What Are The Black Streaks on My Roof?

Every year more roofs are attacked by a common culprit causing the black streaks in the photo shown above. That roof-damaging criminal is Gloecapsa Magma. Gloecapsa Magma is a bacteria with algae-like traits that is in the gloecapsa genus of Cyanobacteria. These black streaks are the result of gloecapsa magma having the ability to photosynthesize light in order to grow. These streaks aren’t just unsightly, but can cause structural damage to the shingles that is not covered on insurance claims if left untreated. Luckily, there is actions that homeowners and renters can take to prevent this ancient Cyanobacteria from damaging their shingles and remove these hideous streaks from their roof — and Buell Pressure Washing’s cleaning experts are here to help homeowners take control of the biological battlefield taking place on their roofs!

Airborne Roof-Killing Bacteria

Roofs are a breeding ground for Gloecapsa magma due to the limestone content of asphalt shingles. This bacteria travels through the air and eats away at the limestone in your shingles as it travels. When it is eating down into the limestone of the shingles it leaves a black streak on the surface in order to protect itself from the sunlight, and these are the black streaks that you’re seeing on your roof. This bacteria will initially appear on the North side of your roof due to its limited sun exposure that fosters a damp environment, promoting growth of this Gloecapsa magma.

This has become more prominent in recent history due to a decrease in the quality of materials used in manufacturing asphalt composition shingles. In order to save money, shingle manufacturers have begun to include more ”fillers” in the mixtures to create their shingles. These fillers are used to replace the oils within the shingles, which are the most costly component of shingles. What is the most common filler used you ask? Limestone. As mentioned above Gloecapsa magma feeds on limestone, specifically the calcium carbonate that is found in limestone. As the bacteria builds and becomes a noticeable black patch on the roof gravity and rain water carry the spores from this growing bacterial hotspot down the roof, creating the iconic black streaks steadily destroying roofs everywhere. As this bacteria feeds on the limestone that is throughout the shingle is invades the structure of the shingle shortening its life at an exponential rate if not addressed.

What can be done to prevent the invasive nature of Gloecapsa magma from invading your shingles, and degrading the structural integrity of your roof’s first line defenses?

One sure-fire collation to this problem is to contact a professional to provide what is known as a “Roof Soft Wash”. Roof soft washing utilizing a no-pressure soft washing method using specially formulated altitudes and other organic-grime eliminating chemicals to eradicate this harsh, invasive bacteria from your roof! However, when choosing the correct company to take on this task, make sure to do your due diligence and select a respectable, reputable business with the experience to provide excellent results safely — Buell Pressure Washing is that reputable business.

Bacteria Bustin‘ — A Buell Family Tradition

Marvin Buell, the father of Ben Buell, began washing homes in 2011 for his friends and neighbors due to an glaring need for such services on the homes around him. As he begun pressure washing concrete and brick flatwork initially he would often look up to the siding and shingles on the homes he was cleaning and wonder if there was a safe way to clean the bacteria & algae build-up from the home as well. Following months of research Marvin had concocted the most effective, eco-friendly, biodegradable soft washing solution he could. This soft washing solution would evolve to be the exact same solution that his son Ben, the founder and owner of Buell Pressure Washing LLC, would be soft-washing thousands of homes and roofs with in 2021!

Over the 10 year process of creating and building the most respected cleaning company in East Tennessee Ben has seen an exorbitant number of dirty and damaged roofs. Along with hands-on experience Ben used the research skills learned while he obtained his Doctorate of Physical Therapy to do extensively investigate the effects of this invasive bacteria on shingle roofs.

Gloecapsa magma creates a number of issues beyond degrading the structural integrity of your shingles, effectively shortening its lifespan. When degrading the shingles the black streaks replace the asphalt as the outer-most layer of the roof, significantly reducing its ability to reflect approaching UV rays, resulting in a hotter Roof. A higher temperature on the roof results in a higher temperature in the home, which takes more energy to cool, which ultimately results in a higher electric bill, more spending on air conditioning maintenance due to overwork, and sweaty, unhappy homeowners. Along with increasing the cost of living in the home this Gloecapsa magma has invaded, the black streaks on the roof decrease the perceived value of a home, reduce the home’s curb appeal and a homeowner’s pride in their home. The best course of action is to quickly and efficiently eliminate the threat.

