It’s no secret we get a lot of rain here in Orlando, FL, and algae and lichen both thrive in our warm and moist environment. These can quickly turn your shingles ugly and steal from your home’s curb appeal, and they also can shorten the lifespan of your roof. Regular roof cleaning will take care of this problem and help you get the most out of your roof investment.
Safe Roof Cleaning Methods for Algae and Lichen on Orlando, FL Homes
Avoid These Common Mistakes
Unfortunately, too many homeowners grab a pressure washer to get rid of grime and algae. This is actually a recipe for disaster if you’ve got asphalt shingles. The intense force of a pressure washer blows away the granules in your shingles that protect them from UV rays and rain. In some cases, you might even blast shingles right off, but even if that doesn’t happen, destroying the integrity of the shingles means they will fade faster, start cracking, and begin leaking long before they should.
Another big mistake to avoid is using the wrong cleaner, like undiluted bleach or anything with strong acid. This is especially dangerous for corroding the flashing and valleys but can also damage the shingles themselves. And again, if you go scrubbing with a brush, you risk gouging the surface of the shingle and pulling off granules that your shingles need for protection.
Proven Safe Methods
The gold standard for removing algae and lichen is soft washing, which is a low-pressure technique where we use a specialized cleaning solution to gently lift and kill growths. Unlike power washing, which blasts water at your roof at thousands of PSI, soft washing only uses 500 PSI or less and relies on the specially formulated chemistry of the cleaning mix to do the real work.
Doing It Safely
We always recommend getting professional cleaning services for your roof. Not only can we offer proven methods that are safe for your roof and the environment, but we also know how to stay safe ourselves up there and have all the necessary tools and equipment. Falls from a roof are killers, and they’re very common when people try to do DIY roof projects. Adding liquid into the mix also makes the roof slick, which only makes it more likely that you’ll have an accident.
Prevention Tips
Once we’ve cleaned your roof, there are some ways that you can prevent this problem from getting bad again. First, we can install zinc or copper strips along the ridges of the roof. These will release ions during the rain that will go down onto the roof and inhibit the growth of algae and lichen naturally. We also recommend that you trim any overhanging branches that are keeping parts of your roof in constant shade. You can also get algae-resistant shingles the next time you replace your roof, and getting inspections twice a year will allow you to catch issues early and make cleaning faster and cheaper.
If you’ve got unwanted growth on your roof, contact us now at Revive My Roof. We serve clients in Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa, FL; Detroit, MI; Dallas, TX, Richmond, VA; and Nashville, TN and surrounding areas.
