Have you noticed what’s growing on your roof lately?

Have you noticed what’s growing on your roof lately?

Have you noticed what’s growing on your roof lately?

Our humidity here in the Houston area offers the perfect environment for a roof-destroying aquatic plant called algae. You’ve probably noticed it when you’ve been camping. It’s that greenish plant that grows in damp areas out in the woods under shady trees, and it especially thrives in our heat and high humidity combination.

A soft wind can blow spores onto your roof and then the humidity and rain will spur them into growth, and they will spread quickly. Further complicating the situation are leaves, branches and debris in the gutters and on the roof, keeping water from draining off it, and creating the perfect moist atmosphere for the growing algae.

Commonly, the type of algae growing on roofs is Gloeocapsa magma, which thrives on water and causes black stains, or what looks like mold, but it can also appear to be green moss spreading across the roof. It needs food to survive, and it feeds on some of the materials found inside your roof. It will grow inside shingles, flashing and gutters, resulting in damage that will lead to water leaking into your home, and the destruction of your roof’s protection from the sun’s dangerous UV rays.

Royal Crown Roofing’s expert roofers can help you recognize what’s growing on your roof with a free roof inspection. Then they can help you with a deep cleaning to repair the situation. Contact them.

So, why clean your roof? Doesn’t it rain enough in Houston to do the job?

So, why clean your roof? Doesn’t it rain enough in Houston to do the job?

With an average of heavy rainfall (at least one inch) for 17 days a year and an annual rainfall of almost 50 inches, why wouldn’t that keep your roof clean?

That’s a good question.

The answer is that rain is part of the reason your roof needs to be cleaned. Rain gets into crevices, under shingles, into weak spots, into the flashing and gutters. Once moisture is there, it causes mold, mildew, moss, and algae growth that can cause damage to your roof’s materials. This leads to leaks and can destroy the shingles’ UV protection, shortening your roof’s life by as much as 10 years. The damage can be further complicated by leaves, branches, birds’ nests, whatever else that blows onto the roof and disintegrats into the crevices.

Royal Crown Roofing uses a process called soft wash roof cleaning that cleans out all of these destructive roof irritants without doing damage to any of the protective elements in the roofing materials—unlike the high-pressure power washing technique some companies use, which can also wash away some of the essential layers that protect the roof.

Your roof does a good job all year long protecting your home, pets, belongings, and family. You need to do it a favor and protect it with an annual soft washing that will extend its life, keep it looking good, and save you money on costly repairs.

Does your roof need some TLC?

Does your roof need some TLC?

Have you heard of the man in Miami who has an incredibly beautiful house filled with amazing artwork but deliberately leaves the outside looking like a rundown old mansion? He’s trying to keep burglars from thinking he has anything worth stealing. Most of us don’t agree with this policy. Whether we have anything worth stealing or not, we care more about what our neighbors think of us. We don’t want to have the worst house on the block.

If you’ve recently remodeled or redecorated inside your home, you might want to walk around the outside and take a good look at what needs to be done to make it match the beautiful new inside. Also, go across the street and take a look from there.

What do you see?

If you see dark spots on the roof, dented or missing shingles, torn flashing, sagging gutters, or mold along the edge of the roof, it’s time to do some catchup work and make the outside look as good as the inside. Not only will a beautiful new roof give your house a new attractive curb appeal, but it will add value to your home—the roof is one of the first things appraisers look at when they determine the value of a house.

So, maybe it’s time to give the outside of your house a little TLC. Royal Crown Roofing can help you create the new incredible outside to match the inside.

 

Storm season is on the way. Is your home prepared?

Storm season is on the way. Is your home prepared?

Gutters are important to take care of before storm season arrives since they do the important job of diverting water away from your house. They funnel rain to downspouts so it stays off the walls of your house and empties into drainage areas away from the foundation and your landscaping.

All of this can’t happen if the gutters are clogged with twigs, leaves, bird nests, dirt, grime, mold, algae, or other debris. They need to be cleared for rain to move quickly and effectively without overflowing into the wrong places.

If you clean the gutters yourself, you can use a scrub brush or power washer on a low setting to wash away the debris. You also need to check out the condition of the hardware attaching the gutters to your roof and make sure they are strong enough to withstand the strong winds and heavy downpours that are coming. It’s also a good idea to install gutter guards, which will prevent debris from being washed through the gutters, into the downspouts, and making a mess on your landscaping below. And check out the downspouts to make sure they are secured properly and are strong enough to do the job.

Finally, if you are not up to all of this ladder climbing and maintenance work on your gutter system, another solution exists. Contact Royal Crown Roofing for their assistance in making sure everything is in good order.

Don’t risk falling off your roof when it needs cleaning! It’s safer to let someone else do the job.

Don’t risk falling off your roof when it needs cleaning! It’s safer to let someone else do the job.

Roofs need to be cleaned regularly to keep off all the debris that collects there and makes homes for critters, insects, and mold. But, remember that hundreds of people in the USA–people who get paid to work on roofs–die each year from falling off the roof. It’s dangerous work for a number of reasons.

If you don’t know what you are doing and you step on a weak spot in the roof, off you go. Or, if you don’t place the ladder properly on the ground, you might end up on the hard ground. And then there’s the weather–unexpected rain or a sudden wind that can throw you off balance. Finally, for those of you who fear heights or have an inclination to misjudge where to step, you are in trouble. Let the professionals do the jobs safely.

You need to take good care of your roof and preserve its life for as long as possible. Not only does this save you the expense of a new roof, but taking care of it improves the aesthetic appearance of your house. And last of all, a roof in good shape helps keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Last summer, someone said, “Houston is the hottest darn place on Earth!”

Last summer, someone said, “Houston is the hottest darn place on Earth!”

Whoever said that wasn’t telling the truth. It was sweltering last summer here in the Houston area, but most of us have heard that Death Valley, California, is the hottest place on Earth. And all our rain doesn’t compare with Mawsynrami, India, which is the rainiest place on Earth. But Houston does have interesting weather with its average 90-days-per-year of precipitation, 205 sunny days, average high temperature of 93ᐤ and humidity average level of 75. With all of that, along with our hurricanes, wind, and hail; our roofs and gutters take a lot of beatings.

Gutters and downspouts perform years of faithful protection against all kinds of weather for our Houston area homes, but eventually they need replacement. So how do you know when it’s time?

Here are a few hints:

If your gutters have large, extensive holes, cracks, rust spots, or damage to the seams that connect sections of the gutters, it can mean leaks both outside and inside your home. Leaking gutters also cause peeling and bubbling up of excess moisture under the paint on siding and wood trim, eventually leading to rotting of the wood and mildew damage to your home. They can also destroy the landscaping close to the house.

If you have noticed any of these problems, it’s probably time to replace the gutter and downspout system. Royal Crown Roofing can help you figure out what to do next. Let them help you.