Roof & Exterior Growth

Know what's growing up there.

Moss, fungus, mold and lichen are not just a cosmetic problem. Each one holds moisture against your roof, walls and stucco — and left alone, each one costs real money. Here's what we find across the Inland Empire, why it matters, and how we treat it.

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The Field Guide

Four growths, four treatments.

These four show up on nearly every roof we inspect. Left to right: moss, fungus, mold, lichen.

Field guide close-ups of moss, fungus, mold and lichen growing on roofing and stone

The Four Culprits

What each one does to your home.

Moss

Looks like: Dense green fuzz, spongy to the touch, usually in shaded valleys between shingles and along north-facing slopes.
Shows up on: Shingle and tile roofs, gutters, shaded walls and walkways
Why it matters: Holds water against the roof deck all year. That trapped moisture lifts shingle edges, rots the decking and clogs gutters until water backs up.
How we treat it: Killed at the root with a soft-wash detergent, then gently rinsed away — never blasted, which drives roots deeper and strips granules.

Fungus

Looks like: Grey or white shelf-like growth at seams and joints, sometimes dry and cracked like old paper.
Shows up on: Shingle courses, fascia boards, gutter seams and damp shaded corners
Why it matters: It feeds on moisture in the decking, so a patch on the surface usually means wet wood underneath, and wet wood means rot and leaks.
How we treat it: Soft-washed with a biocidal detergent and then the moisture source fixed — cleaning alone won't stop it coming back.

Mold & Algae

Looks like: The black streaks running down the roof, or brown-black mottled patches on shingles, stucco and concrete.
Shows up on: Roof shingles, stucco walls, concrete, solar panels
Why it matters: Algae feeds on the limestone filler inside asphalt shingles, eating the granules that protect the roof and cutting years off its life.
How we treat it: Low-pressure soft wash, a pure-water rinse, and a repeat treatment every year or two to keep the streaks from returning.

Lichen

Looks like: Bright yellow or pale grey crusty patches with a leaf-like edge, gripping the surface tight like it grew there.
Shows up on: Tile roofs, stone, brick and shaded stucco
Why it matters: Its holdfast roots into the surface. Scraping or pressure-washing it off cracks tile and stucco — the damage costs more than the lichen did.
How we treat it: Softened with detergent and allowed to release naturally over a few weeks, then rinsed — no scraping, no cracked tile.

Why It Matters

Ignore it and it grows into a bill.

It shortens roof life

Growth holds water against the shingles. Trapped moisture eats the granules, then the decking — that's the difference between a wash and a replacement.

It hides real damage

Black streaks and shelf fungus are usually the first sign of a leak path. Cleaning restores the surface and lets us see what's actually going on up there.

It's not good for you

Mold spores travel. If anyone in the house has allergies or asthma, growth on the roof, walls and stucco keeps the problem circulating.

It drags your value down

Streaked roofs, stained stucco and green fascia read as neglect. Curb appeal is the cheapest equity you own.

How We Handle It

Kill the root. Don't blast the surface.

Pressure washing moss off a shingle roof does more harm than the moss did. Our process is built the other way around.

Inspect

We look at the growth, the moisture source and the surface before anything gets sprayed.

Soft wash

Low pressure, biodegradable detergent, pure-water rinse. The growth is killed at the root, not blasted off.

Prevent

Gutters cleared, bird proofing where it applies, and a schedule so it doesn't come back next season.

Straight answer: we inspect and clean exterior surfaces — roofs, stucco, concrete and solar. Mold remediation inside the home is a licensed contractor's job, and we'll tell you when that's what you actually need.

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