TOPIC: How do I eliminate call backs regarding dead lichen?
dlay
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Date: 23m, 20s ago
IP: 71.57.241.171
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Fellow Members, I need some advice. I received my first call back yesterday on a job that I had finished 1 week ago. (Pictures attached) We have had several hard rains in the area and most black streaks are gone, however to the customer it appeared that nothing had been done. He said that he still had a dirty roof. When I returned I found the algae and lichen dead, but still attached. How long should it take for the lichen to disappear? Is there something that I need to add to my contract to eliminate this type of call, or did I do something wrong with my mixture of 34 gal of SH, 66 gal water, and 50 oz of Simply Cherry, bought through Bob at Pressure Tek. Thank you for your advice and sharing of any contract disclaimers that work.
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Don Lay
Roof Restore, LLC
www: RoofRestorePA.com
sales@RoofRestorePA.com
717-648-6242
Don, I heard more alcohol in the mix helps to kill it quicker. Either way it will probably take a few months to blow off. When it does blow off it may take the granules with it leaving black specks. Best thing that I found is to let the customers know up front the moos and lichens will take time to blow off.
The rain will eventually wash it away, when in doubt I lightly brush or garden hose rinse it off. The picture attached is what it looked like after I rinsed it off.
Don - I'm a firm believer that it's not only rain that is needed, but time. It needs to decompose, at least where it's connected, and only then wuill it rinse away. The cooler the weather the longer it takes. Moss is very similar.
Setting the expectations with your clients will likely solve your dilemma. Feel free to give me a ring if you'd like to hear what I tell my clients. Too lengthy to type it out.
I'm not sure of how many roofs you got around to doing yet here in Pa, but I can tell you- 90% of the roofs I do around here will have a large portion of it covered in moss and lichen. I'm with Ted on his thinking- I believe it takes time to decompose and requires more than just a few rains.
It will come off it's just a waiting game.
Keep in mind there are some areas that you will need to rinse the moss and lichen away because of the rain not hitting those areas - ex. Around dormers (usually right up against the sides where the weather never gets to) and under eves that run into roof lines.
It would be nice to just clean some Algae stains every now and then!
Barry I hope before you rinse those trouble spots you are waiting a fair amount of time for the Lichen to die and decay as much as possible, early rinsing I feel would certainly result in granuel loss. Excellent job moving topics to this side Gary! Keep up the good work..........
Every job I have had this spring has had a bad case of lichen, moss, and on two of them, something new, a brown, very smooth almost like velvet looking moss. I have found that if I hit the moss and lichen with a 75% mix with lot's of surfactant, then spray the rest of the roof normal, when I am done most of the moss an lichen is very white, and within a week or two it starts falling off real good. Had one house that after I informed them it would take 4-6 weeks to be completely clean after one week they called saying the moss was still on there. I explained it again, and told them I can spray it off, but i would not recommend it. They wanted it sprayed. I sprayed it with water with one of my tips , all the moss and lichen are now gone. But, it did remove some granules. That's why I do not like to spray it off. Got to figure out something that will kill the moss and lichen faster.
I hit moss and lichen with my normal mix, It kills it on impact, I never rinse it off, but again I 'm always up front when i bid the Job with what is going to take place , then when i'm finished i walk the home owner around the property explaining everything in detail. see there mr home owner, that brown stain is dead algae, and those white spots you see are dead lichen, soon as mother nature rinses this for us it will all be gone, and look new again now if you see BLACK stains please call me asap . it might take a few rains to get all the dead lichen off , but dont worry it is dead
-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Missouri 417-230-8103 on Saturday 23rd of April 2011 11:50:14 PM
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Elite Roof Cleaners Roof Cleaning Missouri & Kansas City
I'm with Elite, I always tell my customers that we are a no pressure roof cleaning company and moss and lichen will rinse off within a few rains. Never any call backs and everyone has been fine with that since I alert them ahead of time. As mentioned above, you will have to rinse areas that will not get touched by the rain as the moss or lichen will not fall off on its own.
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Extreme Cleaning Solutions (410) 980-1053
Phil Rogers
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Roof Cleaning and Pressure Washing in Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland
Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate them. As with all of my customers I have told them that the algae, lichen, and moss is dead once I treat it, and that it will take several rains to wash it clean. We had several severe rains and the customer only saw dead lichen when he looked at his roof. He didn't remember all of the black streaks that had disappeared.
Does it take 1 to 3 months to fall off? If so, I will put this in my contract, I will also send along an information sheet, with pictures detailing the time line of each type. I was hoping that someone had already developed this and would be willing to share. If not, I will share mine when it is completed.
Thanks again for your comments. It is great to share ideas with you.
to be safe I would say a least a month but i had some when I did my roof and it was gone in about 2 weeks I would say 1-3 months for it to fall off would be pretty safe
Here in Iowa Lichen & Moss is a way of life, alot of trees and farm country. LOL
I use normal solution, though it is not the mixes on here, but my own developed, after the roof is sprayed I go back with a garden hose and hit it from a side angle, not direct and bingo gone, with NO ganular loss. Your mix will play a big part in this also. Your solution has to disolve the root.