What to Know for Your Roofing Project
- Make sure your roof is properly flashed with quality materials
- Know the many different qualities of shingles before you start the project
- Make sure your roof is properly ventilated
- Make sure your roof has a waterproof leak barrier
- Make sure your roof has a waterproof leak barrier
Things to Watch Out For:
- Soiled & stained roofs may breed pollutants, vegetation fungus & algae
- Missing, cracked & curling roofs may cause structural damage & leaks
- Roofing decay may be caused by poor attic ventilation
- Blistering & peeling paint may be caused by moisture & humidity
- Interior ceiling stains may be caused by worn shingles
- High home energy costs may be caused by poor roof insulation
What do the Black Stains on my Roof Mean?
Those are algae stains. It prominently appears on the lower sections of the roof as dark spot as and dissipate as you get closer to the ridge of the roof.
What is the Cause of the Algae on the Roof?
Algae is prominently spread from one roof to another by spores randomly landing from neighboring infected roofs. The algae protects itself from UV sunrays by creating the dark colored layer.
How does the algae grow?
Moisture in the air is the primary source of nutrients for algae. Algae is prone to growing in areas of high moisture, such as humid climates, beach property, or areas that experience a lot of rainfall. Algae will also concentrate in the northern parts of one’s home as it receives the least amount of sunlight. Algae is an extremely versatile plant and adapts well to extreme conditions.
What Not to do?
A common mistake that homeowners make is power washing the algae away. This can not only damage your roof, but you may miss some algae. With all the water that was just sprayed onto your roof, you’ve provided it with a source of nutrients to grow. This may lead to premature roof failure.
What Solutions Do I have?
You can install Algae resistant roofing such as GAF-Elk shingles. These shingles exhibit algae fighting formulated granules that will protect your home and keeping it like new.
What GAF-ELK Shingles Can I use?
GAF-Elk designer lifetime shingles come with stain guard protection nationwide and are available exclusively through Joe Percario General Contractors. The only exception is the Grand Sequoia style of shingle.
