Why Lichens Should Be Removed From Your Roof

There has been a recent boom in green roofing systems that have become all the rage for contemporary homes with an eye for unique architecture. Living roofs have features like different types of plant life and add a natural flair to modern-day housing options.

However, if you have moss, algae, and lichen growing on your roof, please be aware that these are not green roofing features. These plant organisms can cause significant damage to your roofing systems and should be removed immediately. Today, we’ll be taking a look at how lichens can affect the roof of your home and why you should get rid of them when first spotted.

 

What Are Lichens?

Lichens are an organism that evolves from the interaction between algae and fungi. These plant organisms can grow on just about any surface, and not even the most aggressive hail, snow, or rain can wash them away. They are an invasive organism that typically damages all surfaces with which they interact; be it a house’s roofing material or forest floor mosses, nowhere is safe. Lichens have been found in every type of environment known to man, so no matter where you live, there will always be a chance for a lichen invasion.

 

How Lichen Affects Your Roof

 

Ruins Your Curb Appeal

Lichen growths on your rooftop can create quite an unsightly image. They’ll make your roof look like it is poorly maintained and deteriorated. If you plan on selling your home, significant lichen growth on your rooftop can affect your home’s selling price.

 

Harm Your Shingles

If you don’t keep your roofing shingles clean, they will be consumed by lichens. Lichen’s love to eat away at the top layer of any roof. This can significantly reduce a roof’s ability to protect from rain and wind damage because it has less protection than before. The effects are noticeable in color too, patches across the surface mean uneven coloring overall that could have been avoided with regular maintenance.

 

Loosen Shingles

If lichen is able to grow beneath your roofing shingles, it may loosen the shingles over time and eventually cause it to detach completely. If the lichen growth on your roof is quite significant, you may lose quite a bit of roofing shingles, which will expose the roof deck of your home to the elements.

 

Difficult to Navigate Across Your Roof

Trying to navigate across your roof can be a tricky task if you have significant lichen growth. Lichens will hold any water that lands on the rooftop and create an incredibly slippery surface.

 

For information on lichen, moss, or algae growth on your roofing system, give Carter Roofing Exteriors a call today!