Roof soft washing across Acadiana.

We roof houses for a living, so we look at a dirty roof differently than a cleaning company does. Before anything gets sprayed, we know how old the shingles are, how much granule is left, and whether the roof should be cleaned at all. Then we clean it without touching it with pressure.

What is growing on your roof.

• Black algae streaks. Gloeocapsa magma. It feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles and runs downhill from the ridge with every rain. Common on every shaded roof in South Louisiana.
• Moss. Green, thick, and rooted into the shingle mat. It holds water on the roof and lifts shingle edges as it grows.
• Lichen. The crusty gray-green patches. The toughest of the three because it bonds to the granule surface.
• Mildew on metal panels. Surface growth in the flat and the seams, usually on the shaded slope.
• Debris in valleys and behind chimneys. Leaves and pine straw that hold moisture and dam up water. We pull that out while we are up there.

Why no pressure, ever.

The granules on an asphalt shingle are the shingle's sunscreen. A pressure washer strips them in one pass, and once they are gone the asphalt underneath starts breaking down in the Louisiana sun. You cannot see the damage the day it happens. You see it two or three years early at replacement time.

The industry standard is a no-pressure chemical clean, and that is what we do. Solution kills the algae, moss, and lichen where they sit. Rain rinses the dead growth off over the following weeks, and the roof keeps getting cleaner after we leave.

Our process.

1. 1. Roof inspection first. Shingle condition, granule loss, flashing, soft decking, and any leak history. If washing is the wrong call, we say so.
2. 2. Protect the ground. Landscaping, beds, and the driveway get pre-wet, and we tarp anything sensitive under the eaves.
3. 3. Apply and dwell. Solution goes on the growth and gets the time it needs to kill it. No scrubbing, no wand, no walking any more of the roof than we have to.
4. 4. Rinse and flush. Low-pressure rinse where it makes sense, then we flush gutters and downspouts so nothing that came off the roof sits in them.
5. 5. Report what we found. Photos of anything worth knowing about, popped nails, worn flashing, a valley that needs attention. No sales pitch attached.

Why Acadiana roofs streak so fast.

Heat, humidity, shade, and rain most of the year. Algae spores travel on the wind, so once one house on the street has streaks the neighbors get them too. Roofs under oak or pine cover stay damp longest and are usually the worst on the block. Salt air closer to New Iberia adds to it.

The practical cost is heat and life span. A darkened roof absorbs more sun, which drives attic temperatures up and works the shingle harder. Clean it and the roof looks a decade younger from the street, which matters if you are selling or getting an insurance inspection.

Where we work.

Lafayette, Opelousas, Carencro, Youngsville, Broussard, Scott, New Iberia, and the parishes around them. Tap a city for local detail.