Benefits Of Hiring A Roofing Contractor
Mold is typically the result of algae growth. Mold spores can easily become airborne, jumping from roof to roof. That is why you may see a mold problem in a certain neighborhood. Certain conditions are more favorable for mold, such as roofs with leaks or wood rot. Oftentimes, the presence of mold is a sign that there other roofing problems exist. While you may not visibly see roof damage, that does not mean that damage does not exist. When you call in an experienced roofing contractor, underlying roof problems may be found. Making these repairs can reduce the likelihood of mold growth in the future.
Do It Yourself And Save Big Bucks
Professional roof cleaners charge hundreds of dollars the bigger the roof, the more hundreds youll spend. And they have to repeat the cleaning every few years. If your roof slope isnt too steep and youre comfortable working on it, you can clean it yourself and save the dough.
Youll need a full-body harness, a garden sprayer, a garden hose and a nontoxic, noncorrosive roof-cleaning chemical. Some manufacturers sell a special tool applicator and rinsing tool, but if the staining isnt severe, you may not need them.
Assemble A Team And Get To It
Three hardy people can tear off and felt a roof in one day, but be careful. Only tear off what you can safely protect from the weather the same day, especially if youre working shorthanded. It always takes longer to weatherize than you think! Tear off the areas farthest from the trash container first. That way you wont tear up the new felt paper when you haul the rest of the debris to the container.
Go over the wood surface with a fine-tooth comb after tear-off. Pound in protruding sheathing nails and remove any leftover shingle nails, then sweep and install ice and water barrier and felt.
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How To Remove Mold Mildew And Algae
Again, while we dont encourage it, you can handle mold, mildew, and algae yourself. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to completely remove the stains and streaks, otherwise, they will just come back. If you have an asphalt shingle roof with mold, mildew or algae, there are several ways to effectively remove it.
If you dont want to buy a product, you can also create a cleaning solution by mixing 1 part oxygen bleach cleaner with 1 part water. This can be sprayed or poured over the affected area of your roof, killing the algae. Let the solution sit for 30 minutes before cleaning with a hose. If you choose to use this method, please be careful. Algae, mold, and mildew can make your roof extremely slippery when wet. Better yet, spray your roof from a ladder or call the professionals!
Last but not least: Do not pressure wash your roof. This can cause lasting damage to your shingles, reduce the lifespan of your roof, and cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs.
Guide For Algae & Moss Removal On Your Roof
If you live in the South, Midwest, or another region of the country that has warm, humid summers, you may have noticed stains and streaks showing up on your asphalt shingles. These stains look a lot like moldbut in fact, much of this so-called mold is actually blue-green algae . In some cases, what looks like mold might be more properly classified as moss.
In less frequent instances, the streaks on the roof actually are mold, which can be very dangerous for your family and more difficult to get rid of. The most serious mold cases can cause asthma, headaches, and other health problems, so its crucial to understand the difference.
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Should I Use A Biocide Or Fungicide During Roof Mold Cleanup
Use of fungicidal encapsulants may reduce but not eliminate the risk of future mold growth, primarily, or more lastingly because such encapsulants reduce the future uptake of moisture in the wood materials.
Fungicidal chemicals themselves can be expected to break down over time and should not be relied on as âmold proofingâ.
See these articles for details on using mold sprays, fungicides, coatings, encapsulants in attics
In our roof interior photo at left you can see antique roof framing along with black stains and probably some mold growth from a long history of roof leaks. Even in this case, in our OPINION the reasons to remove and replace roof sheathing and framing would normally be based on the condition of the roof framing and sheathing, not on the presence of mold or stains.
We remove mold from roof framing and sheathing
We replace rotted or unsafe roof framing or sheathing, combining that work with a new roof covering as well.
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How To Remove Roof Shingle Stains
Black or green shingle stains from mold, mildew, or algae can be unsightly. If left too long, they can also eat away at the asphalt granules and begin to compromise your roofs integrity. Its important to clean away the mold/mildew/algae on your roof here, our roofing experts tell you how to remove roof shingle stains with a cleaner:
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Proper Way To Use Bleach Solution To Remove Mold
Add 50% of chlorine bleach and water to a sanitized pail. Be sure to wear a breathing mask as well as rubber gloves. To the bleach solution, add a spoonful of trisodium phosphate. Fill a pump sprayer halfway with bleach solution. Spray your roof shingles liberally with the solution. Permit the bleach to soak for at least 15 minutes, once you have sprayed the roof shingles with the solution, based on the intensity of the mold growth. Rinse them well with a low-pressure garden hose. This will ensure the bleach solution is completely removed. Begin rinsing at the peak of the impacted shingles and move downward. Move your fingers throughout the shingles while you are wearing gloves. If slime is present on your shingles, use the bleach solution again and leave it on for an additional 10 minutes. The roof can then be rinsed once more.
