Stains make the roof look unattractive. Streaks and discoloration caused by algae and molds not only make your roof look ugly; they can also eat away at your roofing. If you want your roof looking good and performing well, you’ve got to have it cleaned.
Cleaning your roof isn’t really that difficult if you have the proper tools. What’s more, by cleaning your roof yourself, you get to save some money too. Here’s how you can clean your roof.
Get Some Cleaning Tools
Roof cleaning is not child’s play. You’re going to need more than a sponge and some detergent. You’re going to need a full-body safety harness to protect yourself from falling; a garden hose and garden spray nozzle to apply water, cleaner; and a supplemental water pump for blasting dirt away.
You will also need some lye or other non-toxic and non-corrosive roof cleaner to kill the algae, dislodge it and wash it away. These chemicals are dangerous and require you to don some protective gear like gloves and eye protection goggles.
Clean Away
After getting all the tools that you need, you’re going to need a ladder to climb on your roof. Make sure you’re wearing the harness and that it’s tied to prevent you from falling.
Spray the roof with water, and then soak the shingles with the cleaner for 20 minutes. Spray the cleaner, starting from the bottom row and then working your way to the top. Make sure to spray areas that have dried out.
Next, after soaking the shingles in the cleaner, you’ll need to blast the crud away using water. If the staining is light, a garden hose sprayer will be enough. Otherwise, you will need a supplemental water pump or special rinsing tool that adds pressure to the water, effectively dislodging dirt.
Prevent Regrowth
After cleaning the roof, you’ll need to apply a coat of stain-blocking solution or install some zinc or copper strips along your roof’s entire ridge. You can ask a roofing contractor to do this.
Although these materials help prevent algae regrowth, algae can still be expected to grow over time. Cleaning your roof from time to time will always prevent the streaking and discoloration problems your roof faces.
An Even Better Way
You see, cleaning the roof doesn’t have to be impossible, but it sometimes is a job best left to the pros. Cleaning the roof personally may save you some money, but hiring a professional roof cleaner to clean your roof ensures a perfect and spotless clean every single time.
What’s more, you won’t have to put yourself at risk of falling from a high place, getting sunburned while cleaning and disappointing yourself after realizing that you missed a very important spot. Hiring a pro helps eliminate all these while giving you peace of mind.
Call our pros at Tedrick’s Roofing at (206) 824-3440. You can also or fill out our online form. We serve Auburn, WA, and nearby areas.