Have you ever looked at your roof and noticed an immense amount of debris and grime covering your shingles? If so, have you had the impulse to blast all that dirt with a firehose? While cathartic, this approach may be damaging to your home.
Pressure washing may be the most popular approach to cleaning your home, but your roof needs special care to ensure proper cleaning without damage. That’s where a low pressure roof cleaning comes in! Low pressure roof cleaning is essential to maintain a healthy roof, as it utilizes a careful, hands-on approach to cleaning.
In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of keeping your roof clean and detail how to give your type of roof a proper low pressure roof cleaning.
Ready to get the most out of your roof? Read on and expand your knowledge!
Why Clean Your Roof?
Why is it in your best interest to keep your roof clean? After all, your roof can endure all types of elements. Why do you need a low pressure roof cleaning? Well, there are several reasons to keep your roof sparkling clean! Allow us to review a handful of reasons:
Curb Appeal
Have you ever been house hunting? You scroll through various beautiful houses on a website or your phone and imagine you and your family spending quality time in the lovely living room pictured.
What is the first image presented in these listings? Odds are, you will see the front view of the house. You can ask any realtor; the first impression of a house is the most critical for potential buyers. If the house’s exterior looks its best, especially with a deep roof cleaning service, then more people will give it a look! However, if the house looks dirty and dingy, potential buyers will be inclined to move on to the next prospect.
Now ask yourself this: Does your home look its best right now? Do you notice built-up dirt and grime on your roof? It may be time to refresh your roof with a low pressure cleaning!
Are you in the market to sell your house? You can increase your chances of selling with a thorough roof cleaning service. In addition, a clean exterior can help improve the offers from potential buyers, both in volume and the amount they are willing to offer for your house!
Curb appeal can make or break the sale of your house, and putting in the effort to give your home a shining exterior will pay off!
Extended Lifespan
Are you looking to stay in your home long-term? Then you can benefit from a low pressure roof cleaning, too!
Have you ever had to pay for a new roof? If so, you know how valuable the top of your house is from a monetary viewpoint, and you will want to avoid paying for another roof soon.
How can you extend the life of your roof? One proven method is to keep the top clean! Giving your roof a routine low pressure cleaning will help keep your roof healthy. With regular cleaning, you can remove harmful algae, mold, and mildew from the top. These bacteria leave an unsightly look on your home and can eat away at your shingles and ceiling if left untreated.
Did you know that keeping a clean roof will help keep your warranty active? Companies that offer multi-year contracts will require you to maintain routine roof cleanings as part of the agreement. Neglecting to clean your roof can result in a void warranty from the installation company.
How can you extend your roof’s lifespan? Utilize a low pressure roof cleaning service, and give yourself the peace of mind of a long-lasting roof over your head!
Prevent Unwelcomed Critters
Prevent Unwelcomed CrittersHave you ever heard little footsteps scurry above your bed at night? Then you know how pesky unwelcome rodents are in your home.
A clean roof can help prevent these obnoxious guests from entering your home. As mentioned in the previous section, algae, mold, and mildew can damage your roof. These damages can lead to openings in your roof, allowing squirrels, rats, and other rodents to make themselves home.
Are you aware that mammals are not the only pests that can infest your home through the roof? Wasps and hornets can burrow into your home through these roof openings and build their nests or hives inside your house.
Taking advantage of a low pressure roof cleaning is needed to prevent these critters from entering your home. Take action today, and protect your roof from unwelcome guests today!
Save Money
Keeping your roof clean can save you money in the long run. As presented earlier, bacterial damage can lead to deteriorated shingles or holes in the roof. These sorts of damage will require professional intervention.
Depending on the extent of the damage, the repairs can be expensive. On average, minor repairs will cost around $300, and more extensive repairs will cost $5,000 or more.
Keeping your roof clean with a low pressure roof cleaning can help prevent costly damages. While the initial cost of this service may impact your wallets, you will save so much more money in the long run, keeping your roof clean!
Best Approaches For Each Roof Type
Do you need help determining if a low pressure roof cleaning suits your roof? While this is the most recommended method of roof cleaning, your roof may be able to use a different type of cleaning. Let’s break down a variety of roof types and expand on how best to clean your roof:
Asphalt Shingles
As the most common style of roof cleaning, asphalt shingles require a certain amount of care when washing. It is essential to avoid using a pressure washer to clean this type of roof. A powerful blast can easily wash away shingles, leaving vulnerable areas on your roof.
We highly recommend a low pressure roof cleaning for this type of roof. This method offers a deep clean to your ceiling and prevents damage to fragile asphalt shingles.
Ceramic
How can you best clean the clay tiles of your ceramic roof? Pressure washing may be tempting, as these tiles are sturdier than the flexible asphalt shingles, but this still needs to be recommended. A pressure washer with the wrong PSI setting can easily crack the ceramic tiles.
Soft washing your roof is a much better alternative here. While this may take some time, using a low pressure roof cleaning approach will ensure thoroughly cleaned clay tiles without damage.
Slate
Can slate roofs handle pressure washers? Once again, we do not advise pressure washing to clean this type of roof. While a strong material, the intense spray can still damage slate tiles.
The ideal low pressure roof cleaning solution for removing algae, mold, and rust from slate roofs includes a medium-intensity brush and a mix of water and cleaner, like dish soap. Scrub the filthy areas gently, and rinse off the soap after brushing.
Cedar Shake Shingles
Wood-based roofs are difficult to clean. Avoid pressure washing cedar, as the force from the spray can result in water getting trapped inside the shingles. The trapped moisture will create an environment where mold and mildew can grow, decaying the shingles on your roof.
The low pressure roof cleaning tactic for cedar shake shingles involves using a bleach-based solution. Remember, you must dilute the mixture to ensure no damage from the bleach. The solution must be no more than one part bleach for three parts water.
Metal
When you see a metal roof, do you assume this type of roof can take a pressure washing? While metal roofing is much more durable than these other types of roofing, you will still need to treat this roof carefully.
Depending on the type of metal, using a pressure washer can cause dents and chipped paint to this roof. As counterintuitive as it may sound, low pressure roof cleaning is still the best option!
So do you need a full arsenal of cleaning tools to care for your metal roof? You may have all the tools you need! The essential tools for this cleaning include water from your garden hose and a mild detergent like car washing soap or dish soap.
For a more aggressive cleaning, you can use rubbing alcohol or another solvent to handle more challenging non-water elements. Always be sure to research each solvent to make sure you use the recommended amount.
Closing Thoughts
While the catharsis of pressure washing your roof is tempting, taking the appropriate low pressure roof cleaning approach to your home is vital. The benefits of regularly cleaning your roof are more than what we listed here today, but one thing is clear: taking a patient, thorough approach to cleaning your roof will lead to a long, happy, and healthy life in your home!
We strive to give your home an exceptional shine at Window Ninjas! We take pride in giving your home the best cleaning service you’ll ever experience, and we have the know-how to tackle any surface and utilize the proper cleaning tactics!
You can call us at 1-833-646-5271 or visit our website at windowninjas.com today! Contact us, and we will ensure a smile shining as bright as your sparkling clean roof!