Allergies and Asthma - Home Maintenance of Your Roof and Cleaning

By Scott Fitzgerald

When was the last time you really looked at your roof. Notice the dark stains that could be mold or algae. Well, guess what, it is mold or algae that is growing on your roof tiles or shingles. It is starting to look like something you left in the refrigerator for too long like cheese. The importan thing to remember is that this is not just an eye sore but it is damaging your roof. After the mold and algae starts to attach itself to the shingle, you will notice that more and more granules are on the ground or in the gutter system.

Individuals who have allergies and asthma need to be expecially informed about keeping their roof clean. The growth of mold and algae can aggreviate your allergies and asthma everytime you go outside in your yard. It depends upon the direction of the wind. It is important that you know what product they are using to clean your roof because you could be allergic to it.

The shingle is designed to help protect your roof from damage. It is suspose to help reflect some of the damaging heat away from the roof. The granuales in the shingles are part of the mechanism. Mold and algae can damage the granules on the shingles and cause them to separate from the shingles surface. If you are concerned, check and see if there is how much damage there is. The initial way that we suggest is to first look in the gutters, the more granules in the gutters the more damage to your shingles. There is a certain amount of granules that come loose due to age. This will leave a minimal amount of granules in the gutters.

If you are really concerned, get a lint roller for your clothes and roll it on the roof's surface where the dirt and mold is. If only a few stick, it is minimal damage. The more granules that stick to the lint roller, the more damage that is being done. It is time to think about cleaning your roof.

It is important to note that getting on your own roof with no experience can be dangerous. Rooftop work is dangerous with no experience. I have one client who cleaned his own roof and ended up in the hospital because he backed off the roof while cleaning it with a pressure cleaner by accident. If you have a two story house, we highly recommend you leave the work to professionals. The best option is to have your roof cleaned by a professional who has the experience and the right equipment.

In conclusion, your roof needs to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. The time to clean is when the mold and algae start to build up on your roof's surfance. If left uncleaned too long, it can cause damage to the shingles that protect the roof. The job of cleaning your roof is best left up to the professional who has the experience and the right equipment.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us or visit our website. http://www.safe-homes.com or http://www.air-testing.com