Why Get your Roof Cleaned Periodically?

Cleaning the roof is – or should be – part of regular maintenance, its importance being unquestionable: it prevents decay and very expensive repairs, increasing the lifespan of the roof and postponing the perspective of a roof replacement (which is quite intimidating for most homeowners).

Cleaning your roof can be a DIY project, or you can hire Thornton roofing specialists for this operation. It is not too complicated to do it yourself, but any attempt to do something about your roof on your own should not be taken lightly. This is unless you are very skilled, experienced and have the right tools, products and equipment for the job.

Thornton roofing pros can clean your roof

Let’s take a look at some things you must consider:

  • The cleaning products you are going to use must be safe for your type of roof. Look for trusty suppliers, who offer multiple formulas to choose from, created for different roof surfaces. You should also ask about preventative solutions, because reliable suppliers often offer these too.
  • Set aside enough time for doing the roof cleaning properly. With the right chemicals and procedures, you can do a good job and avoid damaging your shingles.
  • Make sure you protect the vegetation around the house, or opt for eco-friendly cleaning solutions, to prevent ruining your landscape.

If you still question the importance of roof cleaning, you should know that roof algae and debris accumulated in the gutters represent more than aesthetic concerns. Having algae on your beautiful ceramic shingles is surely unattractive, but you should be concerned most of all about its damaging potential. Algae are living things that spread, feed off of your shingles and also maintain moisture between them, which rushes the deterioration of the roof. Consequently, you will get progressively less protection, and the lifespan of the roof will be shortened.

On the other hand, roof debris tend to accumulate in the pluvial system, and when gutter and downspouts get clogged, rain water will infiltrate on the exterior walls and in the basement, causing from aesthetic to structural damage.

The perspective to replace your roof too soon is not great at all, especially considering the costs of such and investment and everything else involved in such a project. So, no, roof cleaning is not money spent in vain, as some people tend to believe.

Cleaning the roof involves two main methods:

  • Pressure washing
  • Chemical Cleaning (sometimes called Soft Washing)

Both of them have pros and cons. Pressure washing is better for concrete or metal roof, because the potential to cause damage is very low, compared to ceramic shingles that may be damaged, if the cleaning device is set on high pressure. On the other hand, some chemicals can be harmful to different materials and also cause problems with your landscape, but can be also very effective if you find the right solutions and apply them correctly.

If you hire Thornton roofing professionals to clean your roof, be selective and make sure they can guarantee that your roof and property will remain 100% intact.