Moving Algae From Spanish Tile Roofs

For the purposes of this article the terms mildew fungus algae and moss.

Moving algae from spanish tile roofs.

If mold and algae are left to build up they may interfere with the natural drainage of the roof system which can lead to leaks or broken tiles. This is why you very often see tile roofs in the southwest coastal florida and california. Cleaning mold algae and dirt. The most common class of roof algae is gloeocapsa magma a bacterium that eats water and expels oxygen.

Plan to wash clay tiles roofs about every two years to keep mold and algae at bay. Rent or buy a pressure washer and clean your tile roof using a solution of 1 percent household bleach to water. Spanish tile roofing has been around for centuries and continues to be the preference of many homeowners today. Tile roofing is a great choice for roofs that experience hot weather or exposure to salt air.

To keep the algae from coming back insert 6 inch wide strips of zinc or copper under the row of shingling closest to the roof peak leaving an inch or two of the lower edge exposed to the weather. The clay tile roof shown at left located near xotolar guanajuato mexico is more than 40 years old and shows only minor damage. Roof algae generally have a black green hue. We recommend against walking on clay tile roofs as you are likely to damage the roof leading to the need for costly repairs.

More discussion on walking on fragile roofs is later in this article. Barrel roof tile more commonly known as spanish tile or double roman is a term often used to describe the multiple forms of semi cylindrical roofing tile that is laid in an interlocking pattern. Asphalt shingles will likely set you back somewhere between 3 00 to 5 00 per square foot while tile costs somewhat more with the price for material and installation coming in at anywhere from 4 00 to 5 55 per square foot. Stop roof algae from coming back.

When it comes to tile roofs vs. Algae grow most often on wood and asphalt shingles or concrete tiles especially if they do not get a lot of sunlight. Shingle roofs shingles are the winner on price alone. You may think you have roof algae when really you have moss mildew or mold.

Operate your pressure washer at 1 200 psi and keep the nozzle at least one foot away from the tiles as you work. Since starting on a quest for the ideal method of cleaning fungus and algae from roofs i have contacted dozens of individuals and companies. Some of my readers came forward with suggestions and a few companies also supplied information helpful to this research. They can also be ideal for climates in which infrequent rains dump large amounts of water in a short time since many styles are excellent at shedding rainfall from cloudbursts.

That way whenever it rains some of the metal molecules will wash down the roof and kill any algae trying to.