Roof Cleaning in Charleston, SC

Roofs are always soft washed. Here is how soft washing works.

We also offer roof soft washing in Mount Pleasant, where salt air and live-oak shade make roof algae especially stubborn.

What Those Black Streaks Really Are

The dark stripes running down so many Lowcountry roofs are not dirt or mildew. They are Gloeocapsa magma, a cyanobacteria (often called roof algae) that spreads on wind and feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. It starts on the north and shaded slopes and works its way across. In Charleston's heat and humidity it grows faster than almost anywhere in the country.

The streaks are more than cosmetic. The algae holds moisture against the shingles, it gives moss and lichen a place to root, and a dark roof absorbs more heat than a clean one. Left alone, growth shortens the life of a roof you paid thousands of dollars for, and it is one of the first things a home inspector or buyer notices.

Why We Never Pressure Wash a Roof

A pressure washer will remove streaks, and it will also remove the mineral granules that protect asphalt shingles from the sun. Once those granules are gone, the shingle ages fast. That is why the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association recommends against pressure washing, and why many shingle manufacturers say high pressure can void a warranty. High pressure can also lift tabs, break seals and force water under the roofing.

Soft washing does the opposite. Nothing touches the shingles but a cleaning solution applied at garden-hose pressure. It kills the algae, moss and lichen at the root, and the stains fade away over the next few rains. The granules stay where they belong.

Our Roof Soft Wash Method

1. Instant quote. Enter your address and the quote tool measures the roof. You see the price before anyone comes out.
2. Protect the property. We soak plants, beds and lawn below the drip line with fresh water before we start, and we cover anything delicate.
3. Apply the solution. A sodium hypochlorite solution, the same active ingredient as household bleach, is diluted for roofs and mixed with a surfactant so it clings to the shingles. It goes on at low pressure from the ground and the roof edge.
4. Let it work. The solution kills the algae, moss and lichen. You will see most streaks lighten the same day; the rest fade with the next few rains.
5. Rinse the landscaping again. Plants, gutters, siding and walks below the roof are rinsed thoroughly when we finish.
6. Photos. We send before and after photos. You do not need to be home.

Metal Roofs, Tile and Flat Roofs

Metal roofs collect the same green and black growth, plus a chalky film, and they are cleaned the same way: low pressure and a solution matched to the finish. We also soft wash screened porch roofs, gazebos, pergolas and the roofs of detached garages. Tile and specialty roofs are quoted after a look at photos.

How Often Should a Charleston Roof Be Cleaned?

A properly soft washed roof usually stays clean for three to five years in the Lowcountry. Shaded roofs under live oaks and roofs near the marsh or the beach are at the short end. Gutter cleaning and a house wash on the same visit keep runoff from re-seeding the growth, which is why we offer 15% off gutter cleaning when it is booked with a roof.

Roof cleaning is part of our soft washing service in Charleston. By town: Roof cleaning in Mount Pleasant · Roof cleaning in Charleston · Roof cleaning in Summerville · Roof cleaning in James Island · Roof cleaning in Isle of Palms · Roof cleaning in Sullivan's Island · Roof cleaning in North Charleston.