Roof soft washing in Beach Haven Crest

What usually prompts the call

• A neighbour's roof cleaned last year that still looks clean, next to yours that does not
• Moss or lichen sitting in the shingle courses on a shaded roof
• Dark patches on the north slope while the south slope still looks new

Why this comes up in Beach Haven Crest

Here is what makes Beach Haven Crest particular: narrow island, close-set houses, and shade from both the buildings and the older plantings between them. It holds damp longer than its neighbours to the north, and the north-facing elevations show it first.

Tightly packed small-lot housing: surviving mid-century cottages, a lot of 1980s and 1990s replacements, and newer elevated builds squeezed onto the same footprints. Vinyl siding is the norm, with PVC trim on the newer work.

What access looks like here

The tightest side clearance on this part of the island. Several elevations on a typical house here can only be reached by hand-carrying equipment down a gap barely wide enough to walk through.

Long Beach Township handles permitting for work at this address.

What the work involves on this island

The black streaking is a cyanobacteria, Gloeocapsa magma, that feeds on limestone filler in asphalt shingles. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association's guidance is low pressure and a cleaning solution; pressure washing strips granules and is excluded under most shingle warranties. Ask what pressure the crew works at and what they do to protect the gutters, plantings and the run-off path before they start.