The roof of your home or property can be a major contributor to the overall cosmetic appeal of a home or property. If the roof substrate is dirty and full of algae, it can make people think that the house is dirty or neglected.
Roofs are commonly built with clay shingles, sheet metal, cedar shakes, or more commonly with asphalt shingles. Each of these substrates has different characteristics and must be cleaned and restored slightly differently. However, the correct method of cleaning these roofing materials is to use the lowest possible water pressure or water cleaning. Excessive high pressure water cleaning of roofing materials can be extremely damaging to a roof, especially the most common type, asphalt shingles.
Asphalt shingles contain a limestone infill that works by reflecting the sun’s ultraviolet rays in the hottest summer months and also retains heat and heat inside the house during the colder or winter months. Excessive Pressure Washing can easily dislodge these limestone fillings, increasing heating and cooling energy costs. It can also lead to premature roof replacement.
A roof should last up to 25-40 years, however many roofs are being replaced as early as 15 years or even 10 years due to improper maintenance or lack of maintenance. This is because algae and other microorganisms will actually eat the limestone fill. If algae, moss, and lichen are allowed to thrive on your roof, it can take over creating havoc and will cost you thousands of dollars in replacement costs years before you incur such expenses.
A biodegradable cleaning solution applied with a specialized low pressure pump is the best choice for cleaning and restoring all types of roof substrates, but especially for tile roofs. You will need a suitable cleaning agent that eliminates this type of microorganisms and a surfactant must be added to the cleaning solution, to allow it to adhere to the ceiling and not run across the court towards the gutters. This is particularly important for roofs with a steep slope.
Pressure washer equipment is not required, but can be used to rinse the product from the ceiling, once it has done its job to kill all spores and the growth of microorganisms. You can often leave the solution on the ceiling.
