What Are the Dos and Don’ts of Roof Cleaning?

Do you live in a house and wish there was a simple solution to improve your property's visual appeal? If it describes you, then maybe you should consider cleaning roofs.

While a freshly cleaned roof may make your home sparkle like new, it's crucial to know what you're doing before doing such a project yourself.

In this post, we'll go over everything homeowners need to know about roof cleaning–from the dos and don'ts of DIY roof cleaning to why professional help makes more sense in certain scenarios. Melbourne's Pressure Washing has been in business for over 20 years and has completed over 10,000 jobs. We're passionate about providing our customers with the best possible service.

Don't put off roof cleaning any longer; here's everything you need to know to do it right.

So Why Is It Crucial to Keep Your Roof Clean?

There are several reasons why roof cleaning is so important. To start, it might aid in keeping your roof around for longer. In addition, eliminating moss and lichen from roofs stops these organisms from degrading the roofing components and creating further damage.

Second, a clean roof will do wonders if you're attempting to sell your house or just keep its kerb appeal up. Insects, water leaks, and moss development are all things that may be avoided with a clean roof.

Finally, protecting yourself and your loved ones is always a top priority. For example, if you have a lot of junk piled up on your roof, you risk branches and other objects falling on you.

The Dos and Don'ts of Cleaning Your Roof

Make Sure Chemical Solutions Have Plenty of Time to Take Effect.

Many roofing materials benefit most from a chemical wash when it comes to removing algae or moss or even when it comes to simple cleaning. But most of these drugs need some time to take effect. 

According to some packaging, a full effect may not be seen for up to four (4) or five (5) months. As a result, householders who would prefer the vegetation to be eliminated may incorrectly conclude that the chemical wash was ineffective. But that would be an error of judgement. Over time, slow new growth will be washed off your roof by precipitation (or blown off by strong winds).

Prioritise Your Safety Before Beginning Any Roof Maintenance

When cleaning a roof, remember that safety is of the first importance. Depending on the kind of roof you're working on, you'll need specific tools and safety measures.

The first step is to buy a sturdy ladder. You'll need a robust, tall object to help you reach the ceiling.

Wear shoes with nonslip rubber soles if you need to walk around on your roof. Slips and falls can be avoided with these precautions in place. Protecting your hands and eyes with gloves and goggles is also a good idea. 

Lastly, choose a day when the weather is cool and dry. Roof cleaning solutions can dry too quickly in direct sunshine, potentially damaging roof shingles.

Always Maintain a Tidy Surrounding Area for the Roof

Rather than fixing the difficulties something causes, it can be simpler to prevent them from happening in the first place. For example, your roof will benefit from having the plants and bushes around it trimmed and cleaned up. 

Fallen leaves can clog gutters and lead to additional problems every year. The older the tree, the more likely it is to shed branches onto your roof. Your home is your biggest investment. Protect it with a professional exterior house wash from Pressure Washing Melbourne.

Vegetation near the roof can be trimmed to eliminate the possibility of a problem. In addition, it's much simpler to maintain your roof clean if there aren't any tree limbs dangling above it to shed their weight in leaves into your gutters.

Wash using a Low-Pressure Washer

Manufacturers and roofing specialists agree that using a power washer on your roof is bad for most roof components (other than exceptionally resistant metal panels). In addition, it won't work against mould and algae growth. 

And it could perhaps cause some shingles to come off or be damaged. In its place, a bleach solution should be sprayed onto the roof using a chemical sprayer connected to a garden hose. 

Once the product has sat for 15 to 20 minutes, you can rinse it away with water straight from the garden hose.

Dispose of the Algae

Most people associate algae with the surface of the water; however, it may also colonise dry environments like roofs if not regularly cleaned.

Some toughest things to clean off a roof include algae, moss, and lichen. Unchecked, they can do a lot of harm.

However, you should only attempt to remove the algae if you have access to a reliable ladder. If you have a sturdy ladder and a soft brush, you can easily remove the algae and debris from your roof.

To get rid of moss and algae, you must use a cleaning product made for that purpose. You can probably find them in a hardware store.

Keep Your Gutters Clean

Gutters are vital to the maintenance of a roof free of debris. Too much leaf and debris buildup can cause water to back up, leading to leaks and moss development. 

Avoid this by keeping your gutters clean. You can do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. In either case, it's important to clear away any potential hazards.

Be Proactive in Maintaining a Clean Roof.

The spores in the air and the number of cloudless days are both outside your control, but there are steps you can take that will have a significant effect. One reason is that debris falls from overhead trees. They are also effective at obstructing solar radiation. 

