Welcome to Family Roofing

Your roof is important to the integrity of your home & the lifespan of your roof is highly affected by the weather and its environment.  Some roofs seem to gets dirty really quickly.  If you’re in a humid part of the country, it appears almost overnight to be covered in black stains, discolored streaks and/or green mossy growth.

Algae Growth

The black streaks on your roof don’t appear for everyone – they usually appear on roofs in humid parts of the country.  Black algae or roof mold is usually blamed on dirt accumulation, mold and mildew or defective shingles.  It’s actually just a blue-green algae spread by airborne spores.

It is easily spread and causes those colorful stains on so many roofs.  It needs heat, moisture and nutrients to grow.  The sun and the humidity on your roof give it the first two.  The third ingredient, nutrients, is gained when the spores begin to eat the limestone filler in your roof’s shingles.  Feeding on the inorganic materials of your roof’s materials, they’ll continue to spread and darken until you get rid of them.

So a mossy alga that eats your roof doesn’t sound too bad on its own.  But that’s not all that it is.  It doesn’t just affect the appearance of your roof.  It affects the structural aspect of it as well, which can lead to structural damage to your home.  When the limestone and other granules are digested out of your shingles, it makes way for more problems.  Moisture and water can get in to your home through the holes in your roof and down to the wood underneath.

Mold and Mildew Growth

As you can see, the alga gets on your roof easily enough – the wind just has to blow in the right direction and there it is.  Just as easily, mold and mildew follow.  The standing water and humidity, the rapidly growing spores and wood rot, these are quick and fertile breeding places for mold.  Often the damage is done well before it’s discovered, as mold on the outside of the house is usually indicative of mold on the inside of the house.

You can’t prevent spores of algae and moss or mildew from landing on your roof.  But you can prevent growth.  Obviously the best care is preventative care.  With regular cleanings you can get rid of the algae before it even becomes an issue, and definitely before it gives way to rot, mold and mildew.

How to get rid of algae and mold?

If your roof is super bad, make sure you consult a professional before taking action.  Why spend money cleaning a roof when it needs a repair.  In that same vein, why repair a roof when it just needs a cleaning?  But luckily (especially when paid attention to) most of the time to remove algae and mold your roof will just need a good, thorough cleaning.

One way to clean the roof of algae and moss is with a brush and a little grunt work, scrubbing and separating the greens from the roof.  Brushing should start at the top and work down, as going up could mess up your shingles.  Bleach shouldn’t be used either because it can damage your roof.  You should use an environmentally friendly and safe roof cleaning solution.

How can I stop it from happening?

Well, you can get zinc strips if you’re concerned about stopping the algae from growing on your shingle roof.  However, if you’re in a humid area and have a different type of roof, you really can’t stop it.  It is advisable to trim trees back if they’re close to your roof.  Not only will this stop small branches from falling off your roof but it will not give the algae a place to grow easier.