Roofs can lose as much as 50% of their service life if not properly cleaned!
Roofs start to darken and turn black due to a cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) called Gleocapsa Magma. This algae-like bacteria attacks the surface of roofing material. Some are nitrogen fixing and need no nutrients to grow, while others have a filament root system that eats (decomposes) the roofing material. Like a tree’s roots breaking through concrete, these tiny plants feed on all types of roofing material like an all you can eat buffet. These decomposers break down shingles with their filament root system, they have a hunger for the limestone filler and create acids from their waste. Additionally, it creates unnecessary heat as the colony grows and darkens your roof.
Roofs, whether shingle, tile, slate, shake, membrane, or metal will lose as much as 50% of their service life from infestation of these microorganisms. This loss in service life can cost a homeowner thousands of dollars in lost service value and replacement costs.
What makes a real difference? Adjusting your thermostat from 76 to 78 degrees can save up to 14% on your electric bill. Watching your lighting use can save as much as 20% per month. The same goes for a clean roof. Black colors absorb heat. Lighter colors reflect heat. Cleaning your roof can save as much as 40% off your electric bill. Based on this one fact, most roof cleanings pay for themselves within one year.
Your roof and other areas of your home are like a high school science experiment, growing cultures of bacteria and fungal strains that may be dangerous to your health. Mold, mildew, fungus and algae are all on the Top 10 Allergy Irritants list. Mold and Fungus are the known culprits in Sick Building Syndrome and moldy areas are one of the top environments looked for in Legionnaires Disease outbreak.
Algae is like a weed. We have been taught that if you pull a weed and don’t get the root, the old weed just grows right back. Our process is more like pest control rather than pressure washing. We use a chemical that will kill the entire plant. You must break its bond on the surface and penetrate all the way to the root to achieve a 100% kill ratio.