Roofing Question

[Dottie]

I live in FL where algae growing on the roof is a big problem. When I had a tile roof I had it sprayed every year with some kind of mildewcide....a man comes around and does several houses in the neighborhood. Last June I got a new GAF ultra Timberline shingle roof that is supposed to be pre-treated with some kind of chemical to keep algae from growing. So, when the man came around I said I wouldn't be needing the treatment anymore. He said the stuff that was used to pre- treat roofs didn't really help and I should go ahead and let him treat mine. I didn't .. because I was afraid it might affect the warranty. I called the contractor who said I didn't need anything else and I e- mailed GAF while waiting to hear from contractor. Haven't heard back from them.

Thing is, there are several houses around me who have newish roofs - older than mine but not a lot older - and they are beginning to show dark spots in places. Now I am wondering if I should call the guy back and have him treat my roof before I get spots ... Anybody know whether the GAF anti-fungal properties really work or not? Thanks.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Until you hear from GAF, I would do nothing. If you don't hear from them in another business day, use the telephone. You know where to find their phone number.

[Oren]

Are you located among large shade trees like, oaks?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Why do you ask? I'm not the person with the roof problem.

[Oren]

Correct. I clicked the wrong thread, sorry. The intended question was meant for Dottie.

[darthricky]

could anyone spare 50 cents? I really could use the help because i just totalled my only car and i live on my own. If you can spare anything send via paypal to [e-mail]

[S. Barker]

what you need is a strip of galvanized metal all along the ridge or just under the ridge shingles. The galv prevents the algae from growing. It won't remove what's already there, however.

s

[S. Barker]

Hell, yes, i could spare 50 dollars. But not for beggars. Get a job.

s

could anyone spare 50 cents? I really could use the help because i just totalled my only car and i live on my own. If you can spare anything send via paypal to [e-mail]

[hallerb]

well theres a new problem around pittsburgh, the north side of roofs is getting black streaks i had never seen before.

so wierd

[Oren]

He only asked for fiddy cents!

[JimR]

[snip]

Been there, done that -- South Florida's heat/humidity overpowers the zinc strips. Instead of having solid mold/mildew you get mold/mildew with streaks.

I'd suggest that unless you have a HOA that's uptight about mildew on roofs, you just accept it as a fact of life and let the GAF shingles do whatever they're capable of. IMHO, over the course of years you'll have more shingle damage from walking around on it spraying chemicals than if you just let it age gracefully -- especially true for others with concrete or barrel tile roofs.

[S. Barker]

I'd suggest you need a wider strip of galv. Maybe a foot wide. We've got the problem pretty bad here on the north sides, and whereever theres a big flashing, there's no black below.

s

[TH]

The strips (zinc) do little or nothing here in Oregon. I have the Algae resistant shingles, and haven't seen a sign of algae in two winters now. Pretty good for the Pacific NW and also having a couple trees near the roof. Not sure how they'll do in the long run, but so far so good. As for the original poster, the contractor is full of BS, do nothing until you see the first signs of moss, then get it treated. BTW it's not a coating, the shingles are embedded with copper.

[Norminn]

Do the neighbors have lighter color roofs? More shade? I once read that light color roofing, while helping reflect heat and keep it out of the attic, grows more mildew because it doesn't get as hot as a darker color. Can't prove it by me. Only place on our condo exterior walls that mildew used to thrive was on shaded areas - behind downspouts, behind some vegetation. Since repainting, there doesn't seem to be any.

Be clear about what your roofing is supposed to be "anti" - mildew and algae can be pretty different..

This link is pretty interesting:

[jp]

Get in touch with a good roofer and ask him to install a copper strip across the peak of the roof on both sides of the roof and when it rains the copper will react and stop mildew, it works, good luck henry penta, i seen this on the, this old house progran.

[nprlisner]

jp wrote in news: [e-mail]:

The copper suggestion is the way to go.

[Dottie]

innews: [e-mail]:

The new roof is medium brown - not too dark - but not as light as the neighbors who both have gray. They don't have algae yet and their roofs are two and three years old. I have some sort of metal strips along the outside edges of the roof. The very top has the Cobra ridge vent . The man who sprays does not have to walk on the roof. We used to have a tile roof (old one) and he couldn't walk on it or pressure wash it ... just spray from the sides....which worked out o.k. The east side of the old roof used to get mold/mildew on it because it was not in the sun as much as the west side. We don't have large oak trees in our yard.

I do want to talk to someone at GAF before doing anything - probably will call Monday. Thank you all though.

[EXT]

With his skills, he should be able to earn that much in an hour or less, at an job.

[Sev]

e:

In time this could definitely become a "roofing problem."

[metronid]

ote:

Try