The Home Of Occultissimo

The process of roof debris accumulation is a gradual one but a damaging one, nonetheless.

1. First, the roofing shingle manufacturer placed crushed limestone in the shingles used a filler, binder to the fiberglass and asphalt shingle matting which made the modern shingle, a natural snack food “pit stop” for the blue -green cyanobacteria GLOEOCAPSA MAGMA algae.

2. Then, Two, the algae was allowed by the homeowner to start growing and then remain on the roof until it was in “full bloom” and covering most of the Northern facing, roofs exposed areas, then later, as the roof continued not to be maintained and properly cleaned, the algae continued its growth as their was never any treatment or biocide or fungicide agent applied (ever) to stop its rapid growth, and soon it covered the entire roof surface.

3. Once the bed was made, i.e. the algae had propagated, sheathed itself by developing its dark colored husk and turning black to protect itself from the sun’s rays, it continued to grow and grow, until it built a thick bed of algae, holding in the accumulation of the overnight moisture, roof condensation and dew, which allowed the next phase to occur.

4. This next phase is when their is all the right ingredients for additional growth of OTHER organisms BESIDES the GM algae, such as , LICHEN, MOSS, etc.

5. Once the bed has been made by the HOMEOWNER, neglecting to safely use non pressure roof cleaning methods, like the methods and teaching, here on the ARCA and RCIA, the algae was given all the opportunity it needed to “INVITE” additional “roof dwelling friends” to the party up on the homeowners rooftop.

Everyone knows that roof stains are ugly, and detract from the value of your home. We know the stains allow heat to build up in the house, causing the airconditioner to run longer, making energy bills higher.

But, now, the insurance industry is concerned about the appearance of your roof!!

Your insurance company can inspect your home anytime, and frequently it is a driveby inspection. Condition of home is noted, how well painted, chipping paint AND ROOF CONDITION!

YES, Roof Condition.

Insurance Inspectors note the condition of the roof, and report it back to the insurance company who will may require that your clean the roof, or threaten cancellation of your policy! Of course, if they cancel you, the next insurance company may not insure your home for the same reason.

BUT WHY?

Insurance companies actions confirm for us that they believe roof stains will lead to further problems with the roof integrity, roof mold, and the eventual movement of that mold inside the home. All of these items are ‘risks’ for the insurance company, because they may result in a claim against the policy.

What to do? Clean your roof before an inspector sees it!

Home inspections can occur at any time, however the most frequent triggers include:

* New Policy
* Annual Policy Renewal
* Change in coverage amounts
* Addition of riders

A Clean Roof makes contributes to neighborhood values, and good health.

Protect your family, roof, and insurance policy by including a Cleaner TODAY roof cleaner as part of annual maintenance.

You and your insurance company will appreciate it!

Walking into your home you look and wonder why your roof has coffee spills? Are you suffering from the stained roof syndrome? It’s that dark staining that looks like someone spilled coffee up on your roof. This problem used to be associated with mildew in years past. Mildew is a by-product of fungi and mold. However, it has been determined that another microorganism has invaded roofs in the USA, particularly asphalt shingle roofs. This organism is an algae, Gloeocapsa magma. “Roof Alage” has experienced an explosive growth curve during the past 15 to 20 years quite by accident.

Why now? Why my Roof!!

A large number of homeowners who are experiencing these roof stain problems are doing so for the first time. Even though they live in areas where the climate has not changed, the problem appears out of the blue.

In years past, the roof algae simply didn’t have a food source. Until shingle manufacturers lowered production costs, and provided roof algae with its favorite food, limestone. Today’s fiberglass shingles contain massive amounts of food that the roof algae love to eat.

How in the world does limestone get into fiberglass shingles you might ask? It’s simple. The limestone is added to the asphalt mixture as a filler or thickener. Years ago, this was not necessary, as an organic felt mat was used as the base for the shingles. This mat was saturated with asphalt and then coated with granules. Because of the absorptive qualities of the mat, it was able to soak up enough asphalt to give the finished shingle sufficient weight. The materials used for the mat were derived from the cotton rag scrap market.

Well, about 20 years ago this rag market dried up because of the widespread introduction of synthetic textiles such as nylon and polyester. The shingle manufacturers scrambled and decided to use fiberglass as a mat.

Its only 5 Days into March and Home Owner Associations (HOA) are already busy at enforcing Deed Restrictions and/or covenant rules. Which rules? Rules most people don’t even know about. Restrictions governing the appearance of your ROOF SHINGLES. No I am not kidding!

Most people think about deed restrictions governing barking dogs and where the garbage cans are stored, but in Florida and other states, the “Home Appearance” clause now insists that your roof be ‘free of stains, algae or other unsightly distortions’.

Over the last several days I have spoken to a number of homeowners in a St Petersburg Florida development who have received letters telling them to Clean their roofs, or the neighborhood association would have them cleaned and send them the bill!

Why you ask? Its pretty simple actually, think about crab grass.

When your lawn is covered in crab grass, it looks bad, and property values may reflect the unattractive appearance. When you remove the crab grass from your lawn, and your neighbor doesn’t, well the crab grass ends back up in your lawn too! The whole neighborhood suffers.

Roof Stains are pretty much like crab grass, but much worse!

* Roof Stains are caused by an airborne algae that will spread from roof to roof (if everyone does not keep a clean roof, then no one will have a clean roof).

* Black streaks on your roof (which is the most visible part of the house) will make the house look bad, and everyone’s home then suffers a decrease in value.

* Roof Algae will lead to premature shingle failure.

* Worst of all, roof algae, can allow mold to get into a home creating ‘sick home’ syndrome.

The solution, 2 parts. First Clean your Roof. Second Block Stains from returning.

Residential metal roofs are fantastic upgrades for any home, as they provide a wide range of benefits that will both make your life easier and save you money over the long haul. Before you settle on a decision and make a purchase there are some considerations that you should pay attention to, in order to make sure that you get exactly what you’re looking for. Keep in mind all of these different factors when you’re looking at new residential metal roofs and you’ll come out ahead of the game.

One of the first things that you’ll want to pay attention to is the wide range of prices that are available. Of course prices will vary from place to place, and will depend on factors relating to the complexity of the job at hand. But the most important factors when determining prices are the size of your roof and the material you end up using.

Obviously the larger the roof, the more you will end up paying. However, the materials can make an even larger difference. A copper roof for example can cost as much as three times more than aluminum or steel shingles. The various degrees of coatings used on the steel or aluminum, as well as the interlocking system or installation style deployed will also affect final cost.

Another thing to pay attention to is whether or not you’re looking at residential metal roofs with underlayments. Underlayments basically add another layer of weatherproofing to your roof, but they allow air to pass through. In this fashion moisture won’t build up, and you’ll further prevent the rotting of wood.