Residential · DFW metroplex
Those black streaks running down your shingles are algae, and they are the fastest way for a well-kept house to look neglected from the street.
Roof cleaning is the removal of the algae streaks and other growth that darken a roof, done without disturbing the shingle surface underneath. Standard Power Washing cleans roofs by soft wash only, and a pressure washer never goes on the shingles.
The dark staining on asphalt shingles is almost always Gloeocapsa magma, a blue-green algae that feeds on the limestone filler used in modern shingles. It takes hold on the slopes that stay damp longest — north-facing, and anything shaded by mature trees — then spreads downward in the streaks everyone recognizes.
Because it is alive and rooted in the shingle surface, rain does not remove it and it does not fade. It spreads.
A pressure washer will take the streaks off a roof, along with the granules that protect the shingle from UV. That shortens the life of the roof, sends granules into the gutters, and voids most manufacturer warranties. It is one of the most expensive mistakes a homeowner can pay someone to make.
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association takes the same line in its bulletin on algae discoloration of roofs, warning against power washers because high-pressure washing is likely to damage asphalt roofing. The same bulletin notes that the effect of cleaning is temporary and the discoloration can return, which is why a roof eventually needs doing again.
The correct method is a soft wash: a cleaning solution applied at low pressure that kills the algae at the root. The roof is not scrubbed and not blasted. The growth dies and weathers off, and the shingle surface is left intact.
Roof cleaning brings loosened growth and debris down into gutters and onto the walls below, so it makes sense to schedule it alongside a house wash rather than separately. Doing both in one visit also means the landscaping only gets protected and rinsed once.
Roof cleaning is offered across Fort Worth, Benbrook, Aledo, Weatherford, Burleson, Crowley, Mansfield, Keller, Saginaw and Haslet. You deal directly with the owner, the company is fully insured, and more than 500 jobs have been completed since 2022.
Fort Worth proper is included, and service areas lists every town we cover.
Almost always Gloeocapsa magma, a blue-green algae that feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. It appears first on north-facing slopes because they stay damp longest. It is a living organism, not soot or dirt, which is why rain never washes it off.
Yes. Pressure strips the protective granules off asphalt shingles, shortens the life of the roof, and can void the manufacturer warranty. Roofs should be cleaned by soft wash only: a cleaning solution applied at low pressure that kills the algae and lets it rinse away.
It removes an organism that holds moisture against the shingle and degrades the granule surface over time. Cleaning does not reverse existing wear or repair damage, but leaving heavy algae growth in place works against the roof.
Typically two to four years in North Texas, depending on shade and how close the roof sits to mature trees. Heavily shaded roofs regrow sooner because they hold moisture longer.
Beds and plantings below the roofline are pre-wet before the solution is applied and rinsed again afterward, which dilutes anything carried down by runoff. Point out anything fragile or newly planted before we start.
The size of the roof, how much algae has built up, and how easy it is to reach. Booking it with a house wash saves a second setup and a second round of protecting the plants. Estimates are free, and with an address and a couple of photos most roofs are quoted the same day.
Free estimates
Call or email with your address. Most roof quotes go out the same day without a site visit.