The Solution

Fortunately for the residents of East Tennessee, Ben and his team of highly-trained professionals at Buell Pressure Washing have the perfect solution for protecting your roof. Buell Pressure Washing’s roof soft-washing process is specifically designed to remove Gloecapsa magma and other harmful organic irritants from your roof in the safest, most efficient manner. This soft-washing process utilizes the newest technology on the market uses a no pressure application of the tried and true algaecide discussed above to immediately remove the black streaks from your roof! On top of removing the black streaks from your home, this algaecide mixture effectively kills moss and lichen, causing them to lighten and release their harmful root systems. When these root systems have released the various types of moss and lichen will fall off over time.

Additionally, if these harmful bacterial infestations have invaded other areas of the residence, the Professionals over at Buell Pressure Washing have it under control. We offer a wide variety of soft and pressure washing services ranging from roof & house soft-washing to woof soft-washing to concrete & brick pressure washing. Extensively trained professional technicians use our state-of-the-art equipment to guarantee the highest quality of service possible, with the customer service to match!

With over 10 years of experience in the field and over 1,500+ satisfied customers in the greater East Tennessee area, Buell Pressure Washing has the experience to guarantee the best results for your home. Our team is eager to meet you and take care of your needs, you can give us a call at 865-776-9436 or request a quote online here.

Buell pressure washing llc

865-776-9436

Buellpressurewashing@gmail.com

https://buellpressurewashing.com/

How To Maintain Your Gutters

The gutters on your home perform a critical task in order to maintain your home -- shuttling the heavy rainwater flow from your roof away from your home. This rainwater, if not re-directed away from the home via downspouts, can cause a plethora of catastrophic problems. These issues include:

1. Water backing up underneath the roof edge, possibly damaging shingles and the underlying roof structure.

2. Water pooling in the gutters and running through gapping in the guttering to damage fascia, soffits, and siding.

3. Water further invading the interior of the home and causing damage to interior ceilings and walls.

4. Water overflowing and not draining properly in one area and pooling around the foundation of the home in one area causing damage to concrete, cracking of foundation, and settling.

5. Water overflowing and draining improperly causing significant erosion of your flowerbeds, yard, and property.

These things occur from gutters clogged with debris that clumps together and blocks the downspouts. This can cause slower draining and even water overflow. This also prevents any debris from escaping the gutter via downspouts, which can lead to excessive weight in the gutter causing gapping away from the home, which in turn leads to excess pressure on the screws or trusses used to mount these gutters that are now in waterlogged, weakened wood or fascia. This can lead to gutters falling, potentially damaging other areas of your home. To ensure that your home does not have any of these issues you as a homeowner should take these steps:

Clean Your Gutters & Downspouts

Natural accumulation of shingle dust, leaves, twigs, pine needles, and other debris can quickly clog your gutters. To prevent damaging water overflows and added weight to your gutters you should clean your gutters out at least once a year. First, clean out as much of the debris as possible by hand using proper ladder safety to prevent any falls or damage to your exterior gutter surfaces. Following hand-cleaning, you should flush your gutters with your garden hose, or a pressure washer if needed. If this does not clear the downspouts, you should clean the gutters using a gutter snake in order to manually dislodge the debris clogging the downspouts. This will adequately flush the downspouts and gutters to allow proper drainage of water and debris down the spouts and away from the home.

Check gutter attachments

The weight of waterlogged debris and backed up water can pull your gutters loose from the wood or fascia that they are mounted in to over time. This causes the gutters to sag and become ineffective at completing their objective: to shuttle water away from the home. This means that they need to inspected periodically to ensure that they are not becoming loosened which would lead to them accelerating the rate at which other damage is created. Along with the mounting points, it also needs to be assured that the gutters have the proper slope in order to ensure that water and debris drain towards the downspouts.

Invest In Gutter Guards

If the prospect of climbing a creaky ladder a couple times a year does not sound like an appetizing proposition to you, gutter guards are potentially the answer for you! Gutter guards are installed to keep out debris but allow water to enter and drain down the downspouts. There are various types of gutter guards to choose from and choosing a reputable gutter company to assist in selecting and installing the proper guard for your needs!

What if I can't?

