Black Streaks on Your Roof is Gloeocapsa Magma

     Let's clear up the truth about those ugly "black streaks" on your roof.  That's not dirt.  It's actually an algae called gloeocapsa magma.  I know, that's a mouthful.  But they are also damaging your shingles as I write this.  I'm going to list some truths about this algae and some myths.

Myths:

1. The "black streaks" on your roof is just dirt
2. This is a do-it-yourself project
3. The algae just makes your roof look bad.  There's really no harm being done by the algae.
4. You need to replace your roof.  (One of the costliest mistakes a homeowner can make)
5. You can power wash your roof to clean those "streaks" off.
   

Truths:

1. The "black streaks" are a type of algae or bacteria. (Cyanobacteria to be exact)
2. The algae spreads over time through rain water creating "streaks" on your roof.  The "streaks" will become worse if left untreated.
3. Fiberglass shingles are made with limestone as a filler to make them heavier and the algae feed off the limestone.
4. You'll see the "streaks" more prominently on the North side of your roof.
5. Most "experts" within the industry conclude the algae to be harmful if left un-treated, as the growth holds moisture within the shingles causing premature aging, rotting, and/or granule loss.
6. You can clean your roof for about 1/10 the cost of a new roof.
7. Annual preventative maintenance can keep the algae from returning for a 1/3 the cost of a soft wash roof cleaning.
8. You should NEVER power wash your roof.  Doing this will cause excessive granule loss which destroys your shingles.

     In conclusion, we always tell our customers to do their homework.  There is plenty of information on the internet about this algae.  It explains what it is and what kind of damage it can do to your roof.  The technical name for this algae is Gloeocapsa Magma.  The link for the Wikipedia article is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloeocapsa_magma.  So, always be prepared and research before you have someone un-qualified clean your roof.  We have cleaned hundreds of roofs and know what to look for.  We always do an inspection of your to make sure it does not need to be replaced or repaired.  If you have dry, cracking shingles or you have missing shingles we will let you know that your roof either needs to be replaced or repaired.  We will not clean a roof that's in bad shape.  Hopefully, this article has helped you become more informed about this growing epidemic.