Tips and Tricks for Getting Rid of Roof Mold Permanently
How to Kill Roof Mold or Roof Algae
What Are Those Black Stains and Streaks On My Roof? Is It Mold?
Many people instantly assume that these black stains on their roof are a result of mold growth. Worse, many also jump to the conclusion that these black stains are toxic black mold. Fortunately, these black stains are not a type of mold but are actually a type of blue-green algae known as Gloeocapsa Magma.
Some may lead you to believe that this algae growth is relatively harmless and is more of a cosmetic issue than anything else. However, this is not true. The algae is eating away at components of your shingles and over time can result in a shortened lifespan for your roof.
So, What Can I Do to Get Rid of Roof Algae or Roof Mold?
Roof algae is actually much easier to treat than you might think. In fact, the Gloeocapsa Magma blue-green algae can be treated the same way that you would treat mold.
The easiest and cheapest method for treating these stains is to use a mixture that consists of 50 percent water and 50 percent bleach. This can be somewhat time consuming and can take up to an entire afternoon, especially if you have a large roof. However, it's better to put in the time and avoid using any type of pressure washing, as the pressure can result in additional damage to your roof.
How Can I Permanently Get Rid of Roof Mold or Roof Algae?
Unfortunately, treatment is not always a permanent solution and the algae can grow back in the future; even as soon as the following summer. (After all, all it takes is a single algae spore to reignite the issue.)
If your roof is nearing the end of it's lifespan and you were already planning to replace your shingles, then you may want to look into purchasing roof shingles that contain granules of copper. For algae, copper is lethal; therefore the presence of copper will prevent the growth or regrowth of new algae.
Replacing your roof may not always be an option, either due to finances or perhaps you've already recently replaced the roof. Fortunately, there is another option that can be beneficial. However, prior to using this option, you should be sure to kill any existing algae. Once your existing algae has been killed off, you can purchase and install 6 inch wide strips of either copper or zinc under the top row of shingles on your roof. When it rains or snow melts off in the spring, the copper or zinc molecules will rinse the roof off and prevent the growth of algae.
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Additional Information:
Published by Jenne Joy
Jenne Joy launched her writing career through Associated Content in August of 2008. Since then, her articles have been picked up by several reputable online publications including USA Today and the New York... View profile
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4 Comments
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Gloeocapsa Magma is a species of cyanobacteria that thrive on alkaline surfaces. It's the same crud that turns concrete drives and walks black! The ARMA (American Roofing Mfg Assoc) website gives a similar formula using bleach along with TSP and laundry detergent added. It works good enough tho two applications may be needed for the heavier stains. On roofs the most practical method is to apply the solution then let the following rains rinse off the stains. If any remain just hit those sections again. If you can't find TSP tn stores use sodium metasilicate (sodium silicate) instead. It'll leave a residue that'll kill off any remaining growth and spores for awhile. The metal strips are a waste of money. You're better off spraying the entire roof with the first ARMA treatment (1 gal bleach, soaps & 3 gal water) once a year or two without rinsing afterwards. That'll keep the crud in check until the shingles wear out.
For spraying you can use a pump-up garden sprayer or better yet, a 12 volt electric sprayer with a tank for the solution and 100 ft or more of hose. May be able to rent one from an equipment rental center or just buy one since they're great for applying cleaning solutions to home exteriors, concrete drives & walks, decks and fences. I'm a painting contractor and have been using one for 30 years for those purposes. Helps me get jobs done faster with less effort. Some pumps can deliver higher volumes at steady rates which are usefull for shooting streams up high onto unwalkable roofs from a ladder. You don't want to walk on roofing wet with these solutions since they become real slick. Always stay on dry shingles plus upwind while applying to avoid the fumes plus mists from blowing back toward you. Proper personal protection clothing is a must, too. I wear waterproof boots, pants and jacket, rubber gloves and a face shield. Never can tell when the wind will whip up and send the mists toward you. I also keep a cartridge respirator hung around my neck for quick placement if the chlorine fumes head my direction, too. Those are bad enough in bathrooms when using ready-to-use antimildew cleaners. Those solutions release 2% of the available chlorine when applied. Stronger solutions release from 4-8% upon application so the 1 to 1 mix will be quite overpowering and noxious, especially when the roof is drenched with it! The same goes if applying various cleaning solutions to other exterior surfaces. About all types sold state the same on thier labels for good reason since most are corrosive to skin and lung tissue if inhaled. Most of you probably have waterproof gear and just lack the respirator. I'd get one because they're handy to have on hand when dealing with spray applications or smelly stuff in general. I'm not trying to scare you off from doing this on your own, just giving some practical advice so you can avoid unwanted surprises.
