Tips for Cleaning a Dirty Residential Roof
by William Gerard
Does your home have a roof with streaks on it that don't look good? Do you want to clean the roofing material to fix it? If so, it will help to know a few tips for cleaning a roof. Read more about roofing tips and residential roofing services below.
Keep Safety In Mind
Cleaning your roof is a time when you really need to keep safety in mind. A roof is going to be wet once you start cleaning, which can be a potential safety hazard to anyone walking on the roof's surface. Only clean your roof if you feel safe doing so. This means having the right shoes that are going to give you good traction, and even a safety harness that can prevent you from falling off the roof.
Don't Use A Power Washer
It may be tempting to clean your roof by using a power washer, but it is actually going to cause more harm than good. That's because a power washer is powerful enough to remove many of the granules on asphalt shingles, which leaves them with very little material to protect your home from the sun.
In addition, a power washer can cause damage to your shingles if the water gets underneath them. The water is strong enough to push the shingles upward and damage the seal that is holding them in place. That's why soft washing your roof is the safest way to clean a roof.
Clean On An Overcast Day
You will want to clean your roof on a day when the clouds are creating overcast weather conditions. This helps prevent you from working under harsh direct sunlight and prevents cleaning solutions from drying on the roof's surface. You'll find that you have much better results cleaning on an overcast day than on a sunny day because of this.
Protect Your Yard
Think about all of the plants and shrubs that are around your home. They can potentially get damaged by the cleaning solution that drips off the roof's surface. You can prevent this from happening by placing a tarp over plants that you want to protect. Just make sure that the water can roll off the tarp and into the ground that is away from your plants.
Don't feel confident that you can clean your roof on your own? Reach out to a local roofing contractor that can handle the job for you. They not only know the best techniques for cleaning but they know how to stay safe as well.
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About Me
Do you know how to tell if you have problems with your flashing, loose shingles, or damaged tar pitch? Well, I didn't either until I experienced some of those issues on my own. One day, I realized that my roof was leaking and that I needed to find a solution fast. After contacting a professional roofing company, they were able to solve my troubles and teach me the signs of trouble. I want you to avoid the same types of hassles, which is why my blog is filled to the brim with information about roofing and home ownership. You never know, these tips could really come in handy!