Black streaks on shingle roofing in Portage, IN – particularly in shady, moist areas – are caused by a species of blue-green algae: Gloeocapsa magma, often called “black mold.”
Mold diminishes your home’s curb appeal and makes your roof less reflective, resulting in the sun’s heat warming it more – which means your cooling system has to use more power.
Although black mold won’t cause significant structural damage to the shingle roofing on Portage, IN, homes, professionals still advise homeowners to remove it.
Here’s how to do it safely and efficiently.
Roof Cleaning Methods to Avoid
Professional roofers in Portage, IN, advise against pressure washing shingle roofs. The blast of water knocks granules off the shingles and can crack them.
Roofing contractors in Portage, IN, instead recommend applying water at low pressure, a process known as soft washing.
Any responsible roofing company in Portage, IN, will discourage using chlorine bleach or a proprietary biocide to kill black mold. Such chemicals will kill the mold – and everything else!
Chlorine bleach is toxic. Working with it is a hazard to human health, and the run-off will harm your plants, pets, soil microbes, wildlife in nearby streams, and more.
What Should You Clean Your Roof With Instead?
Roofers in Portage, IN, recommend oxygen bleach (hydrogen peroxide) – a much safer and more environmentally-friendly cleaning agent that is equally effective.
The burst of pure oxygen that hydrogen peroxide delivers to the algae colonies on your roof kills them. However, as the oxygen disperses into the water, it becomes harmless to most other life forms.
Some people advocate using a solution of liquid dish soap and scrubbing the shingles with a scrub brush before rinsing with clean water. However, oxygen bleach is far more effective, and soft washing is gentler on shingle roofing in Portage, IN.
The Dangers of Cleaning Your Roof Yourself
Cleaning your own roofing in Portage, IN, may seem like a smart money-saver. However, working on roofs is inherently dangerous.
A professional roofing company in Portage, IN, has the training, safety equipment, and experience to operate in relative safety – not to mention insurance against accidents.
Cleaning your own roof has the potential to result in a life-changing injury. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment if you insist on doing the job yourself.
Preventing Future Mold Growth
If you have copper flashing, you’ll notice that the black stuff doesn’t grow near it.
Copper is a natural biocide. Every time it rains, a few copper atoms wash off the flashing and over the shingles, killing any organisms that are trying to grow on them.
Get roofers in Portage, IN, to install strips of copper a few inches wide all along the ridgeline of your roof, and never again will you have problems with black mold (or other organisms) growing on your shingles.
Final Thoughts
As with most roofing issues, your local roofing contractor should be your first call when you first start to notice black streaks on your roof.
Professional roofers can act fast to remove the growths safely – with no damage to your home, landscaping, or the roof itself.
