Why are my shingles turning black?

Those black streaks on your roof shingles are most likely an algae called gloeocapsa magma, or as it is more commonly referred to, a blue-green or black algae. Algae is a solid deposit of spores and dirt, another form of mold.
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What causes shingles to turn black?

Roof experts say black streaks are caused by an algae known as gloeocapsa magma. Airborne spores deposit it on your roof, where it soaks up plenty of sunlight for photosynthesis and munches on the limestone filler in your shingles.
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Are black shingles OK?

The obvious answer is yes, black shingles do absorb more heat than a lighter shingle. However, advancements in technology and materials are far more efficient than they once were and installing a black roof is still a completely viable option. In fact, black is one of the most common shingle colors we install.
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What causes roof shingles to discolor?

If you have noticed discoloration or any type of dark streaks along your roof shingles, it is likely you are experiencing some type of algae growth. These growths can be extremely common in humid areas like Florida.
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Do roof shingles change color over time?

Asphalt shingles do indeed fade, but the rate at which they lose color can vary, especially when it comes to shade. Dark gray shingles will fade to lighter grays more easily than shingles that start out in lighter shades. If you want your shingle color to last, try to pick out lighter colors.
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Shingles: Pathophysiology, Symptoms, 3 stages of Infection, Complications, Management, Animation.



Will Wet and Forget clean shingles?

Wet & Forget Outdoor works with the wind and rain over time to completely wipe out black algae and keep it away for a year or more in most cases. Wet & Forget's gentle, non-caustic formula is safe for all types of shingles, and it won't corrode your downspouts or harm your lawn with runoff.
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Do black shingles have a shorter lifespan?

Some black roof shingles might not have a longer lifespan.

Heat does increase molecular activity, so that means the hotter temperatures that black roof shingles run at play a role in lifespan reduction. If UV rays play a bigger role in the length of your investment, you come out behind there still too.
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Are black shingles hotter?

Darker shingles do absorb more heat, this is true. In summer a darker roof will measure hotter than a roof with lighter color shingles. However, if you stuck a thermometer to both of those roofs in the middle of a South Carolina summer, they would both exceed temperatures of 120 – 140 degrees. It's hot.
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How long does shingles take to run its course?

How long does shingles last? Most cases of shingles last three to five weeks. The first sign is often burning or tingling pain; sometimes it includes numbness or itching on one side of the body. Somewhere between one and five days after the tingling or burning feeling on the skin, a red rash will appear.
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Will bleach damage shingles?

Stick to soft wash for shingles.

However, applying straight bleach to your roof and then pressure washing, is a terrible idea- and can cause serious discoloration, shingle damage, and even structural damage to your roof.
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How do I remove black algae from my roof?

The less expensive solution is to spray wash the roof with a 50 percent mix of water and bleach to get rid of the algae. (No pressure washers, please. They're likely to damage the shingles.) Just be sure to wet your foundation plantings first, and rinse everything in clean water when you're done.
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How do you clean dirty shingles?

Don't: Use a pressure washer, which can loosen shingles and seriously damage your roof. Do: Use a sprayer attached to garden hose that's filled with equal parts chlorine bleach and water. of laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and water. This is the best way to clean a roof if you have asphalt shingles.
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What causes black stains on roof?

Algae commonly cause streaking and staining on roofs. The dark color that appears as a black stain is caused by a specific type of algae called gloeocapsa magma. This growth is a type of bacteria that forms when algae spores group together.
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What do dark streaks on roof mean?

The black streaks running down roofs are actually a hardy algae called Gloeocapsa magma. As the blue-green algae accumulate, they develop a dark, hardened outer coating, which results in the black stains you see. The algae feed on the limestone in shingles.
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Will vinegar clean roof shingles?

Vinegar will not hurt roof shingles and is the best way to clean asphalt shingles. Vinegar bough at the store will have different concentrations of acetic acid. 5% is adequate for most roof damage, although you can go as high as 25% for very stained roofs.
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What color shingles last the longest?

Both light-colored and dark-colored shingles can last longer if given the necessary maintenance. The only thing tested and proven about light-colored shingles is that they help us keep the indoor temperature cooler in the hot summer season.
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What color roof is best for resale?

Roofs with good resale value tend to be neutral colored, such as tan, cream, brown, black or gray. These colors are classic and tend to stay in style over time. Trendier roofs include shingles that are mixed, with various color combinations of browns or blacks and grays.
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What color roof is the coolest?

Since dark surfaces are better heat absorbers, traditional cool roofs are white. Berkeley Lab research has demonstrated that raising the solar reflectance of a roof from about 20 percent (dark gray) to about 55 percent (weathered white) can reduce cooling energy use by 20 percent.
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Is a black roof OK?

Below are a few common roofing colors that can make a big difference in your heating and/or cooling bills. 1. Black and dark-colored roofs. In general, dark-colored roofing materials will absorb the heat and cause your attic and/or the top of your house to be warmer than a lighter colored material.
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When Should roof shingles be replaced?

Your asphalt roof is about 20 years old

The life of a roof is how many years you get out of it. For a standard 3-tab asphalt shingle roof, that's 25-years. As long as your roof has been properly ventilated and installed you should get pretty close to that 25 years of roof life.
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How many years should a shingle roof last?

Vented properly and installed correctly, you should get around 80-85% of the life span out of an asphalt roof. That means you can expect to get about 20-22 years out of your 3-tab shingle roof and 25-28 years out of your dimensional shingles.
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How do you make homemade wet and forget?

Pour 3 tbsp. of dish detergent, 2 cups of bleach and 1 cup of alcohol into a 5-gallon bucket. Add 1 gallon of water. Stir the mixture until everything is incorporated.
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How long does it take for wet and forget to work on roof?

It depends on the type of growth and the intensity of the contamination. If it's a new growth or a small amount of staining you can see results within days. Otherwise, it may take 2-3 months to see improvement. In the very worst case scenario, where contamination is extreme, it may take 6-12 months to work.
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