Posted on August 31, 2022 by Phillip Camerer

If you’re a homeowner in the four-state region of southwest Missouri, you know the humidity and changing weather can impact the appearance of your roof. But, unfortunately, one of the biggest problems in our area of the country is roof algae, more precisely the blue-green variety.

But some homeowners wonder if having algae-inhibiting technology in their roof shingles has an advantage or disadvantage on their home’s insurance policy. Fortunately, insurance companies are indifferent to the technological advancements of this tiny layer of copper built into your shingles.

Moss Resistant Shingles

Three major brands offer an algae-resistant shingle.

• GAF® StainGuard Plus
• CertainTEED® Streakfighter Algae
• Owens Corning® StreakGuard Algae Protection

Although there are other shingle manufacturers, these are among some of the most well-known brand names. Also unique to each of these companies is one common element that can protect your roof from becoming discolored by algae and lichen growth.

Primary Ingredient to Fight Against Algae and Lichen Growth

As you recall from our blog earlier this month, black streaking is a byproduct of algae and lichen growth. That streaking is left after algae and lichen have fed on the nutrient-rich limestone layer that encapsulates the granules on your shingles.

But it’s built into the shingles for shingle manufacturers that offer algae fighting technology. The technology is built straight into the shingle granules for CertainTeed and Owens Corning. Each granule on a shingle has a mineral core with a copper oxide layer encapsulated by a ceramic coating. 

The copper layer inhibits algae’s growth by leaching out onto the roof over time. Leaving roofs clean and virtually maintenance-free from professional roofing cleaners.

Although for GAF shingles, the technological approach was different. They mixed copper microsites with the granules to time release copper oxide to give homeowners a longer-lasting shingle that can offer them 25 years of protection.

Alternative Approaches to Fighting Algae Growth

There are also a few other methods to fight back against algae growth. Although one way is highly affordable, it might be best to leave it up to a professional roof cleaner than trying to DIY your roof with any number of the available algae solvents on the market.

In addition, you need to use caution when hiring a professional roof cleaning company because you don’t want anyone to use a pressure washer on your roof as that could remove the all-important asphalt granules that further protect your home’s roof from weather-related events, such as high winds and hail.

Lastly, some shingle manufacturing companies of warranty protections, like TAMKO limited warranties that offer Algae Relief-Algae Cleaning, which can go a long way to help protect the roof over your head from an algae attack.

Get Ready to Fight Back Against Roof Algae

If your roof sustained irreversible damage from the long-term effects of algae growth, signaling it might be time to replace your home’s roof, contact Phillip Camerer Roofing to schedule a roof inspection today by calling (417) 451-5479!

The Phillip Camerer team can help you with the services available to have your roof cleaned, repaired, or replaced.