Is this good time for a roof wash?

[drod17 14]

Cleaned my roof (2200 sq. ft.) today to gain exp. Used a 4000psi/3.5 gpm machine and a 16'' surface cleaner. took me 3:35 min. to complete the job. Did not use any chemicals. roof tiles were real dirty, but by the time i was finished were squeeky clean. Is this good time with a 3.5 gpm pw? Had to go over the same area bout 3 times in order to clean it. I plan on charging for a similar roof $200-$250. It is an upscale community with an HOA. Is this also a good price to charge? My neighborhood is littered with low ballers. Seems every time I get home, there is a flyer or postcard of some kind advertising 130 roof wash with driveway sidewalk and a house wash!! Any info will help a fellow newbee....thanks

[acegot 14]

I'm not a roof expert, but is there a reason why you didnt use chemicals? You could do half at a time & wash from the top down so it wouldnt be slippery. You could cut your washtime in half. If your going to do much p-washing at all you really need a bigger machine. (gpm) The lowballers have to have some sort of upsell. Like if the house has algae/mildew its double or something. LOL

[PWkid 79]

That size tile roof I would charge twice that and be done in about an hr.

[Bryan C 14]

Cleaned my roof (2200 sq. ft.) today to gain exp. Used a 4000psi/3.5 gpm machine and a 16'' surface cleaner. took me 3:35 min. to complete the job. Did not use any chemicals. roof tiles were real dirty, but by the time i was finished were squeeky clean. Is this good time with a 3.5 gpm pw? Had to go over the same area bout 3 times in order to clean it. I plan on charging for a similar roof $200-$250. It is an upscale community with an HOA. Is this also a good price to charge? My neighborhood is littered with low ballers. Seems every time I get home, there is a flyer or postcard of some kind advertising 130 roof wash with driveway sidewalk and a house wash!! Any info will help a fellow newbee....thanks

Use the proper chemicals. Your pricing is too low. Never use a surface cleaner. Your welcome.

[sthom21 14]

Cleaned my roof (2200 sq. ft.) today to gain exp. Used a 4000psi/3.5 gpm machine and a 16'' surface cleaner. took me 3:35 min. to complete the job. Did not use any chemicals. roof tiles were real dirty, but by the time i was finished were squeeky clean. Is this good time with a 3.5 gpm pw? Had to go over the same area bout 3 times in order to clean it. I plan on charging for a similar roof $200-$250. It is an upscale community with an HOA. Is this also a good price to charge? My neighborhood is littered with low ballers. Seems every time I get home, there is a flyer or postcard of some kind advertising 130 roof wash with driveway sidewalk and a house wash!! Any info will help a fellow newbee....thanks

Never use a surface cleaner on a roof. For one reason. it can strip the glaze off of tile due to the pressure needed to operate the cleaner. Another would be that it is dangerous on a slippery slope of a roof and could cause severe injury especially if you lose your balance and fall off the roof.

Not to mention that it took about 3 times a long as it should have for that size roof. Using the right tools is key in every profession.

There is a ton of information available to learn the safest possible methods for doing this job. Take some time and read up on the topic.

Check out some of the bulletin boards that specialize in roof cleaning. Here are 2 that I look at frequently.

Roof Cleaning Institute Of America

Professional Non Pressure Roof Cleaning and Power Washing Forum & Cleaning Contractor Directory

Good luck.

[MudDuck 20]

High pressure surface cleaner? NO chems? 250.00 for a roof?!!! STOP and do some research. Dude, don't get on ANY roof for 250.00. Your going to have upwards of 100.00 just in cost. Your waisting your time at 150.00 pmi per job. Theres a lot of guys on here that have phd's in been there done that and no one uses those methods or prices for a reason. You can't compete with low ballers so don't try. You don't want their prices equated to your name, work or quality. Start with house washing and ground stuff. Learn what you need for roofs (no pressure washer) then graduate up. Kill a plant they get mad,,fixable,,kill their roof and they'll chase you down and sue you. If you can't afford 500.00 for a basic roofs system you sure can't afford to replace a roof. Take a start up year learning equiptment and chems doing house washes. Lack of that knowledge CAN KILL YOU. Good luck.

[drod17 14]

I do not know if you guys are refering to terracotta tiles. I have seen these cleaned with 12% clorine and dawn soap. I also know asphalt shingles are treated with chems and then hosed down. The roof tiles I am refering to are pourous more like the texture on a brick. I have only seen them cleaned with a surface cleaner. There are two companies that have cleaned roofs in my neighborhood and both of them have used surface cleaners. They may have used some type of chem beforehand, but I have definately seen them with a surface cleaner on the roof. These two companies are reputable and I know they charged my neighbors $250.00. I am not saying they are doing it correctly or charging the right price, but I have never seen anyone down here use chems on a roof and then just hose it off from the ground. If anyone in Dade or Broward county will be nice enough to show a newbie how to clean a roof with chems and a hose on the specific tile mentioned, I will buy them lunch!!!

[814jeffw 71]

How about a picture?

Jeff

[drod17 14]

will try to upload file later

Edited March 12, 2009 by drod17
could not upload file

[All Surface 24]

I used to use other methods such as Surface Cleaners and a downstream, High Pressure, in in some rare occations even a rotary nozzle. Since switching to all Non Pressure Roof Cleaning I have never looked back and every Roof Cleaning in Pinellas County that I've ever done has come out fantastic and customers have been very pleased with the results. :dance:

[sthom21 14]

Assuming there is no glaze to be removed on the tiles you are talking about, there are still potential issues with a surface cleaner. The biggest problem I would have is the question of how much water is being forced up underneath the tiles that could contribute to rotting of the underlayment. I would need to see some pretty compelling evidence to convince me that the methods you are describing are not damaging the roof in one way or another.

Just because a company with an apparent good reputation uses a particular method to do something, doesn't mean it is the best method. Lots of companies start doing something one way and never bother to learn a better method because what they are doing seems to be working. That's kind of the point we are trying to make here. There are many ways to get the end results you want, but are all of those methods safe for you and your customers property?

Post the pictures of the tiles and the roof when you can. It would be nice to have a clearer idea of what we are trying to help you with.

Edited March 13, 2009 by sthom21
typo

[Bryan C 14]

If you have no idea what you are doing, the last place to practice is on a roof. Damage one and like mentioned already, you will be sued.

Stay on the ground and start with house washing for now. You spent four hours on a roof, risking your life for $250 without any idea if you were doing it correctly? Not real wise IMO.

There is a ton of information available out there - do your research before you regret it...