Roof Cleaning should be a regular part of your home’s roof care. With all of the rain, storms, lightning, wind, and threat of tropical storms and hurricanes, it is smart to wonder if you’re providing the proper care and maintenance for your roof. Neglecting your roof can lead to damage that may be expensive to repair, cause you to replace your entire roof or could cause loss of personal property through roof leaks, mold damage, etc.
In this Roof Cleaning Series, we will discuss topics related to roof cleaning in Tampa Bay:
- General Cleaning
- Getting Rid of Mold
- Focusing on Gutters
Here is continuing blog in this series regarding getting rid of mold on your roof:
Getting Rid of Mold
Florida’s daily rainstorms can be wonderful for our lawns and cool down the heat a little bit. But, it causes havoc on your roof. The rain mixed with the heat can start to create mold.
Algae stains don’t show up below the metal flashing around chimneys or roof vents because the copper and the zinc coating on galvanized sheet metal are toxic to algae. Whenever it rains, trace amounts of metals are washed down the roof, inhibiting algae growth.
Mold Resistant Shingles
Manufacturers have been mixing copper granules into roofing products to produce algae resistant shingles. Look into this type of shingle if you live in an environment susceptible to algae growth.
Chemical Cleaning
Algae stains can be removed by occasional cleaning which shouldn’t harm your roof. Repeated use of harsh chemicals, or the erosive effects of pressure washing, can damage or shorten the life of asphalt shingles. Today there are several products on the market that are specifically designed to remove algae stains from roofs. A mixture of bleach, trisodium phosphate (TSP), and water will also remove stains. The Oxygen bleach lightens stains as well and is less harmful to the environment, but it doesn’t produce an immediate or dramatic an effect as chlorine bleach.
Here are instructions on how to clean mold off roof shingles by DoItYourself.com:
Step 1 – Protect Your Plants and Lawn
Splash the plants and parts of your lawn that are close to the sides of your house with water to protect them from the bleach solution. You can also cover them with tarps or plastic sheeting, which will protect the soil around your plants as well. Make sure that you create a wide radius around your home to be safe.
Step 2 – Make and Apply the Bleach Solution
Put on rubber gloves and a breathing mask before proceeding you so you can protect your skin and your lungs from the fumes produced by both bleach and trisodium phosphate. In a two-gallon bucket, create a cleanser composed of 1/4 chlorine bleach and 3/4 water. Then, add one tablespoon of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and mix well. Fill a handheld pump sprayer with the solution, and apply it to the moldy shingles only.
Step 3 – Check for Cleanliness and Rinse
Allow the solution to soak into the shingles for at least 15 minutes. If they are severely molded, you may want to give it a little longer. Next, rinse the shingles thoroughly with a garden hose at low pressure. Start from the top shingle and rinse downward to prevent water seepage.
Run your gloved hand over the shingles to check for any slimy mold remaining after you’re finished rinsing. If some remains, apply the cleanser again, wait ten more minutes, and repeat the rinse process.
Step 4 – Take Precautions
Never use a pressure washer to wash or rinse shingles. The concentrated jet will scrape off the small pebbles on top of the shingles and reduce their water repellency, which will only make your mold situation worse.
If you have a consistent problem with mold growth on your roof, consult a roofing professional. Your shingles may be old and in need of replacement, or just in need of waterproof coating to help prevent them from getting too wet.
No. 1 Home Roofing is proud to be a GAF Certified Roofing Contractor and an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor.
No. 1 Home Roofing is a family owned and operated roofing company conveniently located on US Highway 19 in Palm Harbor, Florida. We are dedicated to providing top quality workmanship and materials to ensure that your new roof is done right. We specialize in shingle, tile, and flat roof installation, repairs, and maintenance. Contact us for an appointment and/or estimate at 727-781-7663.