Proper Roof Care – 3 Things To Keep In Mind

Roof care can be rewarding but also challenging and risky if the right approaches aren’t taken. You risk injury, damage, and other mistakes whenever you get on your rooftop to clean.

To help you avoid these things we have come up with a list of instructions for you to follow. Please use this list as a general guide and take any other precautions you feel are necessary.

1) Start by Choosing the Right Day

The good old weather forecast on your phone app or on the news can help with this. It’s best to check the weather before every getting on your roof, especially in place like Portland and Vancouver where weather can change quickly.

Ideally, you’d want to clean your roof on a sunny day with partially cloudy skies and little wind. You don’t want it to wet or too hot. Feeling comfortable while on your roof is one of the best ways to avoid injury. It’ll allow you to focus on your safety and doing a good job.

These conditions also allow your cleaning solutions to work without evaporating or washing away too quickly.

2) Move Surrounding Lawn Furniture and Items Out of the Way

Roof care can be both messy and toxic. It’s not uncommon for lawns to get littered with debris during a roof cleaning process. It’s also not uncommon for cleaning solutions to have chemicals in them that stain and corrode fabric.

It’s important to move any lawn furniture or items out of harms way to keep them looking nice. The last thing you want is to have a shiny roof but dirty furniture. Items also include cars in your driveway, garden gnomes, and swimming pools (of course you can’t move a swimming pool but covering it up would help).

3) Roof Care Safety

If you are at all skeptical about your ability to be on your roof make sure you have the proper safety equipment. This includes having a sturdy ladder, shoes with a good grip, soft kneepads and gloves.

A quick tip with your ladder: always make sure your ladder is on steady ground like a concrete sidewalk or wooden platform. Never lean your ladder against gutters.

The Bottom Line

You want to make sure the conditions are ideal for roof care. Make sure to do all the organization beforehand and buy all necessary equipment. No expense is too much to ensure the safety of your home, your family and yourself.

Moss Removal Matters – Eliminate Moss Growth on Your Roof

While sometimes it may look pretty, moss has the potential to cause severe damages on your roof. Mosses are small, green, flowerless plants that lack roots and seeds. Because moss lacks roots, they generally grow best in shady and wet areas. Moss removal is important for saving you time, money and stress.

Common signs of moss growth on your roof are black streaks and grass-like substances growing in the cracks of shingles. Since moss doesn’t have a root system, it grows by collecting and holding water in its leaves. This collection of water is what ultimately damages your roof and calls for moss removal services.

Now, if you aren’t afraid of being on your roof, there are a few things that you can do to prevent moss growth. Here are the 3 that Forcewashing recommends…

1) Remove Shady Areas on Your Roof

Moss loves the shade. It thrives in dark and cool areas. While there are some cases where you simply cannot help but to have shady areas on your roof, we would recommend doing your best to eliminate it.

Common cases where something can be done are trimming any nearby trees, taking down tenting near your home, and removing any unnecessary add-ons to your roof like overcompensating window shades or satellite dishes in darker areas.

A plus side to trimming trees that are near your home is that you’ll also avoid leafy debris falling on your roof – taking care of two things at once!

2) Use Store Bought Roof Cleaners to Impede & Eliminate Moss Growth

There are also several store bought solutions out there that can prevent moss growth! These work best for moss removal in areas of your home that are always shady and damp. Take a look at the list below…

Spray & Forget

This is a solution for removing, moss, mold and mildew off roofs and other surfaces as well. The name really says it all you simply spray and forget. No rinsing or pressure washing is required. It’s eco-friendly, biodegradable and is safe on all exterior surfaces.

 

Wash Safe Industries – Roof Wash

A professional roof cleaner specifically designed this product for cleaning roofs. To use, you simply mix it with water and spray it on your roof then you use a wire brush to gently scrape the moss away. This product does require some work to use it, but it’ll be worth seeing your roof shine.

3) Ensure Your Roof is Always Cleaned of Debris

Another leading cause of moss growth is debris on your roof. In order to further prevent moss growth you should keep it clean on a regular basis. This does mean going on your roof and inspecting regularly (maybe every 1-2 months) but it’s worth not having the headaches of a mossy or damaged roof later.

The Bottom Line

There are many ways to take care of moss growth on your roof. However, it can be unsafe and Forcewashing would not recommend going on your roof if you are uncomfortable or afraid to do so. It is best to contact a professional who specializes in moss removal and can get the job done safely.

Top 3 Reasons for Treating Your Home With Roof Cleaning

A dirty roof is an eye sore and can mean unwanted damages with severe replacement costs. Upon costing a lot, roof damages and moss can be harmful to you and your family, making roof cleaning essential.

For those living in the Portland and Vancouver areas in the Pacific Northwest, mossy roofs filled with debris are no uncommon occurrences. But that doesn’t mean you should blend in with the crowd.

There’s no dispute on whether or not you should avoid costly roof repairs. Below you will find the top 3 reasons to keep your roof clean.

1) Freshen Up Your house and Make it Shine

Roof cleaning is hands down one of the best ways to boost your homes curb appeal. Think about houses that are for sale. Would you rather choose one with a mossy and debris filled roof or one that has been freshly cleaned and polished to perfection?

Also, those unappealing black stains, caused by moss growth, on your roof would be stripped away by a professional cleaner. Roof cleaners like Forcewashing uses a zinc sulfate solution after cleaning your roof, which keeps it safe from moss growth and black stains for at least a year.

2) Roof Cleaning is Much Cheaper Than Repairs

Of course, this is an obvious statement but it can’t be emphasized enough! Roof cleaning costs typically range from $200 to $550 while roof replacement can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.

Of course this depends on the size of your roof and house but it would take about 20 roof cleanings to meet the cost of one roof replacement. To put this into perspective, a 900 square foot roof can cost $5,500 while a roof cleaning can cost $260.

3) Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

You may not know this but moss and debris on your roof can cause unwanted mold and bacteria to enter your home. When your roof is left untreated for long periods of time, moss and algae start to form under your roof’s shingles and in cracks.

When this happens, the inside of your roof becomes damp and starts to mold. This bacteria spreads through your house and can cause sickness. Plus no one likes the bitter smell of mold.

The Bottom Line

There are many reasons to keep your roof clean but here is the top 3. It’ll make your home stand out, especially in places like Portland and Vancouver where mossy roofs are found frequently. It’ll also keep your wallet happy and your family safe!