7 Things to Remember When Doing a Roof Cleaning
We clean our cars, our pets, our kids and ourselves. We also clean our homes. Our roof is part of our home. Roof cleaning is not usually on the weekly chore list because it does not have to be cleaned that often. But when it’s time for a good roof cleaning, here are seven things to remember.
1. Use the Right Roof Cleaning Chemicals
A quick hose-down-rinse-off of your roof is not the same as cleaning your roof. If you decide you want to grab a scrub brush and a bucket of water, be aware that you may only be doing a surface cleaning. The right chemicals are needed to remove the moss, algae or mold that is visible on your roof.
2. Use Chemical Safety
When using any chemical solution you are not familiar with it is recommended that you do a little research (or at least read the bottle) to be aware of any warnings and directions given to prevent injury. You may also want to find the right chemicals that won’t harm your home’s exterior including the landscaping below. The run off from the roof will have to go somewhere, so make sure to use a chemical solution that’s safe for the rest of your home. If you don’t want to worry about chemical burns or mishaps, call us, a reputable roof cleaning company who trains all of their employees with safety and chemical training.
3. Have the Right Roof Cleaning Safety Equipment
Sneakers and an old wooden ladder won’t cut it for this job. The roof will be wet and having a good pair of boots that won’t let you slip and fall off your roof are a necessity. Any respectable roof cleaning company will tell you to wear a harness in case you do fall. If using a chemical solution, don’t forget to protect yourself with safety glasses, gloves, and never wear shorts for this job. The aforementioned chemical burn is no joke.
4. Don’t use a pressure washer!
At Mike’s Power Washing, we know power washing, but we also know roof cleaning – and they are not the same thing. We know when too much of a good thing is a bad thing and too much power can definitely be a bad thing. As helpful as power washing can be with some jobs, power washing a shingled roof can cause serious damage.
5. If done right, your roof will last longer.
Why do we clean anything at all, ever? Mostly because we want our ‘things’ to look as good as when we first bought them. While that is a valid reason for cleaning your roof, there’s also another more practical reason. The better we maintain something, the longer it will last. This principle applies to the inside of your home, your car, your office at work, even your sanity. This same principle applies to your roof. It was once brand new. The older your roof is, the more rains it has seen, the more dirt it has accumulated, and the more algae it has grown. Soft washing your own roof can take care of some of the dirt, but the algae will not be removed without the use of chemicals.
6. Save Yourself Time and Energy
If you are reading this, you are already using time to do your research on roof cleaning or trying to decide whether or not to hire a roof cleaning company to do the job. You still have to research your chemicals and make sure you have the right safety equipment for the job. Then you will have to make your purchases. This is assuming you already have a proper ladder and have already assessed how big a job you have in front of you and estimating how long the job will take. All this work for a job you will only have to do once every couple of years…
Seems a bit ridiculous.
It would be much easier and faster to contact Mike for a free estimate and let him and his team take care of the job for you.
7. Hiring a Roof Cleaning Professional Will Save You Money
Roof cleaning is not an easy DIY project. To anyone who does do-it-themselves, you’ve earned our respect. We just really hope you have done it right. Using a power washer can ruin your shingles. Using the wrong chemicals can damage your home’s exterior. Not using chemicals means all your hard work didn’t kill the algae.
All of this means you might have saved yourself a little money (don’t forget to factor in the cost of equipment), but you may need to make repairs or have to do it all over again with chemicals.
If you don’t clean your roof at all, you will have to replace your roof much sooner than you would if you had cleaned it.
Calling a Roof Cleaning Company like Mike’s Power Washing and Roof Cleaning may cost extra up front, but you will have the confidence and peace of mind knowing the job was done right the first time by trained professionals. Once the job is complete, you check the chore off of your list and move on with life.