Algae On Roof Tiles

Can have moss and algae accumulate on their roofs.

Algae on roof tiles.

Algae growth on your roof looks bad. Algae stains don t show up below the metal flashing around chimneys or roof vents because the copper and the zinc coating on galvanized sheet metal are toxic to algae. Stop roof algae from coming back. Those places that receive more rainfall and have sustained high levels of humidity have more moss and algae growth as the moss and algae need water to grow and multiply.

The black streaks on your roof don t appear for everyone they usually only appear on roofs in humid parts of the country. The most common class of roof algae is gloeocapsa magma a bacterium that eats water and expels oxygen. Known as black algae or roof mold gloeocapsa magma is usually blamed on dirt accumulation mold and mildew or defective shingles. Algae growth is common on roof surfaces of several materials including asphalt shingles concrete and clay roof tiles and even slate.

To keep the algae from coming back insert 6 inch wide strips of zinc or copper under the row of shingling closest to the roof peak leaving an inch or two of the lower edge exposed to the weather. We provide a list of type of stains and colors that appear on roof shingles and on other. That way whenever it rains some of the metal molecules will wash down the roof and kill any algae trying to. Whenever it rains trace amounts of metals are washed down the roof inhibiting algae growth.

Often algae that is identified as green when studied microscopically also looks black or quite dark on a roof surface. In the hundreds of thousands though algae such as pond scum seaweed and the algae blighting your roof can cause real damage. Roof algae generally have a black green hue. People who live in all parts of the nation and have roofs made from all sorts of materials wood metal asphalt clay or concrete tiles etc.

Random moss spots here and there are easy to clear but the excessive build up of algae and moss is pretty hard to remove. It s actually just a blue green algae spread by airborne spores. Use a roof scraper to scrape the extra debris from the tiles. If your household water pressure isn t enough to generate the proper nozzle pressure at the jets the manufacturer recommends boosting it.

It discolors your tile roof absorbs heat unevenly and absorbs moisture. Algae grow most often on wood and asphalt shingles or concrete tiles especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. You may think you have roof algae when really you have moss mildew or mold. Just be careful to not damaging the tile.

One alga plant is unlikely to cause a fuss on your tile roof.