a great articles on there main web page which goes over what is discoloring and how to treat the blue green algae Here We use the recommend cleaning methods as laid out by ARMA as well on all of our roof cleans.
Black streaks on your Roof
Have you ever wondered about those black streaks that you see around town on roofs, maybe even your own roof? The black streaks usually show up more on the north side of roofs where there is more moisture and slower dry time. They are caused by a Blue green or black algae called Gloeocapsa Magma. This algae grows and feeds on the roof multiplying slowly from the bottom of the roof to the top most of the time. These streaks are unsightly making your home not look its best. Lichen is a leafy looking organism that has small tentacles that drive into asphalt shingles to hold and feed. Whereas gloeocapsa magma looks bad but seldom does damage lichen when pulled off of a roof will have a damaged area where it was. We use only low pressure to get a soap mix that kills the Gloeocapsa Magma to the top of the roof line all from the gutter line. This gives us the ability to clean without ever getting on and walking a roof.
How do we treat those black streaks?
We only use a no pressure method to clean roofs, cleaning from the gutter line with just enough pressure to reach the top roof line. We NEVER use any type of surface scrubber or pressure wand to clean off the black streaks. The key to a professional roof washing is a proper mix of soaps that cling to the roof and kill the algae so it can naturally be rinsed away with the next rain. With the Gloeocapsa Magma when we leave it is normally totally not noticeable and when rinsed the roof gets brighter and brighter. Lichen is a different story as we use the soap to kill lichen turning it white. After it is dead it has to dry up which is when the tentacles will release and allow the lichen to slough off of the roof on its own.
Lichen On Roof->
