Roof Cleaning
Celeste Gothorp , Carolina ProWash LLC
Your roof is a rather important component of your home. Aside from keeping the rain and other precipitation out, it is designed to contain the cool air that keeps us comfortable during the warmer seasons. It reflects the heat from outside and here in the South, we certainly get our share of that! Black stains or streaks on asphalt shingle roofs not only cause your roof to generally look dirty, but can also affect the shingles ability to reflect heat properly.
So, what causes these streaks or stains? Gloeocapsa Magma, a very resilient type of algae is the culprit. This algae feeds on the crushed limestone, a part of the shingle composition. When it rains, the algae is washed down the roof, causing the streaking and staining. The good news is that your roof probably doesn’t need replacing, just cleaning! A large percentage of roofs get replaced every year due to their appearance, not because they don’t function properly!
Replacing a roof due to algae stains is sort of like having your house resided when it’s dirty! Often roofing contractors don't know what these black streaks are, saying it's the asphalt showing through the shingles or that it's water stains. Other contractors may know it's algae but tell you it can't be cleaned without damaging the shingles. In either case, they may tell you that the roof needs to be replaced. This is not the case if your shingles are still in good shape. The algae can be killed and removed properly without damaging the shingles using a low pressure / no pressure chemical application or "softwash" (recommended by shingle manufacturers). [Video provided by PWNC Contractor - Dustin Cook Palmetto Pressure Clean] |
Never use high pressure on an asphalt shingle roof as doing so will blow granules off the shingles and lessen the longevity of your roof.
Roof Cleaning Is Recommended By Shingle Manufacturers. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and roof companies such as Owens Corning and GAF recommend a low pressure chemical application using certain cleaners to restore shingles suffering from roof algae, followed by a low pressure rinse. Using the cleaners and methods recommended by these companies, a safe and damage free roof cleaning can be accomplished. If your shingles are still in good shape but have roof algae on them, having your roof cleaned will allow you to get the full life out of your shingles, saving you thousands of dollars.
We do not advocate cleaning shingles that truly do need to be replaced. If you are not certain if your roof needs cleaned or if the shingles actually need to be replaced, here are some indications of an aged roof:
- brittle or crumbling shingles
- excessive amount of shingle granules in your gutters
- bottom corners of shingles curled up
- wavy, warped, or heaved shingles
- very thin or loose shingles