Roof Algae
Serving All Areas of Northern Virginia, VA
Northern Virginia has the appropriate humid environment to encourage the growth of algae. The spores are present all the time, but don’t bother blooming until the climate is just right. You can see it when it starts to develop, as a dark stain on the shingles that spreads as time goes by. Roof algae make the top of your house look grimy and unkept. Although it does not do substantial damage, it looks bad. Once it starts to grow you must make a concerted effort to stop it before it takes over the roof.
You and your neighbors may be experiencing ugly, dark streaks on the roof for the first time. Even though algae spores were present on your old shingles, they starved once they bloomed. Many newer types of shingles contain ground limestone as a filler to add weight. Roof algae thrive on a limestone diet and if your roofing materials contain it, you have a problem.
There are ways to clean up the mess and prevent it from coming back. You can lightly power wash the roof or wash it down with an oxygen bleach solution to get rid of it initially. Then you can ask you roofer to strategically place copper or zinc strips under the first course of shingles near the top of the roof to discourage it from growing again. When it rains, cooper molecules wash down the roof and prevent the algae from gaining a foothold. Notice roofs that use copper flashing in the roof valleys and around vent pipes. No algae grow on the roof down slope from the copper strips.
The next time you replace your shingles, consider using the fiberglass variety with colored granules containing copper. When it rains, copper is slowly released and kills roof algae growth for the lifetime of the shingles. Algae have a “bark worse than their bite”, meaning it looks a lot worse than the actual harm caused. It is important for the aesthetic and market value of your home to keep the roof in good condition. Call us when you suspect algae is ruining the appearance of your roof. We’ll restore to the original color and keep it that way.
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