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RANDY GARWOOD

Roof Cleaning

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THERE WAS ON AN ARTICLE ON IN LAST WEEKS CHAROTTE’S PAPER ROOF CLEANING. I THOUGHT THE FOLLOWING FOUR PARAGPAGHS OF THAT ARTICE WOULD BE OF INTEREST. I AM QUOTING WORD FOR WORD FROM THE ARTCILE;

Dale Walton, technical service supervisor for shingle maker Certainteed, said that the Pennsylvania company recommends a couple of products to clean asphalt shingle roofs: Safer’s Moss and Algae Killer, and Shingle Shield roof and deck cleaner.

Also, we recommend a home made mix,” he said. “One part laundry bleach, three parts water and just a small amount of trisodium phosphate.”

The phosphate is important, so be sure you choose real TSP from the paint or hardware store. You’ll see some products that call themselves some variation of TSP that lack phosphate.

You’ll also find online recipes for homemade mixes that include lye, or pure TSP. Walton has seen those, too and says they’re OK. But if you’re going to use such caustic mixes, be very, very careful.

“TSP would be the best,” he said. “You need the phosphate.

I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST, MEMBERS QUOTING FROM THE ARMA ABOUT WHAT THEY STATE TO BE USED ON ROOFS,(AND THE ARTICLE IS QUITE OLD) BUT THIS QUOTE IS UP TO DATE

I HOPE THIS WILL SETTLE THIS DEBATE.-------------NOT REALLY!!!!!!!

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What is the best chemical to clean the the roof with?I use bleach pure bleach,It works but not quick enough.And I somtimes have to go over them areas 2-3 times,I sure could use some input on how everyone else is doing it, thanks

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I have started making my own solution from pool supply chemicals. Sodium hydroxide has been said to be bad for roofs (acting as a degreaser to degrade the integrity of the shingles). I bought a 100lb bucket of powder-form calcium hypochlorite from a local supplier and mix it such that I can downstream it from an X-Jet and get a final concentration of about 4 - 5%. It usually takes two applications to do this, which is not a problem for me. I apply it first then do parts of the rest of the house, then apply it again, then finish up the house. Just make sure you do a final rinse of the roof to remove any residue. Unfortunately, this stuff (and most other cleaners) will leave white powdery residue on windows. I just add window cleaning into my cost of cleaning a house and take care of the windows. This is not a problem since most of my customers love the fact that when I'm done, their entire house is clean, not just the siding and roofs (they say that pressure washers in the past have not done anything beyond rinsing their windows.......I use glass cleaner and sponges/squeeges).

In case you are wondering about the ratios, the stuff I use (and this is pretty much standard) calls for 1/4 cup of powder per gallon to make a 1% solution. I usually make my initial solution around 9% so that I can downstream it in a strong concentration, so this is 9/4 (2 1/4) cup per gallon. I will make around 20 gallons for each house, so this comes to 180/4 cups, or 45 cups of powder. I just take care to not spill the solution on myself, my clothes, and the grass (it WILL kill grass).

****and ONLY apply it at low pressure; never apply direct pressure to the roof, just spray it on and let it do all the work and then rinse with clean water****

Ryan H.

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Roofraider sounds remarkably similar to the method I use. They say that it's strength is strongest when first mixed, which indicates that it diminshes over time. Chlorine-containing products do the same thing as the chlorine gas will leave the liquid solution. This product is most likely an agent that will release free chlorine when mixed with water (such as sodium trichloro - acetate or isocyanurate) and the mixing ratios sound about right. They are correct in saying that some roof cleaners contain lye and bleach. General purpose bleach you purchase in a store contains some amounts of sodium hydroxide (lye); that's why I use the method I use and mix my own. It comes to about $0.60 per gallon at 6% solution.

Ryan H.

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I use a sodium hydroxide product to clean roofs. I too have read that this is bad to use. So is bleach! It will dry out the shingle faster than s.h. it will.

I have put a shingle into a bucket with my undiluted solution of s.h. for two weeks. It still looks fine. I am sure if you do repeated cleanings with these two cleaners it will damage the roof. Just walking on the roof will degrade it let alone cleaning it.

My opinion is that using a s.h product does a better job that will last longer than using chlorine. Yes using chlorine you are in and out pretty fast and since it does not last as long you get get good repeat business. I do not believe in a run in and out quick job. I think the customer should get a good quality job that will last for the price they pay for.

Remember this is just my opinion

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Why does cleaning with Sodium Hydroxide take longer?

Mike,

When you use SH to clean roofs you need to rinse every inch,it has a lot more cling that chlorine does.I just started experimenting on our roof and learned it first hand.Because of the rinse time invovled it takes much longer.

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Ok, makes sense.

I'm doing some testing on my own roof this week with a few chems to see which gives me the best cleaning with a low-pressure rinse (like what I'd get with the XJet from 20 feet away). I have a roof job coming up that will be impossible to get close to without a lift, and the owner isn't paying that much...

Chlorine did a nice job today on one section of my roof...We'll see what the SH products do this week.

Thanks!

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Ok, makes sense.

I'm doing some testing on my own roof this week with a few chems to see which gives me the best cleaning with a low-pressure rinse (like what I'd get with the XJet from 20 feet away). I have a roof job coming up that will be impossible to get close to without a lift, and the owner isn't paying that much...

Chlorine did a nice job today on one section of my roof...We'll see what the SH products do this week.

Thanks!

I am a homeowner who is confused about what the best chemical for asphalt washing/moss/lichen killing is. I have seen several web sites for 'Spray & Forget', 'New Again', 'Roof Raider', etc. I have read bleach is bad along with Sodium Hydroxide. What do you recommend? Thanks

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jon c,

the product i use is sold as a general algaecide used to maintain the pool chlorine level at a desired point. i suppose you can make a solution of it at the necessary concentration to shock a pool, but i don't think that is the intention. the name is 'powered power pro' and has 90 percent chlorine available. i can give you more info on it if you'd like.

sorry for the lower cased letters and any incorrect punctuation; i spilled coke all over my keyboard and the shift/caps/directional keys are now dead.

ryan h.

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Rick:

Depending on who you talk to, bleach is bad. Same things with Sodium Hydroxide...I've no idea which, if either, is true. I do know that I've read on the boards many times that bleach is some manufacturers' suggested cleaner for asphalt shingles. I have also read that some manufacturers say bleach is bad, and damages the shingles. I don't know that anyone has adequately addressed this topic.

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