Roof soft washing in High Bar Harbor

What gets rung about

• Black streaks running down the shingles, usually worst below a chimney or a vent
• Dark patches on the north slope while the south slope still looks new
• Moss or lichen sitting in the shingle courses on a shaded roof

Why this comes up in High Bar Harbor

This is bay water, not ocean, and it behaves differently. Salt load on the siding is lower than the ocean blocks but the humidity is far higher, the lots are sheltered from wind, and the growth that results is green and living rather than white and crusted. Marsh silt arrives with every high-water event and settles on everything low. That is the context any crew working in High Bar Harbor is dealing with.

High Bar Harbor is a lagoon enclave at the north-western tip of Long Beach Township, tucked behind Barnegat Light on the bay, and that shapes what turns up on these walls.

Practicalities in High Bar Harbor

One road in and out, narrow lagoon streets, and a bulkhead line at the back of most lots. The bay elevation of the house is reached through the property rather than from the street, so a rig staged at the kerb is working off a long hose run to the side that needs it most.

Coating work needs a permit through Long Beach Township, and no municipality in New Jersey will issue one to an unregistered contractor.

What the work involves

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.