Mold On Roof Use These 11 Tips To Remove It
Mold on roof: this can cause serious harm to your home. Use these 11 tips to remove mold from your roof and keep your home safe and secure.
Without a doubt, your homes roof is one of its most important structures. The roof provides support, climate control, and safety it also adds value and aesthetics to the residence. Its a major investment that will last many years if properly installed and maintained.
However, there is a silent attacker: mold on roof.
Although most people are aware of the ruinous effects of things like loose shingles, missing soffitt, and storm damage, few are able to recognize hazards posed by mold.
Following these guidelines youll learn how to identify a mold problem, how to prevent it, and how to get rid of it.
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Tips On Removing Mold From Your Roof
Finding mold on your roof or under the shingles can be quite alarming. The best way to respond to this is to get a thorough mold inspection in the attic to determine fully the condition of your roof.
Molds are not harmful to the roof but they will definitely make the roof look bad. Typically, a moldy roof consists of algae, moss and mold.
Algae may look slimy green, black or in blue-green streaks. Mosses are tiny plants that grow in dense vibrant green mats that can cover your roof. Roof molds are typically from inside the attic.
Mold growth is often due to the presence of roof leaks.
Option One: Household Bleach
Algae stains can be removed with the mixture of household bleach and water. With this method, you spray wash the roof with a mixture of water and bleach to kill the bacteria. Pressure washers are not advised because of the damage they can do to the shingles. Before washing your roof, be sure to wet down any foundation plants with water. Rinsing everything around the houses foundation with water protects them from being affected by the bleach. Simply wash them down with clean water afterwards to prevent long-term effects. Applying a bleach or chlorine-based solution with gentler methods kills moderate algae, moss, and fungus growth almost instantly.
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So When Is A Roof Tear Off Necessary If Ive Got A Moldy Attic Or Cathedral Ceiling
When the roof sheathing is rotted or damaged, or when other structural repairs are needed, a tear-off is unavoidable.
When attic surfaces or insulation contain a large reservoir of toxic or allergenic mold, AND if the area were inaccessible, say because thespace is too small to enter, then it may be necessary to remove some portion of roofing to give access for remediation, particularly if there is evidenceof transmission of problem mold from that space into the living area.
This article is part of our series: MOLD in BUILDINGS which describes how to find mold and test for mold in buildings, including how and where to collect mold samples using adhesive tape â an easy,inexpensive, low-tech but very effective mold testing method.
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How To Prevent Black Streaks On Roof
If youve already removed the algae from your roof once and you want to make sure you dont get it again, or if youre building a new house and you want to make sure that your roof doesnt get those black streaks from algae, there are 2 things you can do to prevent the algae from forming:
#1 Look for algae-resistant roof shingles which have either copper or zinc added to prevent the algae from forming.
Heres how AR roof shingles work:
If exposed to sunlight, the ultraviolet rays will readily break down asphalt shingles. Thats why the shingles you see are covered with the small colored ceramic granules. These create a powerful sunscreen and offer you different colors to match your exterior decorating scheme. Many shingle manufacturers make shingles that have special colored granules that contain copper. These help to prevent the ugly black roof-algae stains you might see on your existing roof or that of a neighbor.
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How To Remove Black Mold From Roof Shingles
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Which meansonce you remove all the King James double negatives with his usual vigor and intelligence to mold a performance that was nothing less than spectacular. Throughout the evening
Its generally not necessary to pressure-wash a shingle roof for the purpose of If your problem is black mold, use a cleaner compounded to remove mold. green moss will come off more easily
Finding out that you have black mold in your home can be a nightmare. Not only does black mold smell foul and make your house look unclean, but its presence can also cause serious health problems, including stuffy nose, sore throat, coughin
If you had chickenpox as a child, you might remember the itchy red bumps that covered your skin. Maybe you stayed home from school resting and drenching yourself in calamine lotion. If you did have chickenpox, its reassuring to know that i
Remove debris such as twigs The leaks location on the bottom of the roof deck may be stained black or white or may have mold or mildew, Roof vents are a major source of roof leaks.