Sunlight plays a critical role in preventing the spread of algae and moss. Thus, by cutting back vegetation, you can increase the amount of sunshine reaching your roof.

Choose Your Roofing Material Carefully

There are a variety of chemicals available for cleaning asphalt roofs, but many homeowners claim that using a mix of water and chlorine bleach is the most cost-effective option. This roof is best cleaned with a chemical wash applied at low pressure.

Pay Attention to the Terrain Around You

Bleach solutions and other strong chemicals used on roofs can damage or kill any vegetation that happens to be in their path. However, the plants can be somewhat protected by wetting them with simple water and covering them with plastic before you clean your roof. Then, take off the plastic and give the plants another clean water when you're done.

Be Cautious When Cleaning a Roof of Unreasonable Height

You should know when it's time to bring in the professionals who have trained in remaining safe, even if most people can keep one-story roofs clean with nothing more than a ladder and the necessary protection equipment you should be wearing when cleaning a roof.

You should hire a high-access cleaner to clean your roof if your building has more than one story. No matter how capable you feel, leaving the work at dangerous heights to the professionals with the expertise and gear to do so is the smart choice.

Don't Clean With High Pressure

It can be tempting to think that a pressure washer is the best option for cleaning your roof. After all, that seems like the quickest way to clean everything up. But unfortunately, while they may seem helpful, pressure washers often cause more harm than good.

As a result of their powerful cleaning abilities, pressure washers are typically reserved for particularly grimy surfaces. Cleaning your roof using a pressure washer could lead to costly damage due to the high pressure of the water. Repairing your roof could end up costing more than the cost of the cleaning service itself. A garden hose fitted with a sprayer can be used instead, with the sprayer turned down to its minimum setting. 

On the other hand, expert roof cleaners know how to safely utilise pressure washers without endangering the roof's integrity while cleaning it.

If you want your roof to endure as long as possible, it must be cleaned regularly. It's best to tackle the low-hanging fruit yourself before calling in the experts with the heavy-duty gear needed for steep roofs. This includes things like clearing out the algae and unclogging the gutters. A clean roof and a safe environment may be maintained with the help of these dos and don'ts.

Why You Should Consider Hiring Professional Washers

Now that you know what to do and what not to do when cleaning a roof, you should also know that washing the roof is a tedious task that frequently necessitates using specialised equipment. For this reason, many property owners opt to hire expert cleaners.

Professional house cleaners have the training and tools to do the job swiftly and effectively. As a bonus, they are equipped to clean even the highest, most inaccessible roof. Pressure Washing Melbourne’s professional roof cleaning services can get your roof looking like new again. 

Conclusion

Cleaning the roof can make the house look like new, but only if done properly. Whether you're planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, this piece will cover all you need to know about roof cleaning for your home. Algae, moss, and lichen are some of the most difficult things to wipe off a roof, but they can cause significant damage if not removed. You can clean your roof of algae and debris with relative ease if you have access to a sturdy ladder. Cleaning with a low-pressure washer or bleach solution is best done on a day when the weather is cool and dry.

It is possible for water to back up due to an excess of leaves and debris, which can lead to leaks and the growth of moss. You need to use a special cleaner designed for removing moss and algae. Roofing bleach and other powerful chemicals can harm or kill any plants in their path. To ensure the roof lasts as long as possible, it should be cleaned frequently. Using a pressure washer is a last resort for cleaning most surfaces.

For the same effect, you can use a garden hose outfitted with a sprayer and adjust the sprayer to its lowest setting. House cleaning services offer the expertise and equipment to get the work done quickly and thoroughly.

