Leave Pressure Washing To A Professional
Pressure washing isnt as simple as it seems. For best results, you should always have a professional pressure wash your roof. Not contracting an experienced professional can leave uneven strokes causing highlights on your roof or zebra stripes on your home. Your best bet is to always go with a professional to get an even, clean look.
Why Soft Wash Your Roof
Low pressure roof cleaning is an important step in keeping your home in good shape and appearance. Over time the exterior of your home can build-up a combination of dirt, dust, mildew, mold and fungi. This build up can make your home look old and uncared for. It can also speed up the process of breakdown and weathering.
So the why is pretty easy to answer. The biggest reason for low pressure cleaning is that it is a great preventative measure. All homeowners know that leaves and other debris will build up on your roof, but some dont know that if its left alone it can cause extensive damage. The same applies to the buildup of leaves in your gutters and valleys.
If there is build up in any of these areas, your roof could start to decompose due to algae and become a breeding ground for mold. Water could begin to be trapped on your roof and in your gutters, putting weight on your home and causing leaks. The best way to avoid this happening to you? Soft washing and gutter and downspout cleaning from the beginning.
Another reason is that it can make your home look brand new and boost its curb appeal immediately. If youre looking to sell your home regular low pressure cleanings could increase resale value. And if youre looking to keep your home, this is a nice way to appease the HOA. Today both the Home Owners Association and your insurance company are interested in the state of your roof.
Even If You Can’t See The Algae You May Still Need A Cleaning
In its earliest stages of development, algae is completely invisible. So even if your roof appears to be okay, there’s a chance that the best time to have it cleaned is now. This is one of the reasons that professional roofers recommend you have a roof inspection around once every three years–the earlier you’re able to catch the problem, the better it is for your roofing.
Many homeowners may decide to spot clean their roof, but algae could be effecting your entire roof even it’s only visible in spots. It’s always a good idea to take preventative measures, and to have a cleaning be as thorough as possible when it is done.
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Older Roofs Are Best Cleaned With A Soft Wash System
A soft wash cleaning begins with the application of particular surfactants or detergents. These cleansers seep into the pits and pores of a home’s roof, working their way along the undersides of roofing tiles and shingles as well as around flashing and other roof materials. Soft wash cleansers are gentle but strong, working to dissolve thick grit, grime, dust, dirt, mud, soot, and other such residues.
Soft wash systems use low-pressure rinsing to remove dirt. This pressure is typically just slightly stronger than the force created by a garden hose with a spray nozzle. Low-pressure rinsing won’t loosen or cause damage to old, brittle roofing tiles, and won’t wash away damaged granules along their surfaces. A professional power washing contractor can note if a soft wash cleaning is recommended for your roof, depending on its age and amount of dirt that needs cleaning.
Benefits Of Roof Washing
Increases Curb Appeal
Curb appeal helps increases the value of your home, keeps the neighbors happy, and makes you feel great when you come home at the end of a long day. Whatever the reason, call us today!
Saves Time
Youre a busy person. And delegating this task will make your life easier. Roof washing requires experience, the right tools, and the skills to clean different surfaces without hurting them. Let our experience save you valuable time.
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How Much Does Roof Power Washing Cost
It is important to care for your roof and keep it clean. A roof power washing cost can vary depending on the size of your roof, but all power wash roofs include a pressure washer, soap and water. Businesses with flat roofs usually come out cheaper than those that are sloped or have multiple levels.
Maintaining your roof is an important part of home ownership. Not only does a clean roof keep your home looking good, but it also helps to protect the structure from the elements. A power wash can be a great way to clean your roof and remove any built-up dirt, debris, or moss. Pressure washing is a fast and effective solution to dirty roofs. The cost of power washing a roof varies depending on the size of your roof and what needs to be cleaned.
Skylights Need Extra Prep
If you have a skylight and are pressure washing your home, theres a chance water will leak if you dont prepare your skylight window properly.
Due to the high pressure and direction of the water flow, sometimes water will leak in through the seams of a skylight during a pressure washing. This does not necessarily mean that theres a problem with your skylight or that your skylight will leak when it rains. However, since theres a possibility of water leaking through during the pressure wash, we recommend laying plastic over the area beneath any skylights.
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Roof Cleaning Is Not An Overpriced Service
On the contrary, roofing contractors typically charge a fair price, especially considering the aforementioned cost of roof replacements. Roof cleaning typically runs about $200-800, and the average cost is about $476. Considering the importance of the service, plus the amount you’ll end up spending without it, it’s well worth the cost of hiring a professional if you choose not to do it on your own.
