Ok just got the go ahead to clean a Tile Roof and we dont have alot of them down here! I have read alot about how to clean them but cant find a mix ratio that will be good to use?
Also is there anything I need to watch out for! The reason I ask is because the house is a 3.8 million dollar home and if we do good on this one we get to do his other house! And the guy across the bayou wants to see us clean the roof before we get to clean his(Tile Roof ).
I dont want to walk the roof but may have to in some spots,I have read where you dont want to walk on them but can you with out breaking them?
How are you going to clean the roof? I have cleaned and install hundrens of tile roofs.I walk on tile all the time ,walk whare the tile laps over the other tile and do not stond in the middle and never walk on a cut piece.
I have cleaned and install hundrens of tile roofs.I walk on tile all the time.I would walk where one tile laps another and never walk in the middle or on a cut piece.What method are you going to clean the tiles,some people pressure but that takes the glaze and color off the tile and up here in WA we use brushes to remove the heavy moss off the tiles. It is slow and hard but it does not damage the surface of the tile like pressure washing does.l
For tile just bump your SH to 50/50 and use more soap for cling. If the roof is low pitched enough to walk, do it. You almost have to to get both sides of the barrel epecially if it has alot of gables and angles. My recommendation is to walk to the bottom of the roof line and spray upwards to make sure you get under the lip of the tile. Make sure you walk in the valleys of the tiles, not the peaks.
Make sure your ground guy pays really close attention because you will have more runoff. Dont be scared of tiles. We didnt do them for the first 3-4 months because we were scared of breaking them, then a situation like yours came up wth the possibilty of alot more work so we bit the bullet, and now Tile roofs make up probably 50% of our yearly gross, but only about 10-15% of our volume. They pay well. :)
Good luck!
-- Edited by Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX on Saturday 27th of March 2010 01:37:07 PM
Thanks for the info Scott, You say use 50/50 what about TSP,ISO? I think it is walkable,I hope.Also any idea about how to clean a boat house,over the water? Run off into the water?
I will be using the 5850 to clean the roof with 200 feet of hose! I will have pics on here sometime mid week!
I personally do not use TSP or ISO. We just bump our soap up for a little better cling.
As for the boat house, that all depends on your local regulations. Here no runoff would be permitted into the water. You would need an organic cleaner, get in a little boat, and scrub the boat house. lol.
Good luck, Cant wait to see the pictures! Just remember that 50/50 is a whole different animal than 30/70 or 40/60, so make sure your ground guy is diligent!
Thanks Scott for the info! I will give it a shot today! I may have something in mind for the boat house idea, I will take some pics and post them that way if anyone else ever runs into a boat house roof cleaning!
My recommendation is to walk to the bottom of the roof line and spray upwards to make sure you get under the lip of the tile.
I agree with most everything you said Scott. But if you are standing on a moldy section of tile roof, do not allow the solution that you are spraying upwards to run down to where you are standing or you may end up on the ground.
Be careful with those tiles...you might ask the homeowner if he has any extras or bring a few yourself in case a few break. You don't want one or two broken tiles to turn into a huge deal.
propressurewashing wrote:Be careful with those tiles...you might ask the homeowner if he has any extras or bring a few yourself in case a few break. You don't want one or two broken tiles to turn into a huge deal.
Hey Daniel, walk the valleys in the over lapped areas and you won't have to worry about breaking a tile. If you ask the home owner a question like that you might as well give up the sale.