How Did My Roof Get Algae

The most common class of roof algae is gloeocapsa magma a bacterium that eats water and expels oxygen.

How did my roof get algae.

Algae spores are airborne. Thousands of roof on homes and other buildings suffer from black streaks. All of these options have been tested and show clear signs of decreasing and eventually preventing algae growth. This is what makes those unattractive black streaks on your roof.

Roof algae prevention tips. You may think you have roof algae when really you have moss mildew or mold. Algae grow most often on wood and asphalt shingles or concrete tiles especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. Roof algae generally have a black green hue.

Common algae that form on roof surfaces including asphalt shingles and roll roofing include the algae shown above and gleocapsa magma a species that generally appears black on the roof surface but under some lighting conditions even on the roof gleocapsa magma can appear as a blue green color as might other algae genera species. To remove roof algae a solution of oxygen bleach can be applied to the roof shingles and then rinsed off. Why do shingles get algae. Gloeocapsa has the ability to form a protective darkly pigmented outer coating that shields the algae from damaging uv rays.

When it comes to preventing algae there are in fact several things homeowners and roofers can do. The roof algae is doesn t harm the shingles but looks bad. That way whenever it rains some of the metal molecules will wash down the roof and kill any algae trying to regain a foothold on your shingles.