Your Guide to Cleaning Roof Stains | Roof Cleaning NJ

Your Guide to Cleaning Roof Stains

Your best bet is to hire a professional for roof cleaning, but we understand this isn’t always possible. Perhaps you want to do a quick washing in between professional washings or you are looking to try a DIY job for once. Whatever the case, it’s possible to clean your own roof provided you have the right equipment and supplies.

Those supplies should include:

• Full-body harness
• Garden sprayer
• Garden hose
• Ladder with stabilizers
• Non-toxic, non-corrosive roof-cleaning chemical
• Applicator and rinsing tool

Roof Cleaning NJ - Now it's time to prepare. Know what you’re dealing with, first and foremost. You may think those black streaks on the north- and west-facing as well as shaded areas of your asphalt roof are made up of mold, they’re not – they’re algae colonies that will only get worse and damage your roof if not properly dealt with. Algae colonies thrive on moisture and the limestone that fills in between your shingles, which is why it’s not unusual to see black streaking on roofs.

Selecting the right chemicals for the job is key. You need something that’s durable enough to get rid of the stains yet treat your roofing material, home exterior and surrounding vegetation with care. Chlorine bleach and a power washer rental are the two things you don’t want to do. That’s because you can do real damage to your paint job, roof accessories and paint job even using the gentlest setting on traditional power washers.

And using bleach can lighten your roof and surrounding home, plus it can kill your plants. Worst off, it may kill the first layer of algae but it won’t kill every layer. Remember, if you don’t kill all the algae, will just come back and you’ll have to repeat the process all over again.

You could try sodium hydroxide (lye) products, which won’t kill your plants or lighten your roofing, but it will cause corrosion which is why you need to wear protective gear. To bypass that risk, your best bet is to choose a product that’s safe on the environment AND noncorrosive.

Before you wield the garden hose, check the weather forecast. The best day to do this task is one that’s cool and cloudy, with no wind. Then, you should check out the state of your roof, taking the time to repair any loose shingles or flashings. If your gutters have any debris clogging them up, scoop out the leaves and twigs. Cover your vegetation near the home to keep it from getting damaged.

Roof Cleaning NJ - Ready to clean? First, give all the shingles a good soaking, working your way from bottom to top. When you notice a lot of runoff, you can stop this step and move on to the next. Using the sprayer to get the dirt off, go in a back and forth motion like you would if you were vacuuming. Let air dry, then repeat if needed.

If you’re looking to prevent algae growth from re-occurring, consider installing zinc or copper strips along the ridge or coating the roof with a stain-blocking solution.

If your DIY project doesn’t turn out as planned or you decide to have a professional do the job in the first place, we would be happy to help here at Clearview Washing. Give us a call at 732-462-1187 today.