subject: Cleaning Roofs [print this page] If you live in a costal or on heavily wooded area, your asphalt roof muy have discolored staining from mildew and algae growth. Provable this are just stains and not fungi or mold, this can be remove easily, living you roof looking like new.
This process is fair simple and consists of spraying the shingles with a solution of pool chorine and liquid detergent, then rinsing it off with a garden hose. Chorine will begin to kill the algae immediately and brighten the color, but still continues to work after several days of treatment. Spray water onto shrubbery and the surroundings yard first, particularly in the downspout areas, to help dilute the chemical runoff.
Be very careful when performing this task, because the roof will become very slippery with the detergent. Wear soft-soled rubber sneakers for optional traction and protect yourself from the chlorine by wearing a rain suit and safety glasses. Choose a cal, overcast day to complete this job.
There 3 basic steps and the materials you will be needing are: Ladder, pump sprayer, garden hose and spray nozzle, 1 gallon of liquid pool chlorine, and liquid dish detergent.
Step 1- Make the cleaner.
Combine 1 gallon of swimming pool chorine and 1 once of liquid detergent in a pump-style garden sprayer. For your protection, wear chemical gloves and safety glasses.
Step 2- Apply the cleaner.
Working from the ridge to the eaves, apply the bleach solution with the garden sprayer in 6 feet to 10 feet sections. We recommend you try and work quickly so the entire can be rinsed clean while is still wet. Another option is to try and get help from a help and while one applies the chlorine give it a few time to set, the other can rinse. Make sure you wear protecting clothing, rubber-soled shoes, and safety glasses. If another person is working with you, you can spray one half of the roof and then while the other person rinsed cleans you can do the other half.
Step 3- Spray off the chemicals.
Spray off the chemicals with a garden hose and clean water. Is very important that you do not use a pressure washer for this step, if you use a pressure washer you could damage the granules off the shingles and shorten the life span of the shingles.
Watch your step when working on eaves. Follow up the first chemical spray and wash with a second application of a 50/50 moisture of chlorine and water. After this wash off the second treatment thoroughly with more fresh water before the chlorines dries.
Finally, if your roof has steep pitch, DO NOT attempt this project; remember that your safety is first and that at any point of the project you feel that you the project is bigger of what you expected and you are not able to handle it, call a professional that can help.
