Causes of Algae Growth in Roofing Http://www.morriscountyroofers.com

The roof is a very important component of a building for it is the only component that can make occupants stay inside the structure. It protects the occupants from the weather conditions outside eventually giving them shelter. There are different roofing techniques that can be applied and they are maintained differently.Housetop maintenance is an important practice that ensures better and longer service. Different roofing designs and materials maintained differently. Iron sheets can rust if they are not galvanized. Roofs which are below trees may accumulate leaves which rot to form humus. Humus absorbs moisture which can peel the paint protecting the sheets and eventually initiating rusting. Removal of leaves and any other organic components from roof tops protect the sheets from rusting and henceforth elongating the life of the roof.Painting and galvanizing iron sheets are other techniques used for preventing rust from developing. Paint covers the upper layer of the sheet which is capable of reacting with water. The use of red oxide undercoat is mostly recommended to effectively protect them. There are paints which are specifically manufactured for roof materials and they offer stronger protection then normal paints for plaster walls. Galvanizing roof sheets with zinc inhibits any possible reaction of water.

Clay tile house tops are mostly affected by rain water and dust. Dust accumulates in the tile grooves and subsequent rains may cause formation of humus or algae. Algae end up depositing the green color materials on the tile which may end up absorbing water and start leaking into the building. Accumulation of humus tends to facilitate a good environment for plants to grow. Humus and algae are to scrapped off by periodic checks and faulty tiles replaced. Tiles may also loose position by tilting as a result of weather aspects like wind.

Sources of leaks in roofs should be identified and amply repaired. Causes of leaks could be rusting, nail holes from missing nails or from poorly joined components. The leaks are best checked from the interior of a roof. Fixing the leaks depends on the type of material that has been used. Adhesives like bitumen is applied on iron sheets or the sheets are nailed again.

Loose sheets as a result of blowing wind are nailed back as soon as possible to avoid more roof destruction. Strong winds remove nails by moving the sheets upwards and this weakens the house top. Weak house tops can be very dangerous in times of storms.

Cement roofs are well maintained by getting rid of all debris accumulating on top in order to reduce the possibility of moss and algae growth. Accumulation of water may weaken the cement and make it disintegrate. All tree branches above buildings should be cut to minimize the amount of debris falling.

The best maintenance to be performed is semi annual inspections to discover and fix problems as soon as possible. Since the roof is the top most part of the structure it tends to get more abuse from elements than any other part of the structure. Proper and timely maintenance operations go in a long way in avoiding major repairs and overhauls. Major roof renovations are very expensive to fund partly due to the technical know how of builders required and the high cost of materials. Better longer service is hence obtained by carrying out proper maintenance.

Adriana J. Noton writes about home improvement and home repair.

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