by Groshan Fabiola

The roofing is one of the most important components of a home’s structure; besides the foundation it might be the most important because it covers the home and protects everyone and everything inside from the elements. But if your roofing shingles have been attacked by algae it can eventually become devastating to the entire structure and the whole roof might need to be replaced if the damage reaches too far. This is why regular roof cleaning to get rid of algae and other undesirables is such a good idea for any homeowner. Algae can hit the roofing structure quickly if the environmental conditions are just right. The algae will develop, rapidly expand, and before you know it the icky stuff will have covered the entire roof. Once the roof shingles have been hit by algae, there are airborne spores that can spread not only from one shingle to the next, but from one home to the next! So if you let the algae on your roof develop and spread you might quickly become one of the least popular people in the neighborhood once everyone figures out that their algae came from your roof.

Roof shingles aren’t the only materials that are susceptible to algae, although they are probably the most common. Wooden shakes, clay tile and asphalt shingles are all susceptible to algae infestation. Reputable roof cleaning service providers can rid your roof of the ugly black stains that have resulted from algae infestation. That’s right, those black stains aren’t from pollution, soot or jet exhaust – chances are that they are algae! When algae and fungus spores land on your roof and have enough heat, moisture and nutrients to grow and spread, they appear to the human eye as a series of black stains. The heat and moisture they get from the air and the nutrients may come from dirt or even from the shingles themselves, since these parasitic pests love the limestone filler used in manufacturing the granules.

Investing in roof cleaning before it’s too late can get rid of algae and fungus, keep it from spreading, and help to prevent it from coming back. While most people don’t think too much about their roofing until there is a major issue, it’s best to take care of this sort of pesky problem at the first sign of trouble. So when black marks appear, call the roof cleaner immediately.