Did you clean your roof with chlorine?

If so, your shingle life was shortened because it will dry out and crack the shingles and fungus will grow sooner. It is interesting to note that some manufacturers recommend that roofs actually be cleaned with bleach or chlorine---of course, they are in the business of selling shingles, therefore, the quicker your roof succumbs, the quicker they will be able to sell you a new roof.

Roof Cleaning ... Routine maintenance

Roof Cleaning should be part of your annual maintenance plan.

Why? Because roof algae stains are a reality of Home ownership and Clean roofs also protect property values.

How often you clean your roof depends on several things:

There are many uncontrollable variables that help hasten algae/fungus staining.

First, fungus will always appear initially on the north side of the house and roof.

This is because moisture stays there longer and, algae/fungus needs three things to grow: moisture, heat and a nutrient.

Other variables besides the direction your house faces are the type, grade and manufacturer of your shingles, whether you have a pond or pool nearby creating abundant moisture and how hot and humid the weather is.

Continuous warm weather promotes fungus growth. Also, if you have trees near your house and they shade the roof, that promotes quicker fungus growth. If you haven't cleaned the leaves and pine needles off, that keeps your roof ripe for fungus growth too.

These variables combine to create the need to clean your roof immediately!

Here's why: As the algae and fungus grow on your roof, they eat away the base of the shingle and expand and contract with the outside temperature. This growth and movement loosens the granules, creating premature granule loss, dramatically shortening the life of your roof. A 25-year roof may not even last 15 years if nothing is done. A fungus-covered roof not only is an eyesore but it is unhealthy as well; do you want fungus spores all over, around and in your home? And what about those people with allergies?