Reasons To Power Wash Your Roof
When it comes to maintaining the value and appearance of your home, one of the most important things to do is keep it clean. Your homes exterior is constantly exposed to various weather conditions, especially for its roof. Roofs get many dark stains over the years which can diminish the beauty of your property and draw attention away from gorgeous landscaping and architecture. These dark stains can be caused by moss, lichens, or algae, and they can cause theshingles to lose their granules, which in turns leads to shortening your roofs lifespan and causing high replacement costs.
We all know that replacing a roof can be very expensive, and most people can not afford to do that because of a few stains on it. Many homeowners, however, make the mistake of installing a completely new roof when they could call in a professional company to power wash their roof.
In some situations, the roof might be technically fine, but that doesn’t mean you should keep it looking unattractive. This can be avoided by simply removing the stains off of your old roof, making it look brand new again and save you thousands of dollars if you were to replace it.
1. Increased Roof Longevity
The normal lifespan of a shingle roof is around 25 years, however, it might not last that long with the invasion of these organisms, as they can reduce its life by as many as 10-15 years.
2. Reduced Energy Costs
3. Insurance Reasons
4. Maximized Home Value
5. Ensure the Health of the People Inside
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How Often Should I Pressure Wash My Roof
Its easy to see when its time for your homes exterior is due for its annual pressure washing, but homeowners often forget about their roof. While your roof may not need as much attention as the rest of your home, its important to remember rain does not wash your shingles. In fact, rain and wind lead to a build-up of debris on the roof, which leads to the growth of algae and moss.
Pressure Washing Can Get Messy
Pressure washing is messy. While the end result may be a beautifully clean roof, the process is not so beautiful. All of the moss and dirt thats on your roof has to go somewhere when its mixed with water and coming off your roof.
Our crews will put tarps down below the roof line to catch as much of the dirty water as we can, but it will never catch it all. Some mud and water will still get on anything below the roof line, such as plants, furniture, or walkways.
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Three: Wash In Sections
Wash the roof in sections, moving from top to bottom in a steady side-to-side sweep. Make your sections the width you can comfortably reach by moving the wand back and forth. Apply detergent to one roof area and then spray it clean. Move on and do the same with the next section.
Make sure youre always standing on a dry roof area because wet shingles are incredibly slippery. Constantly check for accidental damage. Slowly work your way back to the ladder so you can climb down when youre done.
As you can see, pressure washing your roof isnt something to be taken lightly. Not only can it cause horrendous damage if precautions arent followed to the letter, but it can be dangerous. However, there are going to be times that its virtually unavoidable.
If you need to pressure wash your roof and require expert advice on how to choose the best pressure washer, check out our guide!
What Type Of Metal Roof Do I Have
There are different procedures to practice depending on the type of coating on the metal paneling of your roof. There are also different types of materials such as copper or stainless steel, but luckily, we are only aiming to protect the coating on the metal not the metal itself.
When you protect the coating, you protect the metal. If you already have exposed metal on your roof, please look into metal roof repair before proceeding.
The most common types of coating for metal roofs are:
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How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your Roof
Less is more when it comes to cleaning your roof as too much water can potentially damage the tiles. Therefore, it is recommended that you only do this process one or two times a year.
While you may want to give it a go yourself, we always recommend getting a professional in for roof cleaning. Your roof is too large an investment to damage when you arent exactly sure what you are doing. If youre looking for more information on pressure washing roof tiles, be sure to contact us today.
Is Power Washing Safe For My Roof
by laluedke | Jan 25, 2020 | Uncategorized
The roof of a house or office building is an area that often gets forgotten about and neglected until it looks really bad. Most people, at that point, call up a professional roofer and get the roof replaced. Its totally understandable because they think that the damage cant be reversed. Some roofs DO need replaced, but a lot just need a good cleaning.
Fortunately, if youre diligent about roof upkeep, you can avoid having to have the roof replaced at all before the expected roof life is up. Having your roof cleaned is the main way that you can keep your shingles from deteriorating or separating prematurely from the underlayment. Its also a great way to keep your gutters cleaned, which also protect your roof and the underlying structures of your house.
But is power washing safe?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that power washing uses high pressure to clean absolutely everything. While this is true when it comes to defining power washing, its not true when it comes to cleaning roofs. A pressure washer can be used in a way that promotes gentle cleaning.
Lets explain
When it comes to cleaning with a pressure washer, there are several different methods that most professionals use.
Theres power/pressure washing and then theres soft washing.
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Roof Algae Is Much More Than An Aesthetic Concern
Sure — having algae on your roof is an unattractive attribute. However, it’s more than that, and it’s not something you can put off taking care of.
Here’s the thing: roof algae is a living thing, and it’s feeding off of your shingles . If it’s not taken care of, it will take years off of the life of your roofing.
If your roof isn’t cleaned regularly, especially if the algae is visibly noticeable, it can lead to rapid deterioration of your shingles, which has a few effects:
- Since your shingles help block UV rays, you’ll drop in your home’s energy efficiency and steep rise in your AC bills.
- You’ll have to replace your roofing much sooner than you should need to, and that can cost upwards of $10,000.
While we were on the subject…
Pressure Washing Is Not A Viable Option
Pressure washing your roof just because your neighbor did it may sound tempting but stop right there. The damage caused by pressure washing may not be immediately prevalent as it wipes out the granules from the asphalt shingles and that is what keeps your roof protected from outside elements like rain, wind, and sun.
In weakened roofs, you will notice water starting to seep inside the edges of joining tiles into the underlayment section. Also, many tiles end up cracked or need repair or replacement. The force and water volume strips away your rooftops lifespan making it an expensive proposition.
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Why You Should Never Pressure Wash Your Tile Roof
While power washing may work to remove algae and mold from your tile roof in the short-term, it can breed long-term headaches such as:
- etching the surface of the tile
- cutting through sealants and underlayments
- making the tiles more porous
High-pressure and harsh chemical systems can also drastically reduce the useful life of your tile roof. Overall, pressure washing your tile roof can cause irreparable damage to your roof, especially when done by untrained persons. Pressure cleaning companies are not trained, licensed, or certified to work on or repair any type of roof. Avoid having to pay someone to clean your roof and another to repair the damages caused by the cleaner.
Here are five reasons we DO NOT recommend pressure washing your tile roof:
Can You Power Wash A Roof By Yourself
The question isnt really whether you can DIY roof power washing. Sure, you can but should you? Should you pressure wash your roof without professional help? The answer is no.
Roof washing is a tricky task, especially when pressure washing machines are involved. Amateur pressure washers often make errors, such as use the wrong nozzles, cleaning solution, or pressure level. Here are just some of the problems that can arise if you opt to pressure wash your roof yourself:
- Speed up the deterioration process by at least three times
- Accidentally remove protective granules on shingles
- Compromise the adhesive connecting the shingles
- Damage the shingles or the fabric of the roofing material
- Crack the tiles, cedar shake, and slate roofing
- Unintentionally spread moss and algae
- Weaken the roof structure and cause leaks and water damage inside your house
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Pleasure To Deal With
FCI did a great job painting our home! Job was done on time & on budget, no surprises! Rich was a pleasure to deal with & was very prompt when responding to a question or request. Chris, our painter, was on-time each day, always prepared, cleaned up every afternoon, worked at a good pace & super friendly. Would definitely use them again & recommend them highly!
Contact Our Power Washers Today
Did you find us by Googling Pressure washing services near me? Arent you glad you did?
We specialize in both pressure washing and soft-washing, so we can get the job done right no matter what part of your house were cleaning.
Our equipment is high-tech and, using professional cleaning agents, were happy to fix up your driveways appearance, revitalize your deck, and make your gutters sparkle.
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Can You Pressure Wash A Roof
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Contents
Your roof takes a battering, its predisposed to getting dirty, and those once shiny new roof tiles end up losing their shine. Ultimately they scream at you that they need a deep clean. Even more, when moss, algae, and mildew build-up.
Youve used your pressure washer to clean your house siding, garden furniture, car, and driveway. So I know when I first started using a pressure washer, I wondered, can you pressure wash your roof? The answer isnt straightforward, there are some determining factors you need to be aware of.
Can My Roof Be Pressure Washed
- Post author
Does your roof need to be cleaned? Is your first instinct to Google Pressure washing near me?
We do pressure wash. But we also like to be transparent with our customers. And a large misconception is that pressure washers are the best way to clean your roof. This leads many DIYers into dangerous situations, either for their roofs or themselves.
When a professional cleans your roof, they will power wash it, not pressure wash it. A power wash is more gentle and wont hurt your roof.
Keep reading to learn about pressure washing your roof and why its best to leave the job to us!
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