The roof is an element that is essential for the house but which is also the most exposed to external and internal aggressions and to bad weather. Therefore, it should be cleaned regularly to make it last longer. Indeed, if your roof is clean, it keeps its aesthetics, but also its tightness and resistance. It is quite possible to clean your roof without climbing on it, provided you have the right equipment.

For professional roof cleaning services in Federal Way, contact Premier Janitorial. They have a highly skilled cleaning staff.

Why would you want to clean your roof?

Cleaning the roof is an important step since it gives you the opportunity to keep a house in good condition. However, it may be a good idea to do this without getting on the roof. Explanations!

Why is roof cleaning so important?

There are many reasons for this, but in order for it to retain its aesthetic appearance, its insulating properties, and its waterproofness, cleaning is imperative. You should never lose sight of the fact that the roof, like the walls, is an integral part of the structure of the building and therefore protects your home

It is a bulwark against the multiple attacks to which the house is permanently exposed: pollution, rain, snow, wind, parasites, dust, pollution… A roof in poor condition will no longer play this role. In addition, by force, it can be seriously damaged by the presence, for example, foam, which will further reduce resistance to heat and sun.

Another aspect of cleaning should not be neglected either; a very clean roof offers a better result than blackened tiles, for example. And in this case, the whole aesthetic of the house is at stake.

You should know that the roof’s condition plays a role in the price at which you can sell your house. A damaged roof can set back some buyers who already imagine the price that will cost them the coating or restoration change. You then sell your property below its value and less quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to clean it well and remove all the foam before offering your home for sale.

The more regularly you do it, the less difficult the task will be.

When should the roof be cleaned?

As a rule, a roof is cleaned once or twice a year. The best time to do this is in the spring. First, examine the roof to see what condition it is in after the harsh winter weather.

You will also take the opportunity to see if repairs are to be undertaken and prepare it to then undergo the onslaught of the sun’s heat and rays.

Then you can also maintain it in the fall before winter arrives. Now is a great time to remove moss, fungus, lichens, dead leaves, and algae. Under the effect of the heat, the intruders were able to develop quietly.

Once it is cleaned, it is protected from winter weather. A good cleaning saves your roof by avoiding premature renovation work.

Before starting the cleaning work, examine your roof carefully to see how it is. You have to watch if you see any mosses, spots, lichens, and the like. With binoculars, you can do this without getting on the roof.

Why avoid climbing on the roof?

The answer may seem obvious, but remembering it is preferable. The roof is a slippery surface that presents real dangers, especially when it is covered with fungi and moss.

Tiles are often weakened by weather and heat, so they are brittle, and you risk stepping through them.

Apart from the very real danger, you will have to equip yourself with a fairly substantial material such as scaffolding or failing that a large ladder, a helmet, protective gloves, suitable shoes and in addition the material necessary for the cleaning itself.

This equipment may represent a certain budget if you have to buy it or even rent it. In this case, and in order not to jeopardize your security, you have two solutions:

• Either you call on a specialized company.
• Or, you clean without getting on the roof.

Clean your roof without climbing: the different procedures

Cleaning your roof properly involves removing stains that have formed and moss, lichens, fungi, and other unwanted things. This is true for all coatings, whether they are sheet metal, slate, terracotta, or fiber cement.

The first step: rid the roof of its large waste

In this context, you have various alternatives:

• High-pressure jet cleaning: under the effect of the pressure, even encrusted dirt will go away. To carry out this cleaning, you do not need to climb on the roof. The device is indeed equipped with a telescopic lance that you can adjust according to the height to be reached. You should know that with the extension, you are able to go up to 12 meters in height. The only condition: the roof must be in good condition; on a damaged roof, the damage could sometimes be worse than the damage. It is necessary for the tiles to be cleaned by movements from bottom to top, and it is not so simple.
• Manual brush cleaning: use a stiff bristle brush and a telescopic pole. Then you have to be motivated! You start by moistening the roof, and then you scrub the coating to remove all the dirt. Then you need to rinse the roof with the sprayer.

You have the solutions so as not to have to climb on the roof. However, it will still be necessary to support gaining height if the house is very high, for example.

The long-range sprayer

The sprayer will be equipped with a defoamer, anti-fungal cleaner, or a roof water repellent to allow you to loosen algae, moss and fungi more easily.

From the ground, you project the product on your roof. You should still know that this means has its limits and will only act badly on mosses, fungi, encrusted lichens.

You will have a hard time checking the effectiveness of this cleaning since you cannot get on the roof. It is also not possible to remove leaves and residue from the gutter. The sprayer is best suited for light cleaning on a roof in good condition.

Avoid using too aggressive detergents such as bleach which damages slates and tiles.

Mount a lance on your sprayer

If your sprayer lacks the power to clean your entire roof, then you need to add a lance. This increases the power of the water and allows you to reach the most difficult places.

As the jet is more powerful, it more easily removes debris and loosens foam.

The spray lance is quite expensive and is not always easy to handle.

The second step: practice defoaming

Mosses and pests grow easily over time. The less your roof is regularly maintained, the more fungi and plants settle in the structure deeply. The main problem is that they end up damaging the roofing materials in a lasting and irreparable way. The roof is no longer waterproof and becomes porous; water then infiltrates the house.

To avoid having your roof repaired, it must be cleaned and defoamed regularly. This then avoids major work and major expenses.

The intervention of a specialized company

If you really do not feel capable of carrying out this cleaning, then a specialized company will have to be brought in. This will prevent you from taking risks by needing to climb on the roof.

These professionals can perform the following treatments:

• Cleaners to remove stains and traces due to pollution and other aggressions.
• Defoamer: This loosens lichen, mosses, and algae.
• Protectors: certain products that protect the roof against bad weather and other aggressive agents. They revive the color of the bricks and thereby improve the aesthetic appearance of your building.