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Should You Power Wash A Roof

Get Your Roof Power Washed Now

Don”t Pressure wash Your Roof! This is why!

Though using high pressure on a roof is not optimal, there are still cleaning and washing techniques that can be used without causing damage. Thats where Trottas Power Washing can help with our special chemical solutions and gentle techniques, called the The Trotta Soft Wash. With power washing using low pressure and high volume, as well as our 5-soap proprietary blend, your roof will look as clean and new as the day it was put on your home.

Based on the roof size and how dirty it is, a professional roof cleaning from Trottas should cost anywhere between $150 to $1,000. We always aim to give a fair price while also delivering quality service by professionals who will ensure to get your roof as clean as possible, while not damaging any parts of your roof with improper techniques.

Call Trottas today at 330-940-3705 or use our easy online form to request a free quote for your roof power washing!

Roof Cleaning Can Help You Sell That House

While the housing market is slowly rebounding from one of the worst slumps in decades, many homeowners that are trying to sell are brainstorming creative ways to differentiate their homes from the rest. Some have the interior painted, some work on the landscaping, while others will actually go so far as to throw in gifts like electronics and furniture. But very rarely does it occur to these folks that their filthy, algae-covered roof is probably keeping the buyers away!

Imagine a potential buyer pulling into the driveway of an otherwise beautiful home, but the roof is covered in some kind of mystery black stuff. Theyre going to think to themselves that the roof is sick and may even need replacing . Theyll be adding up the cost of a new roof before theyve even stepped foot inside the house! Hows that for lousy curb appeal!!! Sellers cant afford to be this careless with how the exterior of their home looks. That bad first impression that the potential buyer has will often trump any upgrades or features that are inside the house. Roof stains and/or moss could also catch the attention of a home inspector who might decide to make negative comments about it to his clients, who in turn offer less than they would otherwise.

This loosens the shingles granules causing your roof to deteriorate faster and lessens its ability to reflect heat. This ultimately leads to higher utility bills and a much shorter shingle life.

NO HIGH PRESSURE WASHING !!

WET Powerwashing

Soft Wash Pressure Washing

  • Prevent pre-mature deterioration of the shingle
  • Help prevent an increase or even a cancellation on your home owners insurance.

Pressure washing your roof in not recommended. An inexperienced contractor who pressure washes your roof could remove the protective granules, possibly voiding your shingle warranty. Soft Washing has none of these issues associated with pressure washing.

Also Check: How To Tell If Your Roof Is Leaking

Hire Only Professionals For Power Washing Cedar Shakes

In rare cases, power washing cedar shakes may be necessary. In these cases, it’s safest to hire a professional with cedar roofing experience to do the power washing. Professionals understand cedar roofing and will know to keep the water stream focused at an angle down the roof, which lessens the impact on each shingle. A good cedar roofing company will also have guarantees and warranties that provide further protection.

Keep in mind that not all roofing companies are familiar with cedar. Find a company that works with cedar shingles on a regular basis before hiring out cleaning work.

What Kind Of Damage Happens When You Pressure Wash A Roof

Should You Have a Roof Cleaning Done This Summer?

Using a pressure washer to clean a roof does two things:

  • It lifts the shingle tabs and breaks their seal.
  • It removes the protective surface granules on the shingle.

Asphalt shingle roofing systems are usually installed as a restrained tab or a self- sealing system. That means that each shingle has a sealant strip on it so that when they are installed correctly, each row of shingles will adhere or seal themselves to the row above and below them.

Picture is from homeconstructionshop.com

Asphalt roofing systems are designed to withstand a certain amount of wind load. It is this self-sealing shingle system that makes you roof wind resistant and keeps your shingles from blowing off the roof during most storms.

When a pressure washer is used to clean a roof, regardless of how careful the wand wielding cleaner is, there is a high probability that some shingles are going to get lifted and this seal will be broken. This leaves your shingles flapping in the wind during the next storm.

You will also lose a lot of the surface granules from your shingles. These granules play a role in protecting the shingle and helping to reflect the suns rays so your attic stays cool. The older the roof, the more granules you will lose in the washing process.

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When You Need Cedar Roof Expertise

Despite regular cleanings, the day will likely come when your cedar roof needs to be replaced altogether. Dont settle for just any roofing company as you consider your replacement options. At Custom Shingles, we provide premium grade, 100% vertical grain with cedar shingles and shakes, as well as other high-end roofing materials, on a regular basis. As you seek out guidance on your cedar roof, we can make experience-based recommendations and provide free quotes. Because of our deep experience working with cedar roofing, we provide advice our clients can trust.

Contact us today with questions about cedar roofing.

Schedule Your Service With Loud Bros Pressure Washing

For service that you can feel good about, call Loud Bros Pressure Washing. We’re known for our high-quality cleaning and exceptional customer service.

