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

Guest

Skylights vs Chemicals

Guest

I never had an issue with damage to a skylight, but if it's allowed to dry on there there will be serious "cloudiness". Just shoot the roof and hit the sky light with some water.

Jeff

Guest

Thanks Jeff ,thats what i thought but wasn't sure if it would affect the chemical ,better to be safe than sorry.

Feb 23, 2009

If the roof is not too steep, sometimes I like to go up there and brush out the skylight to make it come out cleaner.� NOT THE SHINGLES!

-- Edited by Mike Sullivan at 16:33, 2009-02-23

Guest

Mike Sullivan wrote:
If the roof is not too steep, sometimes I like to go up there and brush it out to make it come out cleaner.

Good advice Mike!

Jeff

�

Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 · guest

Mike Sullivan wrote:

If the roof is not too steep, sometimes I like to go up there and brush it out to make it come out cleaner.

Raystown Roof Cleaning wrote:

Good advice Mike!

Jeff
�

Hi Mike and Jeff,

Hope your having a profitable and good day! Up front, I want to say that I have much respect for both of you and hope you take what I am suggesting with a grain of salt.

I am not trying to put you or your comments down on this recent thread as I consider you both highly regarded professionals in the Roof Cleaning Industry.

So please don't take what I am about to say personally, it's for the sake of the first timer that comes here and may read the above statement which was recently made by you, Mike and then seconded by you Jeff, that causes me some concern.

As you KNOW, we are on the board of RCIA (Roof Cleaning Institute Of America) as professional ROOF CLEANING INSTRUCTORS and advisors and it is VERY IMPORTANT that we think carefully about WHAT EXACTLY we recommend and HOW we RECOMMEND it, myself INCLUDED.

If you ever see a post I, David W., of Roof Clean USA may possibly make that may be misread as an improper, or ineffective or problematic way to safely clean roofs using low or no pressure roof cleaning techniques, please, alert me right away as I will take the needed steps to edit or correct the offending post, BECAUSE as you know, MANY others, from ALL OVER THE WORLD, will everntually read our comments and take OUR recommendations and views literally.

I just wanted to comment on this, my friends, as I hope you would comment, tactfully, on any of my posts.

IMHO, Please do the New Roof Cleaner a favor and EXPLAIN in more detail wht you MEAN when you say "BRUSH IT OUT"

Someone might take this to mean something other than what you are trying to portray as to me it is VERY VAGUE and could EASILY be misinterpreted, so a little more clarification may be needed.

Brushing the ROOF, the SKYLIGHT, the SHINGLES, what exactly? Do you use chemicals while brushing, or not? And WHAT is it you are recommending WE brush out? The stain, the skylight?

And do we use a course hard brush, a toothbraush, a toilet brush, well, you get the idea?

We just don't want somebody getting on roofs and taking a stiff push broom and going over the roof aggressively with weak or worse, no chemical and expecting that by bushing the roof alone, the stains will be removed.

It is amazing to me but it DOES happen, I get people calling of this board with questions and PM's asking for advice who have NO CLUE what they are doing yet and haven't taking the time to educate themselves by reading all the posts, we take such a LARGE amount of time out of our personal and business lives to type up and post here so people who ARE wanting to get the PROPER Roof Cleaning information and eventually a RCIA , Certification, can actually have the CORRECT SAFE PROVEN, Roof Cleaning Info, instead of reading a couple of posts with wrong or incomplete infromation and then hanging out a SHINGLE, stating " Roof Cleaning R US" and then messing up roofs all over their local area.

As we all know, especially THOSE that do this work, that BRUSHING the roof is not the right approach.
(Unless it is a roof loaded down with Moss or Lichen, in wihich case, the roof may be GENTLY brushed to remove the offending clumps and plant life growths.)

When performed gently and very carefully, this method may (but I still don't recommend it) be used in conjunction with chemically treating the roof surface)

Usually, if you spray on Apple Sauce and use the no rinse approach, the few times that I have run across moss or lichen, it literally shrivels up and dies within a week or 2 or 3 and either blows off with the wind or in more extreme cases , can then be very gently removed after the roots have died and dislodged.

In EITHER CASE.....

It is always important to, if possible, obtain a written pre-filled , lawyer approved disclaimer, and have the customer sign, and date and if possible witnessed by third party, stating that because of excessive ALGAE, moss, or/and Lichen growth the roof may need to be lightly brushed , carefully, to remove the ATTACHED plant life, but that you have a verbal and written disclaimer, stating that you have informed the homeowner of the situation and will NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE for the roof leaking or prematuring failing in those areas where the brushing occurred or if you do rinse with ANY sort of pressure, even garden hose pressures (40-60psi and above) as when using a garden hose with municipal water pressures and a ZERO DEGREE NOZZLE it is still possible to dislodge a substancial amount to roofing shingle granuales that may possibly still cause damage to a roof .

