Black streaks on asphalt shingles look like mold, but they are actually algae colonies that have formed on your roof, feeding off moisture and limestone filler agents. Whether or not your shingles have been treated with algicide by your roofer, you’ll see this problem crop up so it’s going to pay to know how you can clean your roof and remove unsightly stains.
What You’ll Need
- Full-body safety harness
- Garden hose with spray nozzle
- Nontoxic, noncorrosive roof cleaner
- Supplemental water pump
What You Don’t Need
- Bleach – Chlorine bleach is a corrosive product that can damage metal flashing, lighten roof color and harm surrounding landscape with its runoff.
What to Remember
- Choose the right day – Keep tabs on the weather forecast for your area, and schedule roof cleaning on a day that’s cool or overcast with little to zero wind. These conditions are ideal because they ensure your cleaner of choice properly soaks into your asphalt shingles to effectively remove algae colonies.
- Prepare the work area – Remove outdoor furniture near where you’ll be working to keep overspray from getting to them. This will save you time in cleanup later.
- Be proactive – To prevent stains from reoccurring, use a stain-blocking solution after cleaning your roofing. Make sure you follow label instructions for best results.
Need Help?
If the above sounds too tedious, or you simply don’t want to go up your roof for safety reasons, you can always entrust your roof cleaning to professionals. Aside from already knowing what to do exactly, they are also equipped with the right tools and equipment to not only facilitate the cleaning process, but to keep them safe as well.
When it comes to addressing your roofing needs, from roof repair and cleaning to replacement, you can’t go wrong with trusting Tedrick’s Roofing. In business for more than 25 years, we offer only quality products and services to guarantee best results for you. To learn more about what we can do for you, simply give us a call at (206) 824-3440, or fill out our contact form. Request a FREE estimate today! We serve Federal Way, WA, and the surrounding communities.