Roof Cleaning—What to Know Roof cleaning is not a simple process as many people believe. If it is too much of a job you can always hire a professional roof cleaning company to do the job. One of the first things that you should know is that it is best if this job is done in states. You should always make sure that you have someone watching you from the ground, the ladder you are using is sturdy and safe, and you are wearing slip-proof shoes. You should first remove any loose debris on the roof to see if there are any stubborn stains that must be addressed. You can remove this debris and leaves by using a soft bristled broom but it must be strong enough to push or sweep the stuff off the edge of the roof. It should not be too stiff because it could damage the roof shingles. After removing the loose debris and leaves start to loosen any grime or dirt that is attached firmly to the roof. The best way to accomplish this is to soak the roof completely using a water hose. After soaking for five to ten minutes the stuck on dirt and grime should be loosened enough for you to remove easier. You can again use the broom to do this task. If there are still some grime or dirt that is caked on you may need to use some roof cleaning chemicals. There are cleaning chemicals that are formulated to work with certain types of roofs so make sure that you get the one formulated for the type of roof you have. Using the right one will help you remove any stubborn dirt or grime without harming the roof. There are two basic roof cleaning methods that you can use after getting rid of the stubborn dirt and grime.
High pressure wash—this is done using a power washer that will easily clean your roof but it could also damage your roof and decrease its lifespan. With this method you do not need to use any chemicals, just the power washer. Because it can damage your roof this is not a method that is recommended although it is a fast way to do roof cleaning. Low pressure wash—this still requires a pressure washer but is done with low pressure and a chemical mix. Many times the mixture is trisodium phosphate (TSP) and bleach. After the mixture dries on the roof it has to be rinsed off. You have to be careful with the plants and grass because the run-off of chemicals can kill them. Of the two methods this is the best one because there is less chance for damage to your roof.
This article is penned by Lora Davis for No Pressure Roof Cleaning, a company that has been providing low roof pressure wash cleaning using soft roof wash method since 2002.