Don’t Let Mold Grab Hold of Your Roof
During these brutal dog days of summer, sticky humidity tends to cause issues with many homeowners’ roofs. The warm wet weather can coat your roof with various forms of mold, mildew, and algae. The good news, however, is that while this mold looks rather unsightly—it very rarely causes any damage to the roof itself. When dealing with mold issues there a few ways to not only combat it, but to prevent the reoccurrence as well.
The Ugly Truth behind Roof Mold
Mold, while distressing to the eyes, again creates very little threat to the overall condition of your roof. Many roofs that suffer the most unattractive mold are those furnished with lightly colored shingles. Avoiding mold and algae issues with your roof can be prevented in the shopping phase. Purchasing a roofing shingle a little on the dark side in regards to color will help hide any excess mold from the naked eye at street level. The most effective avenue would be to install a roofing shingle containing copper granules, as copper naturally annihilates algae. Take, for instance, the Cambridge AR shingle we use here at RIHI. The Cambridge AR (AR: Algae Resistant) shingle is coated with copper oxide, which repels algae before it becomes an issue. Our Cambridge shingle also comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s guarantee, making this particular shingle one of the most attractive options for roofing systems on the market.
So, you prefer the look of a lighter toned shingle on your roof and you do not have access to shingles with copper granules? No problem. With just a few easy steps you can eliminate any nasty mold while also holding it at bay so it does not return.
Cleaning Moss and Mold from Your Roof
The best way to rid your roof of mold is to attack it with a solution of half-water-half-bleach. The bleach will scrub the mold from the shingles while the water will dilute the solution just enough. Just make sure to rinse the roof when finished. Also remember to NOT use a power washer akin to the ones we discussed during our conversation regarding vinyl siding washing. The high water pressure would likely damage your shingles. Another thing to keep in mind is any plants or flowers might line your house. A clever trick to protect your flower beds from bleach damage is to spray them first with water. If, however, you’re still somewhat paranoid—feel free to cover them with a tablecloth.
Preventing the return of mold can be handled by installing strips of either zinc or copper underneath a row of shingles as close to the peak as possible. These strips will bleed metal molecules down the roof during rainstorms and will subsequently eradicate the mold before it has a chance set up shop on your shingles.
