Algae On Roofs

Algae will grow flush against the shingles and fixtures on your roof.

Algae on roofs. Roof algae is not harmful or dangerous in itself but after a period of time the algae can cause the protective uv granules that cover roofing shingles to begin to come off eventually drying them out. Hundreds of thousands of roofs on homes and other buildings suffer from the stains you re plagued with. It s actually just a blue green algae spread by airborne spores. If the moist surface they land on is your roof that s where they bloom.

The tiny spores of bacteria that grow into algae mold and moss are blown onto the roof from nearby trees or carried by the wind through the air from plants and bushes on the ground up to your rooftop. The black mold like stains and streaks that appear on roofs particularly light colored asphalt shingles is actually a blue green algae gloeocapsa magma. This limestone never used to be a component of shingles. They spread by releasing spores into the air.

It s a harmless algae that s gorging itself on the powdered limestone filler that s often added to the liquid asphalt in shingles to help add weight to them. Algae grow most often on wood and asphalt shingles or concrete tiles especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. Fungus which also travels through the air can combine with algae already present on your roof and form into lichen. Known as black algae or roof mold gloeocapsa magma is usually blamed on dirt accumulation mold and mildew or defective shingles.

It needs heat moisture and nutrients to grow. Moss on your roof is typically green throughout the wet times of the year but can turn greenish brown during the drier seasons. How to get rid of algae on the roof. It causes the black stains you may see on your roof.

What is roof algae. The most common class of roof algae is gloeocapsa magma a bacterium that eats water and expels oxygen. If you have noticed black spots or streaks on your roof you ve got algae on your roof. Commonly found in climates with warm humid summers it does no damage to the roofing but it certainly does looks bad.

Algae is not a plant but an organism spread by spores. Roof algae generally have a black green hue. Those spores usually require a moist surface to open. It can be brown gray blue or green.