We don’t cut corners or take risks with your property. We do, however, manage to always deliver the best possible results. Your home will sparkle and shine from rooftop to foundation.

To get your free quote or arrange pressure washing in Bloomington today, give us a call. We’re ready to show you in person how we’ve earned the flawless reputation we have.

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Getting The Right Pressure

If you are looking to pressure wash your roof yourself, it is critical to remember that the pressure of your washer cannot be too high. The main reason for this is that a high pressure may strip the surface from your roof tiles. This will reduce the life expectancy of your roof drastically and you could end up having to pay for a new roof much sooner than you expected.

Tile Roofs Are Generally Okay To Pressure Wash

Should You Rinse?? | Roof Washing

In general, pressure washing wont hurt your tile roof. In fact, pressure washing may be your only option to get it looking clean again. The one exception is if your tile is old and brittle, as it could damage the roof. You can always ask an experienced tile roof cleaning service in Vancouver, WA or a tile roof repair company in Portland, OR to look at your roof and determine if pressure washing is recommended, and if not, what your options are.

Read Also: How Do You Know If Your Roof Is Leaking

Quick Tips For Keeping A Roof Clean And In Good Condition

Regular tile roof cleaning is an excellent way of keeping your homes roof in good condition and looking its best, but a homeowner can also reduce debris on a homes roof by trimming back tree branches and especially if they hang over the roof directly. Trees drop leaves, twigs, seeds, moss, sap, acorns, needles, and other such residues onto a homes roof, while providing a place for birds to roost those birds then leave caustic, damaging, and unsightly droppings on the roof!

While you cant always do much about airborne dust and other debris created by nearby production facilities, construction zones, and roadways, you can reduce the dust and dirt around your property with regular power washing services. The more layers of dirt covering your homes exterior walls and driveway, the more that might become airborne and wind up on the roof!

Letting moss, mold, and other growth form and spread along a homes exterior walls and underneath roof eaves can also mean seeing those residues make their way to the roof. Regular pressure washing, gutter cleaning and brightening, and other property washing kills growing mold spores and other residues, reducing the risk of roof moss and algae.

How To Pressure Wash Your Roof: Roof Pressure Washing Basics

Many business and home owners strive to maintain their propertys curb appeal and protect their investment with periodic cleanings for moss removal, lichen removal, mildew removal and to eradicate other undesirable debris. Anyone considering attempting to pressure wash roof installations themselves should use caution.

Not only can using the wrong cleaning method or too much pressure damage certain types of roofing, but the task itself can be physically risky. Here, well discuss the question of can you pressure wash a roof and offer tips concerning how to pressure wash a roof safely and effectively.

Also Check: How Much Does A Roof Cost In California

Can You Repair A Tpo Roof

Patching Problems Because TPOs are heat weldable, you can make a patch if there is a simple puncture. But in order to make this patch, youll need electricity, a hot-air welding tool, and patching material tools that professional roofing contractors will have on hand, but an average building owner probably wont.

How Often Should I Pressure Wash My Roof

Roof Cleaning Seminole Power Wash

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.

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Things You Should Know About Roof Cleaning

Roof cleaning is a hugely important part of home maintenance and may be the most important part of roof maintenance. Keeping your roof clean prevents decay, which could lead to expensive repairs or even a complete replacement of your roofing. Roof cleaning will extend the lifespan of your roofing and help the roof stay more functional for a longer period of time.

Roof cleaning contractors are available across the nation, and each of them have their own preferred methods and tools. So how do you decide on the right way to clean your roof?

Here are five things about roof cleaning that you should know before you hire a contractor or start on the process yourself:

Having Said That Let Us Now Look At The Question Of Pressure Washing

High powered pressure washers can cause extensive damage to RVs: cut tires, broken seals, paint damage, gel coat delamination, removal of decals the list is endless. Pressure washers can even force water into your rig. So please, NO HIGH-POWERED pressure washers! It is recommended that you do not use anything over 1300 PSI. Why? A 2500 PSI direct blast can break mortar and concrete: just imagine what it could do to your traveling home! If you do use a low-pressure power washer, set your nozzle to a lower setting and keep the nozzle at an angle and at least 15 inches from your rig.

The roof can be the dirtiest part of your RV and the area where you can be most tempted to blast away with that pressure washer. Dont! All the seams and caulk you could damage may result in a leaky roof. Perhaps that is why so many RV owners are turning to FlexArmor roofs. Our roofs are seamless and guaranteed not to leak. Maintenance is simplified without continued caulking and cleanup is easy with mild soap and water.

