Everyone wants a nice, clean roof. Keeping it that way over the years takes some work, and knowing what makes roofs dirty can help you maintain its cleanliness, perhaps even prevent unexpected roof repair in the future. Roofing by Curry discusses the common causes of dirty roofs.
Falling Debris
Trees in the yard provide many benefits: they provide shade that helps keep your home cool, they protect your home from high winds, and they prevent soil erosion around your home. The other side of the coin is that trees are avenues for falling debris, such as leaves, branches, and needles. It also lets small animals such as squirrels access your roof, which may also bring debris with them as they go.
Fortunately, debris can be cleaned off using a blower or a telescoping brush, or you can simply hire a professional roof cleaning service. Avoid using pressure washers as it can damage the roof. You will also want to have the tree branches trimmed by a local arborist, who can do it without harming the trees.
Blue-Green Algae
Black streaks may not affect your roof’s performance, but it does make your roof look ugly. Black streaks are caused by blue-green algae, which thrives on conditions that roofing surfaces provide. Their naturally dark outer “skin” protects them from UV rays, so direct exposure to sunlight wouldn’t kill them.
Zinc strips can be installed at the roof ridges, which will slowly release zinc particles when it rains. If your roof is up for replacement, ask roofing contractors if they offer algae-resistant shingles, such as GAF StainGuard Plus™ shingles. It contains copper capsules mixed with the roofing granules, which slowly gets released over time and helps prevent algae growth.
Moss
Some people consider moss as an aesthetic improvement, but it can seriously damage the roof the longer it stays. Moss thrives in moist and shaded areas, so the ideal solution is to reduce the shade by trimming the trees and making sure there is no standing water in the gutters. Do not use pressure washers or scrub brushes to remove moss. Instead, use any of the various roof cleaning products that are formulated specifically for moss removal.
Roofing by Curry is one of the leading roofing companies in Southwest Florida. Give us a call at (941)-270-4770 or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Sarasota and surrounding areas.
