When you live in a home, one thing you need to do regularly is to clean -- and not just the interior, but the exterior as well -- including the roof, which is not just a matter of having a nice looking roof but also a safety measure -- leaves that rot on your roof might compromise the integrity of the roof and allow rainwater or other things to get in.
Regular roof cleaning is important especially if you have trees around your home that might blow leaves onto it that would accumulate over time and it's helpful to know what you are doing before you get up there.
1. Do Not Use A Power Washer
If you've spent any time on video viewing websites or apps, you may be familiar with videos showing how powerful power washers are and get the idea that they're ideal for washing your roof -- this is not the case.
Power washers can be so strong that they can blow the tiles right off of your roof and make it so that you have to get your roof repaired.
Stick with lower power hoses and you will be fine as far as cleaning your roof.
2. Secure Ladders Before Going Up
It should be fairly obvious that if you're going to be access your roof via a ladder, you will want to make sure that the ladder is secure before you go up to the roof.
Ideally, you will want to have someone help you by holding the ladder so that there is no possibility that the ladder will tip over while you are climbing up to the roof.
3. Check Your Gutters For Asphalt Granules
If you have a roof with asphalt tiles, you're going to want to inspect your gutters for asphalt tiles on occasion because if you see them, it's a sign that your tiles are beginning to deteriorate and that you're going to need to replace them at some point in the near future.
Asphalt tiles only have a certain lifespan, and seeing the bits in your gutter are one key sign to look out for in the maintenance of your home.
4. Avoid Walking Directly On Your Tile Roof
If you've got a tile roof, you're going to want to avoid walking directly on them.
Instead, you would do well to use foam treated plywood to be able to get up on the tiles and walk around for the duration of your cleaning project.
5. Treating Efflorescence
Efflorescence has a bit of a chalk appearance but ultimately cannot damage your tile roof.
If you want to get rid of it (it does tend to give your roof a dull appearance) you can take a dry cloth and apply it to the roof tiles as you are cleaning and you will see the efflorescence come off.
6. Moss On Wood Is Trouble
Even if you haven't reached the time that you would regularly clean your roof, if you see moss on your wood roof you will want to take measures sooner than not.
Moss and even lichen is the kind of thing that can cause major long term damage to your wood roof that if not treated will mean that you
7. Good Weather For Cleaning
You can't just clean your roof any time of the day and during any weather condition.
The best thing you can do is to choose a day that has no wind, leaving your cleaning limited to your own roof, and not too hot and preferably overcast so you're not standing around in the hot sun.
If you need a professional to help you with your exterior painting in Omaha, NE, our team at Brush & Roll Painting can help.
TO GET STARTED WITH US, BOOK A FREE ESTIMATE BELOW OR CALL US AT 402-932-9764 FOR MORE DETAILS.
Next, check out how to clean other major surfaces around your home.
Related: Best Practices For Removing Water Stains From Your Ceiling in Omaha, NE
5 Things To Remember When Repairing Your Plaster Walls in Omaha, NE
7 Tips For Cleaning Your Interior Walls in Omaha, NE
Bill is the owner and operator of Brush & Roll Painting.
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