Green Algae On Roof Tiles

Zinc strips left have been used for many years as an algae preventative.

Green algae on roof tiles.

Algae grow most often on wood and asphalt shingles or concrete tiles especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. How to clean algae or mold off your roof shingles living in a humid area of the country like florida you ve probably seen your asphalt shingle roofs with unsightly dark streaks on them. Known as black algae or roof mold gloeocapsa magma is usually blamed on dirt accumulation mold and mildew or defective shingles. The black streaks on your roof don t appear for everyone they usually only appear on roofs in humid parts of the country.

A blue green algae known as gloeocapsa magma could be the reason you have the algae which is spread by airborne spores. The green color comes from chlorophyll which is the same substance that makes plants green. You may think you have roof algae when really you have moss mildew or mold. Those places that receive more rainfall and have sustained high levels of humidity have more moss and algae growth as the moss and algae need water to grow and multiply.

How to remove algae from roof shingles here in oregon mostly blue green algae grows on the outside of the house or on the roof shingles. How to get rid of algae on the roof. Roof algae generally have a black green hue. What is roof algae.

The only way to take care of it is to use a high base chemical solution like zinc sulfate. If you have green stains on your deck or siding it s probably due to either cholophyta algae green algae or a cyanobacterium related to gloeocapsa magma. As we said about green algae on roofs the presence of these black fungal or algal stains on the roof is an indicator that this roof area is in a shaded spot where you may want to be alert for development of moss or other roof problems but the level of damage from the black fungus or algae is probably low even less than that caused by lichens. The black mold like stains and streaks that appear on roofs particularly light colored asphalt shingles is actually a blue green algae gloeocapsa magma.

People who live in all parts of the nation and have roofs made from all sorts of materials wood metal asphalt clay or concrete tiles etc. When it rains a slight amount of zinc dissolves from the strips and coats the roof inhibiting algae and fungus growth. It s actually just a blue green algae spread by airborne spores. Can have moss and algae accumulate on their roofs.

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