Roof Damage From Algae

If the algae have only damaged a couple of shingles then repairs can fix the problem.

Roof damage from algae.

If you re trying to sell your home you may run into issues if you have roof algae. 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. Unlike algae moss and lichens do damage roofs both by holding water on the roof and by the mechanical damage to the roof s protective coating or mineral granules caused by both their roots and in freezing climates by the freezing action of water trapped within the roof coating by those invaders. But one plant life you don t want to see on your roof is gloeocapsa magma a blackish algae that thrives on moisture seems to have an affinity for material used in some roofing products.

They re likely to damage the shingles just be sure to wet your foundation plantings first and rinse everything in clean water when you re done. If your home has a highly reflective roofing system algae growth can affect the roof s ability to reflect sunlight. 8 ways roof algae can affect your roof appearance. No pressure washers please.

However if the algae have penetrated deep into the roof affecting most of the roofing tiles or if your roof is old and in need of a repair generally then a roof replacement is probably more suitable. One of the first problems homeowners experience with roof algae has to do with appearance. See lichens on roofs for an example. If your roof serves as an energy efficient system this could end up costing you additional money in terms of heating or cooling bills.