The dark streaks running down a Wilmington roof are a blue-green algae called Gloeocapsa magma, and Wilmington's climate is close to ideal for it: months of high humidity, salt air off Cape Fear, and long warm shoulder seasons. It feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles, which is why the streaks always run downward and why they come back worse if you only rinse the surface. Left alone, the colony holds moisture against the shingles and shortens the life of the roof.
Soft washing is the method built for a shingle roof. Instead of high pressure, which can strip the protective granules off asphalt shingles, we apply a bio-based cleaning solution at low pressure that kills the algae, moss, and lichen at the root. The roof rinses clean, and because the organism is dead rather than just knocked back, it stays clean far longer than a plain rinse. Pressure washing has its place on driveways and concrete, but not on a roof.
We soft wash asphalt shingle, metal, and tile roofs across Wilmington, from the older homes near downtown and the Historic District to the newer subdivisions in Landfall, Mayfaire, and Ogden. We protect the landscaping below as we work, and we tell you honestly whether the roof cleans up or has reached the end of its life. Licensed and insured, coastal NC owned and operated. Free, no-obligation quotes.
