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Why is My Roof Dark and Streaky?

Living in a humid environment (welcome to Houston!) allows roofs to grow certain kinds of algae and trap dirt.  The result of this is dark, streaky, and unsightly asphalt shingle roofs.  The most common culprit is a blue-green algae called Gloeocapsa Magma.

Here is what this commonly looks like.

Is this Algae Really a Problem?

Although it may seem only cosmetic, this condition if not cleaned and remedied can cause damage to your roof.  While the roof is effected, it begins to lose its ability to reflect UV rays and eventually rots the shingles. This has been said to affect roofs severely and can take up to 10 years off the life of a roof. Soft washing is the only way to effectively remove this algae without damaging the shingles and voiding any warranty.

How is This Problem Fixed?

At Still Waters Power Washing, we have years and many roofs of experience when it comes to the Soft Wash process.  You certainly want to have a professional handle the cleaning of your roof of this pesky algae. Use of high pressure, incorrect chemicals, or incorrect technique can lead to damage to your roof.  Plus it’s dangerous walking a roof so leave that to us and stay clean while we get dirty cleaning your roof.

Can Black Streaks on Your Roof be Prevented?

The short answer is no.  The algae that causes this issue is passed through airborne spores and they are a part of nature.  It helps if people in surrounding neighborhoods kept their roofs clean and free of this pesky build up as it would not spread as much or as fast.  However at the end of the day, it can and will happen again.

Keep your gutters clean and free of debris and promptly remove leaf and branch buildup on your roof. Some believe that installing Zinc or Copper flashing may help as their anti-algae properties will be spread when it rains helping to keep the algae at bay.  This preventative technique, however, only works in very limited areas on your roof.

While all of these ideas can and do help to keep your roof performing optimally, routine cleanings are also an important piece of your regular home maintenance plan.

 At Still Waters Power Washing we pride ourselves in the Soft Wash technique and are experts at Soft Washing your roof.  Contact us for a no-obligation estimate and discussion today.

Roof Washing Katy Texas
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