The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Soft Wash Roof Cleaning Charlotte / Sarasota County YouTube Video. DON'T FALL FOR GIMMICKS!


Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America Certified Roof Cleaning Specialist

Status: Offline
Posts: 2066
Date:
Soft Wash Roof Cleaning Charlotte / Sarasota County YouTube Video. DON'T FALL FOR GIMMICKS!
Permalink  
 


First, watch how the roofing manufacturers say to clean roofs-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHkIT1APD_4

In spite of this gentle method, there are still companies out there, pressure washing shingled roofs!

Everyone who is a member of this top rated, #1 roof cleaning website has learned that pressure washing is not meant for roofs - especially shingled roofs!

Pressure Washing Shingles:

I pressure washed hundreds of roofs back from 1989 to the mid 90's. They came clean looking, but as I watched the black algae wash away, no matter how low I turned my pressure washer down, leaving just enough pressure to wash off the black, the granules rolled down and piled up in the gutters, or blew onto the surrounding areas of the roofs edge, along with much of the living algae, now left to grow all around the house!

Just get on a ladder and rub your hand across a shingle and feel the granules come off! Now, what do you think will happen when a power washer hits it??

Even when I turned the pressure washer down to 300 psi, it would still blow loads of granules off of any shingled roof over 10 years old! Smaller amounts on newer roofs, but still a % was lost.

First, from another company, who was ahead of me with modern, perfected roof cleaning and then backed up by the roofing manufacturers and the ARMA Roofing Manufacturers Association, I learned to clean roofs properly, with no pressure, no granule loss - actually "chemically" with a bleach mix of about 3% total bleach [ S H ] and a detergent or TSP.

The ARMA etc have never changed their cleaning agent mixture, nor have they changed the last sentence on their website. It says "DO NOT USE A HIGH PRESSURE WASHER!"

I use a 60 psi pump, which simply delivers the mixture of bleach and water and on occasion some TSP through 230' of 1/2" ID hose to the roof and it is a self cleaning process. No pressure washer needed, the roof can be rinsed with a garden hose if it does not have gutters to guide the runoff from rain. What is left, after the bleach "S H" dries, is the S only = Salt. But that salt can do plant damage if no gutters exist and the roof is not rinsed immediately by us. We often have the plants tarped, or 2 of us come and 1 man is dedicated to rinsing the plants from our arrival until we rinse and leave.

Remember, any use of a pressure washer on a shingled roof will equal some degree of granule loss-period!

GIMMICKS TO MAKE $$$ COME NEXT

Deterring algae growth: Deterring algae growth has been tried with copper-zinc strips or copper sulfate field applications [ "Field" being, application not being done during the manufacturing process, but done as a $ making gimmick by pressure washing companies.] Copper and Zinc strips were attempted back in the 1980's and early 90's { especially here is SW Florida, where this algae growth is the most common } and would work, IF roofs were totally flat or level. Again, IF ROOFS WERE TOTALLY FLAT OR LEVEL ! However, because of the rafters and other areas that may belly up or down a bit, the zinc / copper strips left algae to grow in the areas that were elevated a bit and left the lower areas, where the copper and zinc ran and settled, fairly clean looking. Overall, not a good looking roof and having been in the roof cleaning business since 1989, I was still being called to clean those somewhat "tiger striped" with black roofs.

The roofing manufacturers made it simple: If you make a roof warranty claim and they see evidence of it having been pressure washed, your warranty is void. That is true of a number of other reasons as well, such as what they call "Field treatments" to stop algae growth. The ARMA roofing manufacturers association puts out an online bulletin warning that treating roofs with field coatings, such as "Roof-AHHH-Side" etc - have not proven to delay the return of algae, but do have some possible deleterious effects. The companies that sell these coatings, only guarantee that they will deter the visible return of the black algae for 2 years. That's because it takes over 2 years for it to return, as an infestation that is visibly "Black"

Pressure Washing, again can void your warranty completely!
So, you are really buying nothing and these gimmick treatments are quite expensive!

The roofing manufacturers and ARMA all say to use just 1 thing to kill off that black algae BLEACH. I have cleaned many hundreds of roofs in recent years and it's been a long, long time, since I have seen those old, unsightly, non-functional zinc and copper strips nailed into the top row of roofing! People are fooled by advertising gimmicks for quite a while, but learn eventually! Few people would fall for these strips nowadays. However, companies who sell "Field Coatings" Like Roof-errr-slide LOL Have sharp marketing techniques and can fool the smartest of homeowners still !!!

Then the next gimmick is ‘Liquid Zinc’ Another product sold is to prevent mold, moss, lichen, and fungus stains on a roof - Liquid Zinc. Liquid Zinc must be reapplied every 12 to 18 months, increasing total treatment costs. Our research has shown that Liquid Zinc is just like the strips, it’s not a good choice, for the same reasons.

Our Recommendation

Follow the manufacturers instructions, like you would with anything valuable you buy! First, don’t allow a pressure washer to be used on your roof, at ANY pressure setting. Second, don't waste your $ having copper, zinc roof strips or liquids, sold to prevent algae - bacteria - fungus from growing on your roof. They don't work! We recommend safely and properly restoring your roof per roofing manufacturer instructions-killing off all algae with bleach [ S H ]

 The ARMA also says not to allow anyone to apply such coatings to your roof. They say there is no proof that they work, but they can certainly cause damage. Read from them here- http://www.asphaltroofing.org/coating-asphalt-shingles-after-installation

Watch me doing just that!

Do a Youtube search for "BERGMAN ROOF CLEANING" I have over 200 videos of me cleaning roofs on Youtube. HERE'S ONE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm_j5Xd01pA



 



Attachments
__________________

Serving Englewood Rotonda North Port Cape Haze Venice Port Charlotte Punta Gorda Boca Grande Charlotte and Southern Sarasota Counties in Florida.

941-698-1959
www.bergmanroofcleaning.com

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RNlN3R7CqI



Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America Certified Roof Cleaning Specialist

Status: Offline
Posts: 2066
Date:
2017 Watch Roof Cleaning With No Pressure=No Granule Loss Or Flipped Tabs. Bergman Roof Cleaning
Permalink  
 


Watch a Rotonda West Roof Cleaning Video !

See how gently a roof can be cleaned.

Why let someone blow your roof shingles loose and blow the granules on the ground, when it's just not necessary?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHrd2ZU9PqY



Attachments
__________________

Serving Englewood Rotonda North Port Cape Haze Venice Port Charlotte Punta Gorda Boca Grande Charlotte and Southern Sarasota Counties in Florida.

941-698-1959
www.bergmanroofcleaning.com

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RNlN3R7CqI

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard