How To Get Rid Of Black Stains On Roof Shingles

The streaks look like mold but they re actually algae colonies that form in your shingles and feed on moisture and the limestone filler agents in the shingles.

How to get rid of black stains on roof shingles.

The streaks are caused by a type of algae known as gloeocapsa magma. While the streaks do not cause a great deal of damage they can cause the shingle to age prematurely. When that happens it is generally caused by mildew algae mold or dirt stains. It is not uncommon for roof shingles to turn black over time.

Spray the black stains first then the entire roof so the stains get a second dose. This will cover 200 sq. It could take awhile but rest assured that lichen and most moss situations once dead will eventually dislodge and rinse off the roof thanks to mother nature. After cleaning a product such as wet and forget should further fade the black stain that may remain and inhibit for a time the return.

Black streaks on the north and west facing and shaded areas of your asphalt shingled roof can really wreck the appearance of your home. They ll get reactivated by high humidity dew fog or rain to eliminate more growth. Unlike black algae stains which come off immediately with the rinse phase of the cleaning dead lichen and moss will require a few heavy rains to finish rinsing off the roof. The bleach degrades into salt which kills microbial growths and the sodium silicate does the same.

Over time this algae accumulates developing a black outer coating which causes stains on roof shingles. The black roof stains are caused by a form of algae that has been around for years typically found in the woods on the north side of trees or on exposed rocks. Roof shingles are exposed to a lot of wear and tear as extreme heat sun wind and precipitation come into contact with them. On the question of why the algae is so widespread now vs 20 or so years ago suspicion is that it goes back to the change in the materials in roof shingles in the 80 s when the base material in shingles.