The white shingles on the house are stained with a grey/black substance in a streaked manner.It’s a gable roof and the side facing the sun has no staining while the opposite side is stained. Does anyone have any idea what this might be and how I might clean it up?
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Since it's on the shady side (north?) it sounds like mildew, and the morning dew is causing it to run down the wall a bit. TSP or a bleach solution should wash it off.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Usually this is algae, occasionally it's mildew. A mild bleach solution will usually take care of it (protect plants from the bleach). A copper or zinc strip along the ridge of the roof will help keep it from coming back.
Thanks DanH,
Where can I buy the copper or zinc strip and how do ai apply it to the roof?
ABC supply has the zinc strips
greg in connecticut
Yep to the above advice. A zinc strip along the ridge is the standard prevention to it returning after you wash it off. If you are ready for a new roof anyway, you can purchase shingles with zinc in them, sold to prevent mildew and algae. If they are too pricey you can put them only on the shady side and put less expensive shingles in a matching color on the sunny side.
As simple as it is to remedy this problem and as common as the problem is it's hard to understand why roofers hardly ever seem to suggest it up front.
Most shingles sold nowadays have copper particles embedded in them which at least partially solves the problem. The way I solve this problem in the sales process is to sell 'em a copper roof.
I invented suggestiveness.
From what I've seen of your work in the pics posted here I bet it is a pretty easy sale most of the time.
Thanks WayneL5,
I'll ask you the same question I asked DanH:
Where do you buy this stuff and how is it applied?
Well, I don't really know because I've never needed it. Hopefully local building supply companies would know. Sorry.
actually, copper is more effective than zinc for anti-fungal..
you can buy soft roll copper at most good hardware stores.. and you can usually buy it by the foot..
if you buy 12" copper, and slit or snip it into 4" or 3" strips, you can slip it under the 2d course from the top .. or with a little more work.. right under the cap shingles, nail it off with copper nails ( try to get real copper.. not copper coated steel).. you could nail it every 3' or so.. if you can't get solid copper nails .. use SS...
if you let about 2" hang down ( ie: leave 2" exposed ).... when the rain drips off the cap it will leach some of the copper down the roof and your roof will be continually given an anti-fungal treatmentMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Afraid I don't know either. Saw some at Fleet/Farm many years ago, but haven't seen any since. But a sheet metal shop or metal roofer can probably cut the strips for you. Heavily galvanized (zinc coated) steel will work fine.
Here's two sources I found with a Google search.
http://www.roofhelp.com/shingle_shieldx.htm
http://store.guttersdirect.com/shinshielzin.html
WAYNEL5,
Thanks for the two sources. They look very promising.
DOBY
milde3w
scrub with a percolate deck cleaner, rinse, and rinse and rinse
zinc , copper, or lead can prevent recurrance.
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