How to Clean Your Roof

The roof of a home or commercial building can often be neglected because it’s usually out of sight, out of mind. However, taking good care of your roof is key to maintaining its function and increasing its longevity.

A key component of roof maintenance is cleaning. Conducting regular cleanings of your roof (at least twice a year, or more) can significantly improve the integrity of your roof. The roof of any building can become laden with dirt, grime, debris, fallen tree branches, and leaves.

Read on to find out more about roof cleaning and its importance for your home.

Why It’s Important to Clean Your Roof

Cleaning the roof is an important part of roof maintenance. The roof can become dirty and filled with foreign objects such as branches and leaves from trees.

Moss, algae, fungus, and dirt can accumulate on the roof, which over time, can impact its structural integrity and function. They can damage the shingles and also cause the underlying wood to rot.

Moss build-up can actually cause the edges of shingles to lift and curl up, which is often one of the first visible signs that the roof is in bad shape and needs to be replaced. Moss also holds moisture well, which can cause damage to the roof.

It is recommended that you leave in-depth roof cleaning to the professionals because it isn’t always safe for you to do it yourself. Moreover, they have the proper tools and expertise to get it done right.

Soft Wash

Soft washing involves cleaning the roof using a low-pressure stream of water. Cleaning solutions such as bleach, algaecides, and surfactants are usually used to remove mold, mildew, bacteria, algae, moss, and other organic stains from the roof. These cleaning solutions are typically eco-friendly and won’t strip any protective coatings from your home’s exterior.

Although soft washing differs from power or pressure washing, it still involves the use of a pressure washer. However, for a soft wash, the pressure head has a wide spray to achieve low pressures (less than 500 PSI).

Pressure Wash

Pressure washing involves the use of high pressure to wash exterior surfaces such as the roof. The pressures can be extremely high — high enough to carve a pumpkin or cut bone! This can obviously be quite dangerous, which is why it’s important to determine what pressure you need to safely and effectively clean your roof.

Pressure washing isn’t the go-to method for roof washing because the high pressures can damage the roof by breaking off or damaging key components including the shingles. This can negatively impact the structural integrity of your roof.

Pressure washing is ideal if there’s a lot of dirt and debris stuck in deep grooves and crevices on the roof. A high-pressure wash can remove contaminants from hard-to-reach areas. Nevertheless, it is important to proceed with caution when choosing pressure washing for your roof.

Window Cleaning

In addition to the roof, cleaning the windows of your home can add some much-needed shine and brightness to the exterior of your home. Window cleaning can be tedious so it’s often best to leave it to the experts who have the experience and training to get it done fast and efficiently.

To clean windows, they should first be wiped with a wet cloth. Cleaning solutions such as liquid detergents or vinegar can be used with water to get windows sparkling clean.

Get in touch with 12 Stones Roofing & Construction for more information on roof cleaning and all other roofing needs. We have professional roofing contractors you can trust. Give us a call at 832-905-9823 or message us using our contact form.