Black Streaks on Roof and Green Stuff on Siding

Black Streaks on Roof and Green Stuff on Siding

Black streaks on roof

green stuff on siding

Blacks Streaks on Roof

We will start with black streaks on roof. They are layers of micro-organisms. At first you won’t see anything for a few years from the time your home or roof is new. At about 4 to 7 years you will begin to notice on the north face of your roof. Between 7 to 12 years it will begin to totally cover your roof. Yes, it can be removed by a roof cleaning service company like Outdoor ProWash LLC in Nashville, TN. No, your shingles are not likely ready for replacement, but it can be possible they will between 12 and 15 years. The moisture retention from the many layers of multiple organisms will allow other organisms to come along and thrive next to the existing ones. They will begin to form a root system that penetrates into your shingles. This will cause granules to become loose, but ultimately it just looks really bad. Most people are not so concerned about the effect on the life of the roof, but more so the bad appearance. If you are reading this it is likely you just want it gone because of the ugliness.

What causes black streaks on roof?

The simple answer is heat moisture and nutrition. These are the cause. The growth on your roof thrives in a warm, moist and dirty environment and in some cases it feeds on the materials on your home (find out more about roofing materials).

Green Stuff on Siding

The green stuff on siding is abundant in the South. It grows all over your house. Even on the fascia and trim work up high on the house where it can be hard to reach. If you have vinyl windows it will get on there and look black or spotty. It will get pretty heavy on the front of your gutters too. This is a variety of organisms that will grow on just about anything. Vinyl siding at certain times of year there will be a formation of dew just like when a cold drink sweats on the outside of the glass. Sometimes this is from humidity and sudden drop in temperature. The formation of moisture mixed with any dust lingering on the surface will allow the airborne spores the grow on the siding. This is less likely to happen with brick, except in cases where the brick is exposed to constant moisture. Like from an overflowing gutter of near the ground in a low area where water stands or is splattered onto the brick. Also, horizontal brick areas will be a problem too.

What causes Green Stuff on Siding?

Green stuff on siding thrives on heat moisture and nutrition. The nutrition is usually just dirt or hydrocarbons that stick to the siding. Paint in another source of nutrition. Over time the biocides in paint wear off and no longer protect against micro-organisms. Some ingredients in paint become a food source. The green stuff, I like to call mildew because it can be any combination of micro-organisms. It will form around dryer vents and the north side of your house primarily. These are just some areas where it mostly thrives.

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