Roof Cleaning Done Right

Most reasons for cleaning your roof will fall into two categories – enhancing the curb appeal of your home and stopping/preventing damage to the roof from the growth it’s experiencing. Cleaning an old-looking roof can reinvigorate its appearance. That can help to improve your roof’s aesthetics without having a replace a roof that wouldn’t otherwise need it. By electing to clean your roof, you improve the resell value of your home and help your home make a much better first impression.

While you certainly want your roof to put its best foot forward aesthetically, it’s even more important that you do what you can to keep your roof from failing sooner than it should. Leaves, twigs, branches, seeds, and other debris can cause water to dam up and leak into your home. Elements such as moss and lichen break down your asphalt shingles by fighting against the roof granules, removing them, and causing premature failure. Cleaning your roof is an essential part of the roof maintenance process.

On average, it is suggested to have your roof cleaned 18-36 months. However, there are some factors that can determine where in that range your roof might fall:

• Rainfall levels: Roofs that in areas with significant rainfall (Florida summers, anyone?) will encourage mold, lichen, and moss growth on your roof. More growth equals more frequent cleanings.
• Amount of shade: In Florida, we understand the value of shade trees. However, if your roof isn’t seeing much sun, it could increase the growth of mold, lichen, and moss.
• Proximity to foliage: A high volume of leaves, pine needles, branches, and seeds on your roof can mean it needs to be cleaned more frequently.

When it comes time to clean your roof, oftentimes, homeowners feel the best option is to do it themselves. However, there are several reasons why doing it yourself is not recommended. When an untrained person walks a (shingle) roof, they rub granules from the shingle’s surface. Fewer granules mean less protection. Less protection means reducing the life of your roof.

Quite often, when people think of roof cleaning, they think of pressure or power washing. One of the biggest missteps a homeowner can take when it comes to cleaning their roof is the use of a pressure washer. While power washing is great for areas such as your sidewalk and driveway, power washing your roof comes at a very high price. Pressure washing can damage roofing tiles, flashing, chimneys, and gutters. More so, power washing can break off granules from your shingles. Additionally, there is a risk of damaging the integrity of the installation, leading to leaks inside the home. While you run the risk of shortening the life span of your roof, or damaging the integrity of the installation, having your roof improperly cleaned can potentially jeopardize your roof’s warranty as well.

Using an eco-friendly, soft-clean formula that is gently sprayed on the roof’s surface is the ideal way for your roof to be cleaned in such a way that won’t harm the integrity of your roof. More so, choosing a licensed and insured roofing contractor who is trained to navigate a roof and use proper safety equipment, is the ideal way to protect your roof and your property during the roof cleaning process. A roofer understands the importance of not only cleaning your roof but protecting its longevity. In fact, Roof Commander uses a proprietary formula that is environmentally friendly while also being designed to maximize results. You get an effective clean while still maintaining the integrity of your roof!

When you’re hiring professionals to clean your roof, do you want the guy down the street with a pressure washer? Would you get your teeth cleaned by your hairstylist or get your hair washed by your dentist? Probably not. So, why trust your roof to the pressure washing service that cleans your driveway? Roof Commander will clean your roof without jeopardizing the integrity of your roof, protect your warranty, and stand behind its results. More so, Roof Commander roof cleaning services include a free THREE-year membership in Roof Commander’s RoofPledge Protection Plan. Learn more about our industry-leading RoofPledge Protection Plan here.