Roof Soft Wash

Soft Wash Solutions uses a LOW Pressure system to safely clean your asphalt shingles. Roof Cleaning is now an accepted part of home exterior maintenance and can extend the life of your shingles. Our low-pressure, non-damaging, technology and 100% biodegradable cleaning solutions treat KILL the bacteria and organic growth on your roof.

The algae, Gloeocapsa Magma, the one that leaves those signature black streaks all over your shingles, thrives in humidity and hot temperatures and spreads out, having a destructive effect on your roof. It feeds off the moisture that certain types of shingles hold on to. While the roof is effected, it begins to lose its ability to reflect UV rays and eventually rots the shingles. This has been said to effect roofs severely and can take up to 10 years off the life of a roof

CLEAN SIDE

Fact: Algae, or Gloeocapsa Magma, can spread... from one infested roof to another via the release of airborne spores. As more homes are built closer together, this hardy algae has been able to spread rapidly.

LOW pressure Roof Washing and Soft Washing

Roof algae is a plant-like bacteria whose spores are carried in the air, so it easily spreads from rooftop to rooftop where it thrives thanks to our hot, humid climate. The most common type of roof algae – gloeocapsa magma – shields itself from the sun’s UV rays by producing a pigmented sheath that results in the dark discoloration seen on your roof. Algae growth may appear as just a few small dark spots at first, but as it gets established, extensive brownish-black streaking can develop quickly.

Black Roof Algae

The black “stains” on your roof are actually large colonies of airborne algae called Gloeocapsa Magma (Cyanobacteria). They affix themselves and eat away at the limestone filler found in shingles. As they eat and grow, they readily reproduce into more algae. Eventually billions of individual alga cover the entire roof surface; destruction to your roof system will gradually occur over time, potentially leading to premature replacement of your roof. .

Lichen

Lichen holds moisture in place against surfaces, which speeds up normal wear and tear. When this surface moisture freezes in cold temperatures, it can lead to frost damage to roof shingles and other exterior surfaces.This can cause your roof shingles to bend, warp, and even separate from each other over time. If the lichen causes damage to your roof, it may cause the expected life of your roof to be dramatically shortened, and your roof might need to be replaced sooner.
Another good reason to remove lichen is because your homeowner’s insurance rates could increase if it’s left untreated. Your insurance company can send out inspectors to drive by your home and note if there are any changes. If the inspector sees that your roof is covered in lichen, it could give them a reason to raise your rates or even cancel your policy. Your insurance agency might ask you to clean the lichen because it can cause serious damage to your home over time.

Moss

Mosses have root-like appendages called rhizoids, which drive into the shingle to anchor themselves onto the roof. The mosses consequently build a thicker layer of soil by catching windblown dirt in their interlocking system of roots and upraised stems. As a result, the accumulation of soil facilitates both algae and lichen growth, and make possible the evolution of higher plants with real roots. Because mosses anchor themselves onto the shingles forcible removal causes permanent damage and will greatly speed up the need for roof replacement.