What are those black streaks on your roof?
Gloeocapsa Magma – a bacteria that appears on many roof tops that appears often as black or greenish streaks. It thrives on limestone and calcium carbonate that is a structural part of shingles. Moisture is critical, so this bacteria forms a hard surface that retains moisture. This is why these streaks are usually prevalent on the north side of the roof more shielded from the sun or areas under trees. It degrades the shingles over time. Slowing or stopping the deterioration will extend the longevity of the roof. Gloeocapsa magma loves to eat limestone. Older shingles used an asphalt saturated felt paper made from scrap cotton rags and wood chips. New synthetic textiles eliminated the cotton rag market, so roofing companies switched to fiberglass. They solved one problem but created another.
Cyanobacteria or Cyan Bacteria – One of the most common items is a type of over 20,000 types of algae that is not related to other algal groups, Cyanobacteria or Cyan Bacteria. Despite the name, Cyanobacteria does not have decomposing properties. It actually contains chlorophyll which traps the energy from the sunlight allowing it to grow anywhere. Cyanobacteria are capable of surviving in extreme conditions and have been found in deserts as well as Antarctica.
“The organisms arrive on the rooftop as either spores or clumps of cells. If they land on the north side of the roof, where the sun is less harsh and moisture more plentiful, the algae will have a good environment to multiply, spreading in a delta down the slope of the roof.” – Washington Post Article
DO YOU HAVE BLACK STREAKS ON YOUR ROOF? WATCH THIS!
(SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF PAGE TO WATCH US CLEANING A ROOF)
Lichens – Lichens are not single organisms the way most other living things are, but rather it is a combination of two organisms which live together. Most of the lichen is composed of a fungus, but living among the filaments are algal cells, usually from a green algae or a cyanobacterium. In many cases the fungus and the algae which together make the lichen may each be found living in nature without its partner, but many other lichens include a fungus which cannot survive on its own — it has become dependent on its algal partner for survival.
Moss – Mosses are very small green plants. Typically they consist of a stem not much thicker than a thick hair, densely covered with leaves maybe 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch long. Often moss stems branch and rebranch. Usually many mosses grow together forming a thick green carpet. Sometimes this carpet is no larger than a dime, but other times it may cover areas several feet in diameter. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wirey stems.
Reasons to clean your roof
1) Left untreated, the roof will begin to fail within a few years.
2) Left untreated, the roof will absorb excessive heat, taxing A/C systems and raising utility costs.
3) Gain maximum life expectancy of the roof, without damaging it.
4) Cleaning the roof is a fraction of the cost of replacing it. (Roughly 50% of roofs aftected by roof algae are replaced simply due to their ugly appearance. It goes without saying that replacing a roof can be very expensive. Imagine spending $4,000 – $24,000 on a brand new roof only to find out that you could have extended its useful life several years if you had it professionally treated and restored for a mere fraction of the cost!)
5) You can drastically improve the curb appeal of your home. This is especially important if your planning on selling your home!
Owens Corning feels that because of the contraction and expansion of the algae, it causes granule loss, and shortens roof life. Bad algae growth can raise the edges of the shingles, and make them more susceptible to being blown of in the wind! A dirty roof can, and will “infect” the neighbors roof’s. The mold from the roof can wash down onto the paint, driveway, etc, and start growing.
Is roof cleaning safe?
A roof cleaning company with the appropriate roof cleaners, equipment and experience can safely and effectively clean roofs to remove black streaks, mold and mildew from roofs. The problem is, most companies don’t have the proper training or knowledge to do the job correctly, they use high pressure cleaning methods or “Mix Up” chemicals without any training or knowledge of what they are doing and kill plants, cause explosions and destroy roofs! Taking the time to learn the proper methods and purchase the right roof cleaning equipment is the problem. Most roof cleaning contractors in the area rely on home made roof cleaners that they make in their garage or at your home. Mixing up roof cleaners like this can be dangerous and also unreliable, mixing them improperly can cause a chemical reaction, explosion or other serious problems. Aqua Pro Cleaning Solutions only uses safe roof cleaners designed and manufactured by our vendors, and we have been properly trained and certified to perform the job.
Why use Aqua Pro?
Finding a roof cleaning company that is trained to properly clean roofs can be tough, most roof cleaning companies use high pressure cleaning methods to blast off mold, lichen and other debris along with part of your roofing! The one thing all roofing manufacturers agree on is that the use of high pressure should NEVER be used when cleaning roofs. Some specifications set the safe pressure range at 400 PSI or less, but the best rule of thumb to use is “Use the least amount of pressure and the mildest cleaner possible to achieve the desired result” All of the roof cleaners we use have been proven safe and effective for cleaning roofs and we generally use less than 100 PSI when cleaning roofs. That’s about the same amount of pressure you would get if you covered your hose with your thumb! We are certified in Roof Cleaning by The Contractor’s Foundation and hold certifications in related areas that give us a solid understanding of proper chemical and equipment usage. We use only professional grade soaps and detergents to kill Bacteria, Mold and Mildew that’s on your roof, not high pressure!
Our no pressure roof cleaning method causes no loss of granules. Our roof cleaning method treats the stains etc. as a pest. Your roof will be the same as it was before, less the growth on it. (That was feeding on your roof) Causing a shorter life of your roof. The black stains ,GCM, are gone right in front of your eyes. The moss and lichens turn white. They become brittle and eventually flake off the roof.
Our whole roof cleaning come with a 2 year guarantee that they will remain free of algae stains.
