PRESSURE WASHING VS. CHEMICAL CLEANING VS. HOT WATER SYSTEMS:
If you let anyone Pressure Wash your roof in the past whether it is tile, shingle, slate or metal. You realistically paid for someone to destroy your roof and VOID your roofs warranty which is very unfortunate and this happens all the time since pressure cleaning roofs was a thing of the past and a lot of new inexperienced companies are still doing it, but also a lot of people are uninformed of its damaging effects and non beneficial results.
WHY?
PSI means Pounds per Square Inch. To correctly and safely remove mildew, mold and algae from any roofs surface I use a 40 psi electrical shurflo pump while some other companies use 1,000 to 6,000 psi to clean your roof which in turn will blow off granules or even entire rows of shingles off of your roof and on tile, slate and metal roofs it will remove the gloss, slurry coat and color as well as create leaks and the damage can be so severe that you may need to replace the entire roof and the sub roof also. Which just when you thought you have saved a few bucks by going with the cheaper guy you are either now stuck with a leaky damaged roof or will have to spend thousands of dollars getting it fixed or replaced.
STILL WANT TO PRESSURE CLEAN YOUR ROOF?
Chemical cleaning is the only process that is recommended by all major roofing manufacturers.
WHY?
It has no damaging high pressure that removes granules and aggregate on shingle roofs and doesn’t harm the protective coating on tile, slate and metal roofs. Another benefit of chemically cleaning your roof is that it will stay clean 5 to 6 years longer than pressure washing and it will extend the life of your roof by as much as 10 more years opposed to pressure washing your roof which will appear clean for 3 to 6 months at best and it will come back thicker and in a very unsightly ugly pattern known as “Zebra Striping” as well as take 10 years away from the life you have in your roof.
In the last decade I have seen my fair share of roofs that have been pressure washed and the damage is irreversible. When I walk on these roofs it feels like I am walking on thin ice and I have roller skates on from the loose granules and damage from the last guy who attempted to clean it.
DISCLAIMER ON HOT WATER PRESSURE WASHERS:
I noticed an advertisement from a Landscaping Company that claimed that they also do pressure washing? In their ad it read “Hot Water” is used to eliminate the use of harsh chemicals and for a deep clean! The deep clean may mean too deep (Damaging Deep) and if you want your house cleaned right and for the cleaning to last longer. Cold Water Chemically Injected systems are the only way to successfully kill mildew and green algae and remove dirt, bug debris, wasp nests, mud dauber nests, spider eggs and other debris.
Now anytime you wash your dishes, get your pool serviced, wash your car, do your laundry or take a shower you use chemicals. (Dish detergent, chlorine and muriatic acid, car wash soap, laundry detergent or bleach and body wash, shampoo, conditioners or bar soap.) Why? So that it gets cleaned correctly and disinfects what needs cleaning. If you used just hot water would it be clean? No. Even if you washed your car with hot water it will still have dirt residue and although we also have hot water pressure washers for removing paint, grease, gum, pine sap we would NEVER use them to clean any home exterior, driveway, pool enclosure, pool deck or anything near a house. Why? Hot water systems can do way more damage and harm to your home and plants. While cold water chemically injected controlled systems cannot if used properly. Hot water systems heat the water to 190 degrees plus, then you have to get very close to the surface that is to be cleaned and at 3000 psi it can strip paint off your exterior, on screen enclosures it will soften the spline that holds in the screens and cause the screens to blow out, hot water on your plants will not kill them but it will turn the leaves brown and cause them to fall off within a few hours or days.
Those so called “harsh chemicals” are the same chemicals that 100 percent of all professional exterior cleaning companies use and harsh is overkill. The systems we have and utilize control the amount of chemical that is applied and then it is thoroughly rinsed with fresh cool water from a distance with custom made application tips and rinse tips that we have made special ordered for us at Tropical Roof and Exterior Cleaning Systems. We do not have to get up close and blast off anything, I can clean a 3 story exterior from the ground if that can give you an idea of how we clean safely without damaging your exterior or any other surface.