Before buying algae resistant shingles you should examine their warranties against staining. Most state they'll pay 100% of cleaning costs the first year then prorate it after that over the warranty term. If you do have a claim later on they measure the stained areas and pay only for that to be cleaned, usually based on $15 per 100 sq. ft. So let's say your roof has stained splotches scattered all over it and the adjuster guestimates 1000 sq. ft. to be cleaned. The roof is 5 years old with a 10 year stain warranty. The $150 for cleaning is reduced by 50% to $75. The claim is submitted and the mfg sends you a voucher for $75 that a roof cleaner is to turn in for payment after the job is done. No roof cleaner will be willing to tackle that job for that sum! They usually figure that much just to show up and set up the ladders and hoses. You'll wind up paying the additional cost then and later because the stains will redevelope. The mfg's only use from 2-10% copper granules that deter algae growth. They have problems getting those equally distributed plus some get knocked off during installation and by natural weathering so some areas are still prone for algae growth. None of the roofers in my area promote AR shingles due to that fact since those can be a warranty headache they rather avoid. If customers ask them about AR shingles the contractors suggest various brand lines that don't claim to be AR yet stay algae free during their lifespan. Some mfg's have developed their own AR treatment that's used on all the granules yet don't mention it to avoid warranty hassles if they do. They generally use the treatments on their higher end products to recoup the costs.
BTW, those that advertise no pressure roof cleaning use the equivilent of straight Chlorox bleach with some soaps added. It's an old painter's trick that works well yet is incredibly nasty as for the fumes and toward anything else it touches. The ARMA website also discusses it's possible adverse effect to asphalt shingles with repeated use. Personally I found it's OK when used at their reccommended levels. Never tried it straight on a roof and figure if it was permisable the mfg's would've mentioned it.
Gloeocapsa Magma is a species of cyanobacteria that thrive on alkaline surfaces. It's the same crud that turns concrete drives and walks black! The ARMA (American Roofing Mfg Assoc) website gives a similar formula using bleach along with TSP and laundry detergent added. It works good enough tho two applications may be needed for the heavier stains. On roofs the most practical method is to apply the solution then let the following rains rinse off the stains. If any remain just hit those sections again. If you can't find TSP tn stores use sodium metasilicate (sodium silicate) instead. It'll leave a residue that'll kill off any remaining growth and spores for awhile. The metal strips are a waste of money. You're better off spraying the entire roof with the first ARMA treatment (1 gal bleach, soaps & 3 gal water) once a year or two without rinsing afterwards. That'll keep the crud in check until the shingles wear out.
For spraying you can use a pump-up garden sprayer or better yet, a 12 volt electric sprayer with a tank for the solution and 100 ft or more of hose. May be able to rent one from an equipment rental center or just buy one since they're great for applying cleaning solutions to home exteriors, concrete drives & walks, decks and fences. I'm a painting contractor and have been using one for 30 years for those purposes. Helps me get jobs done faster with less effort. Some pumps can deliver higher volumes at steady rates which are usefull for shooting streams up high onto unwalkable roofs from a ladder. You don't want to walk on roofing wet with these solutions since they become real slick. Always stay on dry shingles plus upwind while applying to avoid the fumes plus mists from blowing back toward you. Proper personal protection clothing is a must, too. I wear waterproof boots, pants and jacket, rubber gloves and a face shield. Never can tell when the wind will whip up and send the mists toward you. I also keep a cartridge respirator hung around my neck for quick placement if the chlorine fumes head my direction, too. Those are bad enough in bathrooms when using ready-to-use antimildew cleaners. Those solutions release 2% of the available chlorine when applied. Stronger solutions release from 4-8% upon application so the 1 to 1 mix will be quite overpowering and noxious, especially when the roof is drenched with it! The same goes if applying various cleaning solutions to other exterior surfaces. About all types sold state the same on thier labels for good reason since most are corrosive to skin and lung tissue if inhaled. Most of you probably have waterproof gear and just lack the respirator. I'd get one because they're handy to have on hand when dealing with spray applications or smelly stuff in general. I'm not trying to scare you off from doing this on your own, just giving some practical advice so you can avoid unwanted surprises.
Before buying algae resistant shingles you should examine their warranties against staining. Most state they'll pay 100% of cleaning costs the first year then prorate it after that over the warranty term. If you do have a claim later on they measure the stained areas and pay only for that to be cleaned, usually based on $15 per 100 sq. ft. So let's say your roof has stained splotches scattered all over it and the adjuster guestimates 1000 sq. ft. to be cleaned. The roof is 5 years old with a 10 year stain warranty. The $150 for cleaning is reduced by 50% to $75. The claim is submitted and the mfg sends you a voucher for $75 that a roof cleaner is to turn in for payment after the job is done. No roof cleaner will be willing to tackle that job for that sum! They usually figure that much just to show up and set up the ladders and hoses. You'll wind up paying the additional cost then and later because the stains will redevelope. The mfg's only use from 2-10% copper granules that deter algae growth. They have problems getting those equally distributed plus some get knocked off during installation and by natural weathering so some areas are still prone for algae growth. None of the roofers in my area promote AR shingles due to that fact since those can be a warranty headache they rather avoid. If customers ask them about AR shingles the contractors suggest various brand lines that don't claim to be AR yet stay algae free during their lifespan. Some mfg's have developed their own AR treatment that's used on all the granules yet don't mention it to avoid warranty hassles if they do. They generally use the treatments on their higher end products to recoup the costs.
BTW, those that advertise no pressure roof cleaning use the equivilent of straight Chlorox bleach with some soaps added. It's an old painter's trick that works well yet is incredibly nasty as for the fumes and toward anything else it touches. The ARMA website also discusses it's possible adverse effect to asphalt shingles with repeated use. Personally I found it's OK when used at their reccommended levels. Never tried it straight on a roof and figure if it was permisable the mfg's would've mentioned it.
Didn't realize it was algae on roofs. That's interesting.