It is ULTRA IMPORTANT to do this, new and seasoned roof cleaners alike, (check with your state and local laws gooverning contractor/homeowners rights and responsibilities) so as to protect yourself from unneccassary claims against your Liability insurance. This is especially important on OLDER, 7 years and older shingle and composite roofs.

Respectfully,
David - RC_USA

-- Edited by Roof Clean USA at 16:04, 2009-02-23

Feb 23, 2009

Thanks Dave. I changed it.

Feb 23, 2009

Thanks Dave, I changed it. I'll remember to be more specific next time! HA! smile

Guest

I truly believe that most people would understand that we are talking about an appropriate brush for the task. If a person wouldn't have a clue as to what type of brush to use for such an application,...they probably really have no business being in any part of the cleaning business,..and what brush they'd use is probably the least of their and the customers' worries.
You have to assume people have at least some common sense or these posts could look so elementary that no one will care to read them.

Jeff

Feb 23, 2009

LOL! Yeah Jeff, I'm surprised Dave felt the need to give us a two page lecture.

Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 · guest

Mike Sullivan wrote:

LOL! Yeah Jeff, I'm surprised Dave felt the need to give us a two page lecture.

Hey Guys, Mike and Jeff, Now come on, please don't take it to heart. It wasn't entirely directed at you both but more to the concept of being careful to be more specific when posting info that maybe taken out of context and misused in the unskilled hands of a new apprentice.

You both are an INVALUABLE part of this forum and again I respect you, your business acumen and your knowledgeable posts that are helpful to me as well as many others. Thanks again for being a core part of the RCIA. If you read between the lines my post was to clarify the issue of this being a WORLD WIDE FORUM with cleaners as far as Africa and Russia reading and hanging on every word trying to understand what it is we do here, and most importantly how to do it right. I am sorry as if you felt it was you that I had painted a target on but it is the message of the concept that I hope you see my point on.�

From my previous post

"It is amazing to me but it DOES happen, I get people calling of this board with questions and PM's asking for advice who have NO CLUE what they are doing yet and haven't taking the time to educate themselves by reading all the posts, we take such a LARGE amount of time out of our personal and business lives to type up and post here so people who ARE wanting to get the PROPER Roof Cleaning information and eventually a RCIA , Certification, can actually have the CORRECT SAFE PROVEN, Roof Cleaning Info, instead of reading a couple of posts with wrong or incomplete infromation and then hanging out a SHINGLE, stating " Roof Cleaning R US" and then messing up roofs all over their local area".

Next time ( hopefully there won't be a NEXT time) I will PRIVATE message you instead).

By the way, it wasn't 2 pages, just a page and a half.......LOL....my bad...oops

Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 · guest

Mike Sullivan wrote:

If the roof is not too steep, sometimes I like to go up there and brush out the skylight to make it come out cleaner.� NOT THE SHINGLES!

-- Edited by Mike Sullivan at 16:33, 2009-02-23

Thanks Mike! Great Info, very helpful and specific.. biggrin

Guest

Not a big deal Dave, and I knew it nothing was pointed at anyone in particular,..but I just wanted to point out that,... anyone who is working in this line of work should have an idea of at least the basics. I personally want to talk to people assuming they already have a clue as to what's involved with this type of work. I don't feel the need to baby sit anyone who hasn't done their own research before asking questions. I don't think Mike needed to explain what type of brush to use on a skylight. That's the most basic of knowledge. It's been said here and around the other boards that the new guys need to read, read and read some more. If they wouldn't even know how to choose a brush for such a simple task I'd personally rather they weren't even here.

No word from Chris yet?

Jeff

Feb 24, 2009

Yeah, where's Chris? It's been 12 days since he's posted.

Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 · guest

Mike Sullivan wrote:

Yeah, where's Chris? It's been 12 days since he's posted.

Good Afternoon, Mike and Jeff,

Re: Chris from Apple Roof Cleaning

I have called him several times over the last week and left my number on his pager.

For whatever reason....His phone cannot accept new messages.

I am not sure what is going on.

I am going to call a few others I know that know him and are closer and see if we can find out if he is ok.

I will keep you posted if I find out anything.

Hopefully he is just� really busy.... I pray.

�

Feb 24, 2009

I called him just now, one of his guys answered. He said he's in Michigan for a month. So, if he hasn't posted in 12 days, then I guess he won't be back for a couple of weeks. Unless he has a laptop he brought with him or uses someone else's computer.

It's weird not seeing him around, it kind of makes you think he banned himself! HAHA!

-- Edited by Mike Sullivan at 16:59, 2009-02-24

Guest

Thanks for the effort Dave and Mike!!

Jeff

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

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