Roof Cleaning 101: What Are Those Black Streaks on My Roof?
Maintaining your property doesn’t always involve DIY projects. Some tasks are best left to the professionals.
Roof cleaning is one of them. At Softwash Ranger, serving Morristown, NJ homeowners, we (as our name implies) use the soft wash method. This professional approach to roof cleaning involves removing algae and other debris without the risk of damage associated with power washing your roof.
However, if you haven’t scheduled roof cleaning often enough in the past, you may notice black streaks forming on your shingles. You might also not be sure what they are.
Keep reading if these black streaks have appeared on your roofing. This guide will explain what they are, and why this is a problem you shouldn’t ignore.
Morristown, NJ Roof Cleaning Pros Explain What Those Black Streaks Mean
Black streaks on your roofing naturally detract from your home’s curb appeal. This makes it very difficult to feel pride in ownership. Perhaps more importantly, the lack of strong curb appeal will result in financial problems if you ever choose to sell your home in the future. Quite simply, if black streaks on your shingles are one of the first details a potential buyer notices when they see your home from the street, they won’t consider it to be valuable, and thus won’t be willing to pay very much for it.
That’s of course an important fact to remember. However, black streaks also pose an immediate risk. That’s because those black streaks are signs of Gloeocapsa magma, better known as roof algae.
Roof algae typically begins to form when its spores or cells land on your roof. If your roof offers these spores sufficient moisture, they’ll start to multiply.
This causes numerous problems. First of all, to protect its cells from harsh sunlight, roof algae develops a dark pigment which essentially functions as sunscreen. That’s why roof algae leads to black streaks. Unfortunately, dark colors absorb more heat from the sun. That heat transfers into the house, forcing you to run your cooling equipment more often. Your energy bills will rise significantly as a result. Additionally, you’ll put a lot of wear and tear on your cooling system, reducing its overall lifespan.
Unfortunately, that’s by no means the only problem you’ll face if you allow roof algae to continue growing unchecked. Roof algae also eats away at your shingles. This forces you to run your HVAC equipment even more often due to lack of proper insulation. Damaged shingles also leave your home vulnerable to rainwater or snowmelt. If that water leaks inside, along with water damage, it can create moist environments that allow mold to develop. You’ll need to hire professionals to address these issues.
On top of all that, you’ll have to replace the damaged sections of your roofing. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may have to replace your entire roof.
These are all very costly problems. Luckily, they can be avoided. All you need to do is schedule regular roof cleaning service. Doing so will prevent roof algae from taking hold. Even if roof algae has already started to develop, scheduling roof cleaning service sooner rather than later will halt its progress, minimizing the damage.
Scheduling Roof Cleaning for Your Morristown, NJ Home
Again, roof cleaning is not a task you can handle on your own. You need the proper tools and expertise to effectively clean your roof. Rinse it with a hose, and you won’t clean it thoroughly enough. Take a power washer to it, and you’ll damage your roofing.
Instead, call us at Softwash Ranger, offering roof cleaning service to Morristown, NJ homeowners. We’ll make sure those black streaks don’t cause additional problems. Get in touch today at 844-438-7638.