Content Summary

• If this sounds like you, perhaps roof cleaning is the career path for you.
• A clean roof may make a house look like new, but it's important to have experience with such projects before doing them on your own.
• Whether you're planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, this piece will cover all you need to know about roof cleaning for your home.
• Put off roof cleaning no longer; this article has all the information you need to have the job done right.
• Roof cleaning is crucial for many reasons.
• To begin, it has the potential to extend the life of your roof.
• In addition, when moss and lichen are removed from roofs, the deterioration of the roofing materials is halted.
• To add to that, a spotless roof may do wonders for the kerb appeal of your home, whether you plan to sell it soon or not.
• Keeping the roof clean can prevent problems like water leaks, moss growth, and insect infestations.
• Last but not least, safety for you and your loved ones is always a priority.
• If you have a lot of debris on your roof, for instance, it could increase the likelihood that branches or other objects would fall and cause injury.
• Provide chemical solutions with ample time to work.
• A chemical wash is the most effective method for cleaning and removing algae and moss from many types of roofing materials.
• Yet, it typically takes a while for these medications to start working.
• Slowly but surely, rain will wipe away the growing growth on your roof (or blown off by strong winds).
• Remember that safety is the number one priority when cleaning a roof.
• If you need to walk about on your roof, make sure to wear shoes with non-slip rubber bottoms.
• These safety measures will help reduce the possibility of slips and falls.
• It is also recommended that you wear gloves and eye protection, such as goggles.
• Finally, select a day when temperatures are mild and the air is dry.
• The rapid drying of cleaning chemicals used on roofs in the sun might cause damage to the shingles.
• It's often easier to avoid problems altogether than to attempt to remedy them after they've already arisen.
• For instance, if you take care of the bushes and plants around your roof, it will look better.
• The annual buildup of decaying leaves in gutters is a recurring issue.
• The likelihood of branches falling from an ancient tree onto your roof increases as its age increases.
• Getting rid of the potential for a problem by trimming the vegetation close to the roof.
• Furthermore, without any dangling tree limbs above it to shed its weight in leaves into your gutters, it is much easier to keep your roof clean.
• Manufacturers and roofing experts agree that power washing your roof can damage many different parts of your roof (other than exceptionally resistant metal panels).
• And it certainly won't prevent the formation of mould or algae.
• Instead, a bleach solution should be sprayed onto the roof with a chemical sprayer attached to a garden hose.
• After allowing the product to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, you can remove it using water from the outdoor faucet.
• Although most people think of algae just as a problem near water's edge, it can also spread to dry areas if not removed periodically, such as rooftops.
• Algae, moss, and lichen are some of the most difficult to remove from a roof.
• You shouldn't try to get rid of the algae unless you have access to a sturdy ladder.
• Remove algae and debris from your roof with ease using a sturdy ladder and a soft brush.
• You need to use a special cleaner designed for removing moss and algae.
• Maintaining a debris-free roof relies heavily on clean gutters.
• Clean gutters might help you avoid this problem.
• Either way, you need to make sure there are no obstacles in your path.
• Clean your roof on a regular basis.
• Light from the sun is essential in halting the growth of moss and algae.
• You can let more sunlight hit your roof by reducing the quantity of foliage around it.
• Asphalt roofs can be cleaned with any number of chemicals, but many homeowners report the best results with a solution of chlorine bleach in water.
• If you want to clean this roof, a chemical wash done at low pressure will work the best.
• Protect the plants as much as possible before cleaning the roof by washing them down with plain water and covering them with plastic.
• When you're done, remove the plastic and water the plants again.
• When Cleaning an Impossibly High Roof, Exercise Caution Even though most people can keep one-story roofs clean with nothing more than a ladder and the required protection equipment you should be wearing when cleaning a roof, you should know when it's time to bring in the professionals who have trained in remaining safe.
• If your structure has more than one story, you should consider using a high-access cleaning service to maintain its roof.
• Even if you think you're up to the task, it's best to let the experts who have the necessary training and equipment handle any work that must be done at a height.
• Pressure Washing Is Not Advisable Pressure washing may seem like the obvious choice when it comes to maintaining your roof.
• Unfortunately, pressure washers are often more harmful than helpful, despite their seeming usefulness.
• Because of their robust cleaning capabilities, pressure washers are often reserved for exceptionally dirty surfaces.
• The strong force of the water used in a pressure washer could cause serious damage to your roof, making the task extremely expensive.
• It's possible that the price of roof repair will exceed the price of the cleaning service.
• For the same effect, you can use a garden hose outfitted with a sprayer and adjust the sprayer to its lowest setting.
• Professional roof cleaners, on the other hand, are trained to use pressure washers in a way that won't cause damage to the roof.
• To ensure the roof lasts as long as possible, it should be cleaned frequently.
• Before calling in the pros with the heavy-duty equipment needed for steep roofs, it's wise to take care of the low-hanging fruit yourself.
• Some examples of this kind of maintenance are removing algae and cleaning up clogged gutters.
• With the help of these dos and don'ts, you can keep the roof clean and the area around it safe.
• The Benefits of Hiring Expert Cleaners With this newfound knowledge of what to do and what not to do while cleaning a roof, you should also be aware that washing the roof is a time-consuming process that often requires the use of specialised equipment.
• This is why a lot of homeowners choose to bring in professional cleaners:
• House cleaning services offer the expertise and equipment to get the work done quickly and thoroughly.
• To top it all off, they have the means to clean even the most inaccessible of rooftops.