While spotting a bit of algae on your roof may not bother you at first glance, it is certainly bothering your roof shingles. The presence of algae can cause decay and shorten the lifespan of your roof’s shingles, which can lead to much bigger problems down the road. While this issue may seem cosmetic at first glance, it goes much deeper than that.

Soft washing chemicals typically consist of a mix of sodium hypochlorite (or a chemical component of bleach) and water. While sodium hypochlorite and bleach are often thought to be the same thing, there is one small but key difference between the two: sodium hypochlorite comes in powdered rather than liquid form, which means that it’s also more concentrated and more effective from less product overall.

You should not clean roof shingles if the roof has damage like missing shingles or low spots where water may accumulate. You should focus on repairing the roof before any cleaning process occurs. If you notice roof damage as you’re climbing on the roof to clean it, stop immediately. Call a roofing pro to make repairs. Cleaning a roof that has damage could lead to pooling water or water damage to the roof decking. The roof cleaning process removes mold and mildew, making the roof look better. It is not going to fix physical damage, though.

An improper DIY roof cleaning could cause leaks by damaging the roofing material. Things like using too much water pressure on the shingles or applying a harsh cleaning solution could cause damage. If you do enough damage, you could harm the ability of the shingles or other roof materials to keep water out of your home.