Preserve-Safe Roof Soft Washing
Winding Cypress

Pulte built Winding Cypress off Collier Boulevard around a series of lakes and a large cypress preserve. Wetlands release moisture all day, and homes that back onto preserve or water have roof slopes that rarely dry out fully in summer.

Winding Cypress is a gated DiVosta community, part of PulteGroup, at 7180 Dominica Drive in ZIP 34114, south of I-75 exit 101. Its roughly 1,100 acres include more than 800 acres of natural preserve and about 80 acres of lakes, and it sits east of Lely Resort, south of Verona Walk and beside the Picayune Strand Forest.

That is why newer roofs here show black algae streaks sooner than in drier, open neighborhoods. The growth starts on north- and preserve-facing slopes and spreads across the roof over a few seasons.

Listings show homes built from about 2015 to 2022, with single-story models of roughly 1,540 to more than 2,590 square feet and two or three bedrooms. Most roofs here are therefore young tile, and young tile is the easiest kind to keep even.

The good news is that newer tile cleans easily. Caught early, a soft wash clears the streaks in one visit and the color comes back even. Left for years, shaded sections can grow lichen that takes longer to remove.

Because homes back onto protected habitat, how the work is done matters. We keep the mix as dilute as the roof allows, keep runoff away from preserve edges and lakes, and pre-wet and rinse the plantings around the house.

The black streaks are mostly Gloeocapsa magma. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association considers it probably the most prevalent roof-staining algae and says it is most widespread in the Gulf States. Owens Corning describes it as airborne, and with a state forest next door there is a steady supply.

Concrete tile makers keep cleaning gentle. Eagle Roofing Products recommends water only for routine cleaning, at no more than 1,200 psi, because higher pressure can affect the tile’s pH and discolor it. For heavier growth it permits a cleaner only in its most diluted, concrete-compatible form.

Eagle also describes a wet tile roof as difficult and dangerous to walk and recommends a licensed, insured tile contractor using fall protection. Most homes here are single-story, and wherever our crew steps onto the tile they are tied off and keep to supported tile.

Owens Corning advises that the roof and nearby plants be flushed thoroughly after a bleach-based clean. On a preserve lot we do that twice, before and after, and we turn downspouts onto the lawn so runoff stays off the strip along the preserve line.

Reclaimed irrigation water leaves orange iron stains on light pavers here. That is a separate job, but we rinse the drive and walks below each eave as we go so roof runoff does not add grit to surfaces that already carry those stains.

Gutters on preserve-backing homes fill with leaves and needles quickly. We flush every gutter and downspout at the end of the job, and anything that will not clear is noted on your record.

Each slope is photographed before any solution goes on. Eagle recommends routine inspection for cracked tile and drainage problems, and on a roof under ten years old those pictures make a simple baseline for later visits.

Mortared ridge and hip caps are covered by our tile with ridge cap treatment. A cap that has cracked or shifted since construction is photographed so you can take it up with your builder or roofer.

ARMA says plainly that the effect of roof cleaning is temporary and discoloration may come back. Preserve-facing slopes show it first, so we suggest booking again when the first shadows return rather than on a set calendar.

The nature boardwalk through the cypress wetlands is one of the community’s best features, and some homes look straight onto it. When a roof faces the boardwalk, we keep spray low and start early, before most walkers are out.

Lake-facing lanais and pool cages sit right below the eaves on many lots, so screens and decks are rinsed with fresh water once the roof is done.

Many owners here are seasonal or work full days. Because we are on the gate list, nobody needs to be home, and the photos show you exactly what was cleaned.

Amenities include a resort-style pool, a barefoot bar, a fitness and movement center, tennis, pickleball, bocce and a fire pit. Association buildings are quoted separately from homes.

Here a single-story roof is priced from $299, a two-story plan from $399 and tile with ridge cap treatment from $349. Roof plus a wash of the preserve-side walls starts at $599; see tile roof cleaning for more.

We are pre-registered at the Winding Cypress gate, licensed and insured, and email photos and a written record after every job. Call 239-544-1165 to book.