Considering its constant exposure to the elements, it’s to be expected that your roof’s appearance will deteriorate over time. Heat and humidity allow mould to thrive on all types of roofing materials from metal to tiles. The environment has plenty in reserve to throw at it too. Leaves, dirt whipped up by strong winds, even red dust storms or ash blowing in from bushfires hundreds of kilometres away can all affect the look of your roof in a negative way. So, the job needs doing. What will you need to clean your roof safely and effectively? You probably haven’t spent all that much time, if any, up there so let’s have a think about the job ahead and what is required to get your roof looking new again.
Moving the kids trampoline as close as possible to the lowest point of your roof and giving it your best shot from there is really not advisable. You’re going to need a ladder and you’re going to need a level place to set it. Ladders come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are designed to give you access to higher places of reach, such as your roof. Once you have a suitable ladder, ensure that you have a safe place to mount it where it is stable, reducing the risk of falling or collapsing. When climbing a ladder, always maintain three points of contact at all times, for example two hands and one foot. Keep a firm grip on the rungs and keep your body centred between the side rails of the ladder.
You could try carrying all the required equipment up your ladder while climbing, but we don’t advise this as it is dangerous and you could fall and seriously injure yourself, especially if the equipment is heavy. The easiest way to get your equipment up on the roof is to create a pulley system and essentially lift the required items onto the roof. We recommend that you have a friend help you with this by attaching your equipment to a rope and hauling to the roof with a person on the ground guiding and a person on the roof pulling. You can also use your ladder at a guide bridge and pull equipment up the ladder, again with a two person assist. If you have access to a crane, that makes your whole job much easier, just lift it straight to the roof.
The type of equipment needed to clean your roof is going to depend on the roof material and the type of clean you are completing. Essentially, there are two ways to clean your roof: chemical clean and pressure clean.
With the use of chemicals, you gently clean your roof to remove build up and algae. Sodium and chlorine solutions are the most commonly seen cleaning chemicals for roofs. The chemicals are applied using a light sprayer hose and then the roof is scrubbed using a soft bristle brush and hosed to remove chemical residue and built-up dirt and grime. Chemical cleans are usually seen on roofs that cannot be pressure washed.
Pressure cleaning involves using a high-pressure washer the actively cut through built up dirt, grime and algae from your roof with water. The high pressure of the water breaks through the layers and leaves your roof looking much cleaner. It is an effective and fast cleaning method for roof cleaning. Pressure washing, however is not suitable for all types of roof materials due to the high impact nature of the clean.
It is important to identify the type of roof material being cleaned prior to deciding which cleaning method to use.
Now that you’re on the roof and ready to start cleaning, there is indeed a process that you should follow to make your cleaning job easier.
The biggest thing with chemical cleaning your roof is to always wear PPE to protect yourself, including gloves and safety glasses. This ensures that you avoid skin and eye irritation should the chemicals come in contact with you. You are dealing with chemicals after all. Start by spraying a section of roof with the chemical compound. Start from the top and work down in sections. Scrub the chemicals into the roof using a long handled, soft bristle brush, ensuring that you get the bristles into all the nooks on the roof. Let the chemical sit for 5 mins and absorb the build-up. Then it’s time to wash away the chemicals with a low-pressure hose. Angle the hose downward so the water rushes down the roof and into the gutters. Be mindful as you move around the roof that it will be slippery and wet.
Pressure washers are a fast and effective way to clean a roof, provided that the roofing material can withstand the high-pressure impact of the water without causing damage. The process to clean using a pressure washer is pretty simple. Start from the top of the roof and move downward to the guttering. Work in small sections, hold the pressure washer nozzle approximately 30cm away from the roof to avoid damaging the surface and use slow sweeping motions to clean the area. Watch out for slippery algae. Stand in dry areas when you start cleaning and as you cover more of the roof, stand on already cleaned areas to avoid slipping.
Cleaning your roof is a hard and demanding job to complete and simply put, you may not have the time nor energy to put into it. If that’s the case then, you can always call in an expert and save yourself the time and hassle of doing it yourself. The team at Fussy Roof Restorations have all the gear, knowledge, experience and a 4000 psi rotor head water pressure cleaner to obliterate any blemish on your roof. They’ll check your roof over, make sure their cleaning doesn’t lead to leaks or damage and ensure that your roof clean is completed efficiently. Call them today on 1300 734 302 to discuss any roof maintenance, cleaning or restoration job. Alternately, email them at info@fussyroofrestorations.com.au or use the contact form online to get in touch.
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