Avoid the Downfalls of Roof Cleanings

UPDATE: We no longer offer roof cleaning as one of our services.

In terms of easily avoided homeowner chores, there’s one that is as overlooked as it is potentially dangerous: roof cleaning. Generally, most Indiana folks anticipate sprucing up their deck or beginning to prep a home garden for the upcoming warm season. There are likely very few that are thrilled at the prospect of doing seasonal roof care. However, the threat of mold, mildew or black streaks poses a threat to the livelihood of a roof as well as a house’s overall appeal. Besides, the only black streaks that should be found anywhere, are the grill marks on hamburgers!

Important Notes

Before deciding to tackle a seasonal roof cleaning head-on, there are a few important challenges that must be addressed.  This daunting chore can not only be recognized as physically dangerous for DIY homeowners, it can also easily result in damage to the roof itself.

Chemicals

Black and green mold, moss and black streaks can appear more stubborn than they actually are. This means that a homeowner’s first instinct may be to seek out harsh chemicals and cleaners to remedy this look. In reality, many of these formulas contain bleach and other acids that can cause considerable damage to the shingles.

Pressure Washing

Pressure washing removes a small amount of granular coating from asphalt shingles each time. Although this doesn’t sound like a big deal, it can actually reduce the life of shingles by nearly 50 percent. The granular coating protects against UV rays and serves as a fire retardant. Unfortunately a lighter pressure wash setting is not strong enough to eliminate mold, while a higher setting removes more coating.

Safety

Because many folks choose to clear their own gutters, some also decide to try and tackle a roof cleaning as well. Without a cleaning system or proven solution, many people settle for harsh chemicals or power washing, creating a slick and dangerous surface. Not only does this increase the damage done to the surface, it also puts homeowners in danger.

Our Method

Matthews Painting has established a shingle cleaning system which includes a  “no wash, no scrub” method with the use of a shingle cleaning solution and application that is void of harsh chemicals.  No pressure washers or scrub brushes are required for the surface safe solution to do the job, so the surface integrity stays intact and the homeowner stays comfortably on the ground.