Roof soft washing in West Creek

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 West Creek

Two different environments along one road. Up near Route 9 the ground is higher and genuinely wooded, so the load is needles, sap and shade. Out toward the creek mouth the lots sit low against the meadow, where salt haze carries in off the bay and high water leaves silt behind. That is the context any crew working in West Creek is dealing with.

Older village stock along Route 9 and the side streets, a good deal of it painted wood with porches and detail work, alongside newer waterfront infill out along Dock Road toward the creek.

Practicalities in West Creek

Generous lots in the village with room to work. Ground gets softer and lots tighter toward the meadow, which limits where a rig can be staged on the waterfront end.

Any permit for this runs through Eagleswood Township. State registration has to be current before one is issued.

The usual approach

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.