Kill Algae On Roof Shingles

When leaves and other material collect on your roof a perfect bed is formed for moss and lichens to grow.

Kill algae on roof shingles.

Roof lichen is a combination of both algae and fungus. Once the roof is clean you can prevent the algae from coming back by installing a three inch strip of copper at the top of the roof. Bleach and other detergents however do the same thing. Simple cover your plants just as painters do.

That moss then collects rainwater like a sponge. Remove moss and lichen from your roof with vinegar. Using bleach is recommended by most shingle roof manufactures and the arma asphalt roofing manufactures association. How to safely remove algae moss from roof shingles.

The ugly black red green or brown stains on your roof are likely algae or moss. Here are some major roofing manufacturer s warranty statements. Living in a humid area of the country like florida you ve probably seen your asphalt shingle roofs with unsightly dark streaks on them. To keep the algae from coming back insert 6 inch wide strips of zinc or copper under the row of shingling closest to the roof peak leaving an inch or two of the lower edge exposed to the weather.

What happens is the algae grows and becomes food for the moss. Moss and algae breakdown these protective layers shortening the lifespan of your roof. The organisms use your roof shingles as food which slowly deteriorates the materials. That way whenever it rains some of the metal molecules will wash down the roof and kill any algae trying to regain a foothold on your shingles.

Every time it rains a tiny amount of copper will wash down. When these two depend on each other they can grow living organisms. Also see warranties for roof shingles. Lichens will use roots to attach securely to your shingles making them difficult to remove.

Algae resistance provisions of asphalt roof shingle warranties are limited in coverage and scope. The most effective method of cleaning algae and moss from a roof is w ith a 50 50 mix of laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and w ater. A blue green algae known as gloeocapsa magma could be the reason you have the algae which is spread by airborne spores sometimes it can also be caused by an accumulation of mildew mold dirt or defective shingles. Bleach is particularly bad because it will get underneath your shingles and leave behind a tough dirty residue as it dries.

If that top layer of moss gets heavy enough the moisture seeps under the roof shingles and into the understructure. If left untreated lichen can eventually take off the top layer of your shingle leaving a permanent scar on your roof. Roof shingle algae stains and roof warranties. Moss itself is a plant while lichen conisist of a fungus and a photosyntheizing plant living together.