If these options sounds too tumultuous, you don't feel like you have the eyes to determine the structural integrity of your gutter system, let a trained professional take care of it for you! Here at Buell Pressure Washing our technicians are trained to spot gutters that are damaged or are not properly performing their duties to protect your home. Aside from spotting leaks, damage, or separation from the home Buell Pressure Washing techs also use the safest and most efficient methods to preserve the integrity of your gutter as well as keeping them squeaky clean! If you are interested in having your gutters cleaned out by the experts at Buell Pressure Washing you can seek an estimate here.

Soft Washing & Pressure Washing: Everything You Need to Know.

Having your home treated with soft washing or pressure washing can make a world of difference for the curb appeal of your home. It is pretty satisfying to witness the laters of dirt and grime washed away.

When cleaning your home you will see the layers of surface-level dust run down the sides of the home almost immediately, even with a residential water hose. Unfortunately, it is not possible to truly get rid of the build-up on your home with the same approach used to rinse dust. This is where a professional can help you to get the job done right.

When on the search for the right pressure washing company, it is likely that you will come across the terms soft washing & pressure washing. You more than likely asked yourself, what is the difference between the two? This is where we, the experts at Buell Pressure Washing, come in to help!

What is Soft Washing?

Soft washing is a much more gentle approach to clean substrates that will be damaged while using the high pressure required for traditional pressure washing. Soft washing is done using about 1/50th the pressure per square inch (PSI) used during pressure washing.

Soft washing is the correct technique to clean fragile surfaces such as vinyl, shingles, stucco, slate roofing, wooden decking, and many more. Soft washing is the low-pressure application of bio-degradable chemical that kills the organic matter adhering to the surface. This killing of the organic matter (algae, mold, lichen, etc.) does away with the microscopic spores on the surface, whereas pressure washing does not. The spores, when not eradicated, will make the organic matter return at a much higher rate than if completely cleaned using soft washing. Soft washing can also be done from the ground, eliminating the need for ladders and safety hazards, for up to 4 story homes!

This method is the newest and most effective method to clean all surfaces, and even when pressure washing is appropriate, it is much more effective when paired with soft washing to effectively kill and fully remove the organic irritants from your home.

What is pressure washing?

Pressure washing is the process that has been used effectively in the cleaning industry since the creation of the pressure washer in 1926. Pressure washing uses water expelled from a wand at a high pressure, 8 gallons per minute at 3500 pounds per square inch (3500 PSI) in Buell Pressure Washing’s professional-grade pressure washers, to blast the grit & grime off various surfaces.

Pressure washing is an extremely efficacious method of cleaning WHEN the substrate that one is cleaning can tolerate these astronomical levels of pressure without being damaged. This cleaning method is effective on hard scapes such as concrete (not stamped), brick, asphalt, etc. that can tolerate these higher pressure levels without sustaining damage.

The secret: a little bit of both

Both cleaning techniques, when done correctly, can help to safely maintain your home. However, the most effective cleaning method is a combination of the two methods. When cleaning concrete the cleaning is much more thorough, and longer lasting, when the concrete is pre- & post- treated with a soft wash application of organic matter killing chemicals. This helps to kill and remove the spores from organic matter, more effectively cleaning the concrete and prolonging the life of the clean.

On the flip side, pressure can not be used on soft washing applications without causing damage, so what’s the answer? Increasing the volume of water being applied. This is the reason that Buell Pressure Washing has high-grade equipment that is capable of putting up to 14 gallons per minute (GPM) of water on the surfaces to effectively remove the dead organic matter without causing damage. This 14 GPM is in comparison to the average 2.3 GPM of residential pressure washers. This is the reason that when individuals are cleaning their own homes they must get closer to the home to remove the dead material, increasing the likelihood of damaging their home.

The takeaway

Any cleaning method, when performed appropriately, can help to maintain the integrity of your home. Even Forbes delineates pressure washing as a technique that boosts your home’s resale value. This demonstrates that not only will your surfaces look cleaner, but they will also remain in better condition for longer, especially in regards to roof’s integrity. Your home, roof, driveways, decks, fences, and more will have longer lifespans if they are properly cared for. When irritants such as dirt, moss, mold, algae, and lichen are left to inject roots and build up it can endanger the structural integrity of your home, directly impacting the resale and the quality of your experience with your home.

To learn more about Buell Pressure Washing’s techniques and cleaning capabilities visit our contact page or reach out to us via email, phone call, or text message at our contact information listed below!