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More Considerations To Keep In Mind

  • You only need to treat your roof to a power washing once every year or two. More than that and you may wind up subjecting it to more wear and tear than its built to withstand in a short amount of time.
  • That said, the inverse is true, as well. The roof of your home does need to be cleaned every now and then. Algae can ruin the appearance of your roof and mold can cause long-term damage, creating leaks. Your insurer probably requires you to keep your roof clean in order for your policy to remain valid.
  • If you dont have power washing training yourself, its a good idea to consider professional help on this one. The job is both delicate and dangerous, which is always a tricky combination if youre not completely comfortable with the task at hand.
  • Pressure washing and soft washing arent exactly the same thing. Pressure washing allows the water to come out at full force and is preferred for cleaning concrete, brick and industrial buildings. For most residential roofs, soft washing, which uses a special nozzle to limit the PSI of the sprayer, will be more than strong enough for the job.

We recommend enlisting a pro to handle the job. But, if you are going to try to tackle the job yourself. Remember: safety, safety, safety. Gloves, goggles, slip-resistant shoes, and dont forget the sunscreen.

Get more seasonal home maintenance advice from the experts: Is Your Roof Ready to Withstand the Winter?

Email Response From Forticrete

How to Pressure Wash Your Roof

Forticrete is a large producer of concrete building products including roof tiles. They responded to an email enquiry with the following statements:

As a manufacturer of concrete roof tiles we would not advocate power washing or recoating tiles as this would invalidate any guarantee.

Power washing the tiles will remove fines in the concrete which will affect the lifespan of the tiles.

Read Also: How Often Should You Get Your Roof Replaced

How A Soft Wash Benefits Your Roof

You can get immediate results with a soft wash cleaning process by Kelly Roofing in South Florida. Our soft wash tile roof cleaning process effectively cleans your roof without excessive pressure, preserving your roofs warranty and ensuring longer roof life performance. Our Roof Rain Algae Prevention is 100 percent all-natural and works over the course of time when activated by the suns UV light and water. Roof Rain ensures a full algae growth build-up prevention for two years.

Through soft wash, you can enjoy the following benefits:

  • Your tile manufacturer warranty remains intact.
  • Your roof underlayment will not be damaged.
  • Waterproofing flashings remains in place, stopping water from getting inside.
  • Your tiles wont be etched, making it harder for algae to grow
  • Your roof color wont dull or change

Ultimately, roofs that are inspected and maintained regularly last up to twice as long. Kelly Roofing can help you achieve a worry-free tile roof in South Florida. Contact us today to learn more about maintaining your tile roof.

Why You Should Never Pressure Wash Your Roof

The proper maintenance of roofing materials is essential for ensuring the long life of an entire roof system. Care should be taken to do it right. Using the wrong technique to clean a roof can cost tens of thousands of dollars in damage, and even invalidate home warranties and insurance.

In fact, roofing material manufacturers warn against using power washing tools to clean roofs. The intense force of water can send pieces of roofing flying and cause irreparable damage to an entire building.

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Why You Should Not Pressure Wash Your Roof

Pressure washers produce highly-pressurized jets of water that can be used to blast sediment off surfaces. This cleaning method works really well when the surface being washed can stand up to that level of water pressure.

But while asphalt shingles are made to handle heavy rainfall, raindrops are not quite the same as a concentrated beam of water from a pressure washer. Simply put, unless you have it on a low setting, cleaning your roof with a pressure washer would likely do much more harm than good.

The water pressure wont damage just the shingles, either. Theres a good chance the jet of your pressure washer could work through the adhesive bond holding your shingles together, or seep into and damage your roofs fabric underlayment. Plus, pressure washers tend to blast sediment into the air, so its likely any dirt you do scrape off your shingles is bound to fall back down onto another section of your roof.

On top of all that, most pressure washers are simply not made for roof work. You could seriously injure yourself trying to lug your pressure washer up a ladder. And once its up there, theres no guarantee the weight of the machine wont damage your shingles.

So Can Pressure Washing A Roof Cause Damage

Why Roof Cleaning is Important For Homes and Why You ...

Pressure washing a roof can cause damage. Pressure washing will get your roof clean. It will look great when it is finished. The long-term damage is not worth it. Pressure washing causes a lot of damage. There are alternatives that work better and dont cause damage.

Asphalt shingles have granules. The granules protect your roof from many things. This includes rain, sun, and more. A pressure washer can strip those granules away from the shingles. Then, your roof will not be protected. This means you will be replacing your roof soon.

Also, pressure washing your roof may void the warranty. Then, if your roof is damaged, you will have to pay for it yourself. This is very important to keep in mind.

Also Check: How To Extend A Metal Roof Overhang

Heres How Often You Should Pressure Wash Your Roof In Melbourne Fl

On average, a pressure wash is recommended nation-wide every two or three years. Florida homes may need it more frequently, especially after a heavy storm. You also want to make sure you are always compliant with your HOA rules. If you notice dark patches on your roof, its a sign mold is growing.

Depending on your roofing materials you may need to take extra care when pressure washing. An asphalt composite shingle roof requires a soft pressure wash that does not harm the granules in the shingles. Tile roofs also require a soft wash.

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