Removing Stains From Roof Shingles

Proper cleaning is an important step in roof maintenance.

Removing stains from roof shingles.

Roof stains other roof issues. There is no magic bullet when it comes to roof cleaning and you will at least need a ladder to get up to the level of the gutter. Remove black stains from roof shingles to preserve the appearance of your home s roof. These are tough stains to completely remove as the algae is embedded deep in the shingle grit.

Today it is a big problem because the design of asphalt shingles has changed over time for the last 30 years or so asphalt shingles have been manufactured using limestone as the base filler this is the core of the problem as this design encourages the stain spreading across the roof. Years ago stains on asphalt shingled roofs were not a significant problem. I had to get out the pressure washer to really clean the roof but needed to use caution to not damage it. If your household water pressure isn t enough to generate the proper nozzle pressure at the jets the manufacturer recommends boosting it.

The closer you are to the roof stains the better your roof stain removal products will work. When you clean your own roof shingles be prepared to set aside an afternoon and get your ladder out. Removing algae stains from roof shingles is easy with the right technique. Chlorine bleach and trisodium phosphate step 1 wet down the roof with water from the garden hose.

It is important that the roof be wet when the cleaning mixture is applied or it may evaporate before it has a chance to work. Oxygen bleach lightens stains as well and is less harmful to the environment but it doesn t produce as immediate or dramatic an effect as chlorine bleach. Adjusters know it can take 2 3 years for hail damage to become appearant so usually honor the claim. Not to mention the danger of using a pressure washer on a pitched roof.

A mixture of trisodium phosphate tsp bleach and water will also remove stains. Some of this growth including the stains from algae spores.