The Benefits Of Removing Moss
While you may not necessarily have to remove the moss-covered shingles before a new roof installation, you should consider it. There are many benefits of removing the moss-covered shingles, including:
- Reduce long-term costs: By removing the old roof, you keep the opportunity to double-up roof layers during your next roof replacement. The maximum layers of shingles allowed to be on the roof, according to most building codes, are two. So, once you use this strategy, you must tear off both roof surfaces during your next roof replacement.
- Maintain home value: Are you planning on selling your home soon? A properly replaced roof is more likely to appeal to potential buyers, while a poorly replaced roof may negatively affect your home value.
- Avoid the risk of damage: You can avoid all of the risks listed earlier in this article by simply removing all of the moss-covered shingles.
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Option Two: Oxygen Bleach
For those against using straight household bleach, oxygen bleach is another alterative in eliminating algae stains. Oxygen bleach uses hydrogen peroxide versus sodium hypochlorite as an oxidizer. The result comes in liquid or powdered form for an eco-friendlier choice.
Once mixed with water, the power or liquid eliminates all foreign specimens without taking the color out of your shingles. In addition, it doesnt affect the vegetation surrounding your home. Using a pump sprayer, spray the solution on the roof continuously for 10 or 15 minutes. The oxygen bleach attacks the roof algae directly and begins to take the stains away.
After the allotted time, take a scrub brush and lightly scrub the shingles. Apply more solution while you work for a deeper clean and hose off the roof once finished. If needed, repeat the previous steps until the stains are gone.
Other special products for removing algae include:
Two: Wash Down The Solution
Leave the roof with the solution for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow the solution to soak the mold properly.
Oxygen bleach will start killing them and loosen up from their place. Then it will take away the stain. 20 minutes later, take a long handle soft bristle scrub brush. Lightly brush the shingles.
Harsh scrubbing is not advised. It can lift up the roof shingles from their position. Rinse it off with your garden hose. Dont use high pressure while spraying on the roof.
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Whats The Difference Between Mold Mildew And Algae
While many homeowners believe that black roof stains come from mold, mildew or even soot, its actually caused by an algae. There are a few important differences between algae, mold and mildew.
The good news is that algae is less harmful than mold and mildew, making it more of an aesthetic problem than a health concern. The bad news is that sometimes homeowners struggle to tell the difference between mold, mildew and algae.
What Are Those Ugly Black Streaks On My Roof
Although these dark spots and ugly black streaks on your roof may look like dirt, mildew, soot or mold, what they really are is algae. The most common type is known as gloeocapsa magmaâalso known as blue green algae.
This algae growth usually begins as small spots and then eventually becomes visible streaks. By the time this algae is noticed by the homeowner, it has usually been on the roof at least two or more months.
Why does this algae appear to be black? Gloeocapsa has the ability to form a protective darkly pigmented outer coating that shields the algae from damaging UV rays. This is what makes those unattractive black streaks on your roof!
Although algae can be found on all types of roofing, it tends to be most common on asphalt shingles.
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How To Get Rid Of Algae On The Roof
You could replace all the roofing with new shingles dark enough to disguise the staining, or with shingles laced with copper granules, which are lethal to algae. But that would only make sense if the shingles were worn out.
The less expensive solution is to spray wash the roof with a 50 percent mix of water and bleach to get rid of the algae. Just be sure to wet your foundation plantings first, and rinse everything in clean water when youre done. Plants dont like bleach, and wetting them with plain water first protects them.
Removing Moss And Algae From Asphalt Shingles: The Bottom Line
Preventing algae and moss from growing on your roof is easier than trying to remove it. Removal can take several months before the moss can be blown away, revealing clean shingles underneath. Always keep your roof clear of overhanging branches, and clean your gutters regularly. If your roof in Tampa needs repaired thanks to unchecked moss growth, contact Code Engineered Systems today for a free, no-obligation quote.
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How To Clean Your Roof
There are several ways to clean your roof from moss, algae and mold. Use these tips as your guide when cleaning your roof.
Some homeowners are considering roof waterproofing in order to prevent moisture and mold growth. While its good to initiate for your roofs maintenance, getting help from an exceptional roofing company is still your best option.
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