As a homeowner, you seek to maintain a beautiful house and property, so the appearance of black streaks on your roof may cause frustration. These black marks indicate a Gloeocapsa magma infestation, which harms your home’s appearance and leads to costly repairs over time. Knowledge of this infestation helps you find a qualified expert to treat the underlying issue.
Airborne Roof-Killing Bacteria
Black streaks on shingles come from an organism known as Gloeocapsa magma. The bacteria can travel in search of a comfortable breeding ground.
What Is Gloeocapsa Magma?
This species is a bacterium that feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles, beginning on the north side of your roof. Over time, this bacterium spreads rapidly if not promptly addressed.
Gloeocapsa magma sometimes looks like roof algae but is a bacteria.
How Does It Spread?
This bacterium spreads through the wind. Birds or other animals also carry and deposit it on your roof.
Right Place, Right Time
Once deposited onto your roof, this bacterium multiplies rapidly. It’s best to quickly identify the threat and respond by turning to a professional for treatment.
Conditions for Growth
The bacteria thrive in moist conditions, like your shingles, and feed on the limestone material found inside them. They grow and spread the most in warm and humid climates.
Identifying Infestation
Once it settles on your roof, the bacteria multiplies across the surface, creating black marks. They are most prominent on lighter-colored roofs.
A visual inspection of your home is often the best way to identify an infestation. If you suspect one, you can turn to an expert pressure washing company to confirm your suspicions and get treatment.
Importance of Timely Action
This bacteria growth causes long-term damage. It eats the limestone on shingles, weakening the roof and shortening its life span. The dark color also traps heat in the home, increasing your energy usage to cool the house.
The black streaks also lower a home’s value and curb appeal. Additionally, the presence of Gloeocapsa magma can encourage the growth of moss and algae. The best thing to do with the bacteria is to eliminate it as soon as possible.
The Perfect Solution
The ideal solutions for removing the bacteria and its black marks are professional soft washing techniques with specialized cleansers.
Soft Wash Techniques
A pressure washing company applies cleansers to the shingles using soft wash techniques. These cleansers kill the bacteria and all growth and streaks. By using the ideal pressure, professionals improve the surface’s appearance while protecting the integrity of your roofing.
When choosing the right company for roof algae removal, be sure to do your research and select a reputable business with the experience to effectively remove bacteria while protecting your home — such as Perfect Power Wash.
Long-Term Benefits
Fortunately for homeowners, the team at Perfect Power Wash have the perfect solution for protecting your roof. Our soft wash technique is designed specifically to remove Gloeocapsa magma in the safest possible manner.
The roof treatment utilizes a safe-pressure application of a cleanser that removes roof streaks on contact and neutralizes moss and lichens. Once the cleanser saturates the moss and lichens, they will begin to discolor, break down and fall off over time as the roots naturally release themselves from the shingles.
Protect Your Home From Top to Bottom
If these infestations have reached other areas of the home, the pros at Perfect Power Wash have you covered. We offer various pressure washing services, from house washing to concrete washing and sealing to washing decks and patios. Highly trained professional technicians perform all of our services using state-of-the-art equipment. We guarantee to deliver the best results possible for your property, using our safe and effective processes.
With over 20 years in business and 300,000+ satisfied customers, Perfect Power Wash has the experience to deliver the best results for your home’s exterior. Our team is standing by to answer your questions and schedule your service over the phone. Call us at 866.289.8224 to schedule your roof cleaning services and protect your largest investment.
