Roof Soft Washing

Importance Of Roof Cleaning

Over the years, algae and moss growth will spread and begin to deteriorate your shingles, leading to premature aging and leaks.

Now that Roof shingle companies like GAF are offering lifetime shingles, proper maintenance is more important than ever. Neglecting regular roof cleaning by professionals can result in the loss of your lifetime warranty.

Additionally, homeowners' insurance providers may threaten to cancel your policy if your roof is not properly maintained. Regular, professional cleaning is a essential step in protecting your home from future losses.

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Energy Efficiency and Roof Discoloration

Over time you will begin to notice biological growth spreading on your roof, often appearing as black or brown streaks known as Gloeocapsa magma. If left untreated, this growth will turn your entire roof black. As you may know, black absorbs significantly more heat than lighter colors. When your roof turns black, it negatively impacts your home's energy efficiency, forcing your AC system to work harder than necessary. This, in turn, leads to higher energy costs.

Before and after asphalt roof dark stain removal.

Satisfying Home Insurance Requirements

In addition to preserving lifespan and visual appeal, there’s another important factor: home insurance. Many insurance companies often require homeowners to clean their roofs. If they notice an untreated roof covered in black streaks, moss, or other growth, they may consider it a risk. In some cases, insurance companies will threaten to cancel policies if roof maintenance isn’t performed. Keeping your roof clean not only prevents costly repairs and improve energy efficiency but will also ensure that you don't receive a threatening letter about the cancelation of your homeowners policy.

Why Roof Cleaning May Require Multiple Treatments

In many cases roof cleaning requires multiple treatments spread out 1-2 weeks. Since the manufacturer guidelines prohibit cleaning by aggressive means, We are required to kill the moss and allow it to die then fall off by naturally. This process ensures that maximum roof granules stay intact during the cleaning process. When there is moss on a roof we typically require 2-3 treatments to completely remove the growth. These treatments are either spread 1-2 weeks apart or performed after 1-2 heavy rains. Depending on the contractor this factor can vary but the specific timeline is not as important as the proper procedure.

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
(ARMA)

To ensure we provide the safest and most effective service, we strictly adhere to manufacturer guidelines. While there are numerous asphalt roofing shingle manufacturers, many of the industry’s leading companies have come together to form the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA).

ARMAS website specifically states

"Algae discoloration can be difficult to remove from roofing surfaces. Discoloration may be lightened by applying a solution of liquid household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and water. The effectiveness of such cleaning is only temporary, and the discoloration may recur.

Directions for mixing solutions of these ingredients may vary among shingle manufacturers and depend on the amount of discoloration. Other cleaning chemicals or methods should not be used without the approval of the shingle manufacturer. The cleaning process may make the roof slippery; therefore, ARMA encourages the use of professionals when attempting to clean shingles."

WARNING!

Many companies do not follow the manufacturer's recommendations. They may call their service roof shampooing, although the definition of this service can vary. Most roof shampoo companies do not follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

While the results may look impressive, this method will remove layers of material from your shingles, exposing fresh, unweathered material beneath the top layer, making it appear new. This is counterproductive because it strips away years of protection, which will lead to higher repair costs in the future.

Never allow any company to use a surface cleaner on your roof, the rotating nozzles will cause damage to your roof even if it is not visible.

Always check with your contractor to ensure they will be following the manufacturers guidelines.

Eco friendly alternatives

If you prefer not to have bleach used on your home, we offer eco-friendly alternatives.

It’s important to understand that in order to effectively remove biological growth from your roof, a biocide is required. Biocides are essential to killing and stopping growth like moss and algae. If moss is removed forcefully to achieve results faster, it will cause permanent damage by tearing off roof granuals.

That said, bleach is not ideal when working directly on waterways such as rivers, ponds, and lakes. In these cases, there are alternative options like non-chlorinated bleach and hydrogen peroxide. While these eco-friendly cleaners are less harmful to the environment, they are not as effective as bleach and tend to be more expensive. When opting for eco-friendly alternatives, the cost of roof cleaning can increase by 50-100%, as these products are more expensive and require more labor.

Chemical Safety

Although many manufacturers recommend bleach for exterior cleaning, we are well aware of the dangers it poses to the users health and to your property. This is why it's essential for home owners to hire licensed, trained and experienced professionals who know how to properly protect your home.

The most important safety procedure is protecting plants and electrical components. Before spraying bleach on your home we ensure to protect all electrical components that could be affected by masking with plastic and tape. We will also cover sensitive plants that may be affected. Although this is time consuming, it's the only way to ensure a proper, safe service for all our customers.