There are several reasons why you should clean your roof — none of which is as important as prolonging your roof’s lifespan. You may look at your roof and think, “Wow, it’s so dirty!” The sad truth is that it’s not that dirty at all. It actually is infested with a moldy bacterium known as gloeocapsa magma, and it is prematurely deteriorating your roof. Early deterioration means early replacement, which in turn means giving up your hard-earned money before you should have to.
This mold weakens roofs in a multitude of ways, particularly with its filament root system. This root system not only burrows into the roof surface, causing cracks or fissures, but the byproduct of photosynthesis that it excretes is also highly acidic. Once the gloeocapsa spreads, it allows colonies of even more aggressive bacteria — such as mold, moss and lichens — to thrive and expedite roof deterioration. These menaces are the darkening you see. It usually starts as streaking and quickly overtakes the entire roof. Once the roof is covered, there is no protection from the UV light of the sun. Most manufacturers incorporate some form of UV protection to reflect the light and heat.
BEFORE
This then leads to another serious problem with heat. Because your roof has become much darker, the heat it absorbs is significantly higher — in many cases, by as much as 60 degrees or more. This excessive heat is transferred into the attic space and bottom side of the roofing substrate, which, for asphalt shingle, will begin to dry out the petroleum base and lead to cracks and leaks. The heat that is trapped under the roof then begins to heat up with anything that it engages — including ducting, walls, pipes and ceilings — causing the home to be much hotter and harder to cool, and making your air conditioner units work harder than necessary.
AFTER
This ultimately leads to higher energy bills and the possibility of having to pre maturely replace A/C units. Every type of roof, whether asphalt shingle, tile, slate, wood, aluminum, galvanized and especially elastomeric coatings, will have a greatly reduced life if not properly treated and maintained.
Fortunately, Envirowash Hawaii LLC has the solution for this epidemic. Owner Mike Wedge says, “Simply pressure washing a roof does nothing to solve the problem. In fact, the use of a pressure washer is highly discouraged by the American Roofing Manufacturers Association and the roof-cleaning industry.
“Our revolutionary soft-wash process ensures that these organisms are eradicated and that there is no potential for damages caused by high pressure. When you compare the cost of premature roof replacement, along with increased energy bills, you will see that it doesn’t cost to treat your roof — it pays!”
Envirowash is currently offering a special: During the month of September, Hawaii Renovation readers will receive up to $100 off their services.
ENVIROWASH HAWAII LLC
CONTACT 808-313-9000
ADDRESS 95-1037 Ulahea St., Mililani
WEB envirowashhawaii.com
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