Does Your Home Have Dark Streaks on the Roofing in Downriver Michigan? Here’s Why

A big problem for some home’s roofs is that they develop dark streaks across the roof. This can be a common occurrence for some homeowners. Even if you have recently had a new roof in Downriver Michigan installed you may find yourself with dark streaks just a few years after installation. There are some common reasons why this happens and sometimes there are things you can do to help prevent it from occurring. We’ll take a look at what this problem consists of and what you may be able to do about it if it occurs on your home’s roof in Downriver Michigan.

Does Your Home Have Dark Streaks on the Roofing in Downriver Michigan? Here’s Why

There are many different styles and colors for roofing today. From really dark roofing to almost white roofing for asphalt shingle roofing. And for metal roofing the colors can be almost anything including red or silver. While this may not be appear as bad on darker colored roofing, for lighter color roofing these streaks can be very noticeable. When you have these streaks on your home it can have a huge impact on your home’s value as well. The streaks will typically decrease the curb appeal of the home dramatically and if you’re considering selling your home in the near future, taking care of these streaks and having them removed is a must.

Does Your Home Have Dark Streaks on the Roofing in Downriver Michigan? Here's Why

What Causes This Problem

The streaks on your roof can be caused by a number of problems. However, the most common problem is algae growing on the roof. This algae can come from a variety of places but most commonly when a roof is overshadowed by a tree or other foilage the algae starts to grow. Other reasons for streaks on the roof includes problems with the roof itself such as a roofing component that is fading and the color is washing away. Sometimes lower quality roofing shingles can have this affect as well. However, for most roofing the problem is going to be the algae on the roof.

Don’t Scrub Your Roof

When it comes to removing the streaks from your roof many home owners consider washing the roof. They may even take a brush or broom and attempt to scrub the roof. However, scrubbing the roof with any type of brush will likely result in damage to the shingles on the roof. Power washing may also cause a problem with the shingles. Many times the granules on the shingles are brushed away or power washed off the shingles which will result in premature aging for the roof shingles and will likely end up cause roof leaks later.

Steps You Can Take to Avoid This Problem

There are a few things you can do if you notice these streaks starting to develop on your roofing. The first is to keep any trees or shrubs around the roof trimmed. This can not only help with preventing algae and streaks from forming on the roof but it can also help to prevent problems on the roof where tree branches fall on the roof. Another thing you can do to help prevent streaks on the roof is to have the right roofing materials installed. We’ll talk a little more about the roofing materials below.

Roofing Materials

One of the best ways to prevent roof streaks and algae from growing on your roof is to have the proper roofing materials installed. If you have a problem with roof streaks on your current roof getting roofing materials that prevent this problem is needed. Stain guard shingles have copper and zinc granules which are on the shingles which prevent algae from growing on them. Using stain guard shingles can eliminate roof streaks from your home’s roof entirely. However, if your roof is rather new, the decision to replace the roof with a new roof would need to be made.

Get an Estimate

Be sure to talk with a roofing contractor about your roof before making any type of decision on your roof. At Downriver Roofers they have a promotional sale going on that includes installing stain guard shingles on your home. They may be able to help reduce or repair your current roof. Be sure to call them today at 734-548-9919 for more information.