Some roof cleaning pics

[RyanH 14]

Here are of the few before / after pics I've taken recently....some are older scans from a 35mm some are new with the digi cam. In all of these cases, I just cleaned with 6% bleach applied with a shurflo pump at 60 psi. You can see from two of the pics the distance and spray pattern I use. One of the roofs looks like the shingles are curling....I guess that's what 40 year old shingles do in the southern sun! At any rate, they were like that *before* I got to them.

[Tronman 14]

I tried using a garden pump up sprayer but it definitely does not put out the chem like a shurflo. It just mists the roof and no matter what chem. it never works like some of your pics. Until my M5 shows up is there a "best" type of pump up sprayer?

[Claude Hawkins 14]

Outstanding thread, Ryan. I've been thinking a lot about this lately and you answered many questions. However, how about three more questions?

1. It is very nice to see the safety equipment. You say that you tie to trees. Could you use a "dog stake" as an anchor, screwed into the ground? (I've attached a picture, I hope.)

2. I assume you are using the harness and rope for safety. You don't actually repell (like on steep roofs) do you?

4. I understand the sodium hypochlorite (bleach) bio-degrades into salt (NaCl) after a few days. Am I right about this? If so, will the salt damage the asphalt shingles? (I was under the impression that salt damage was the main argument for the anti-chlorine crowd.)

Bonus question: Those of you using an xjet to wash roofs with chlorine, how do you keep overspray from harming plants, the neighbors' windows and cars?

Once again, this is a great thread and a great forum.

Claude

[RyanH 14]

Ryan H,

Are these pics taken after applied chem with a shuflo? - No direct 45 degree spraying, etc.

This job was shurflo only. I never even started the pressure washer. The weather called for rain the next day, so I wasn't concerned about rinsing.

Before I invested in a shurflo I used a 3 gallon backpack sprayer. It worked fantastically but I had to keep getting off the roof to refill the sprayer and that was a pain. Also, the backpack isn't a good idea for roofs that are steep. I paide $20 less for the shurflo pump than my $90 backpack. I added a brass extension wand from Northerntool to both for about $40 (this was a MUST for me to get good spray coverage). I bought $100 worth of hose for the shurflo, found a 20 gallon vertical tank, and bought a $40 handtruck. I tried Xjetting on a roof and it just didn't give the results *for me* as quickly as I needed.

[PLD 14]

1. It is very nice to see the safety equipment. You say that you tie to trees. Could you use a "dog stake" as an anchor, screwed into the ground? (I've attached a picture, I hope.)

Not no, but HELL NO! Do not suspend your life on anything you can get at a big box store. A 750# SWL rope from home depot can get you killed.

I recommend that everyone doing roofs do some research on climbing gear and the basic safety precautions involved in high angle work. The forces involved are MANY times more than what you might think them to be. A rule of thumb we used when teaching high-angle rescue was: Multiply the distance you plan to fall by the total weight suspended to get your dynamic load. Use 10ft as a typical fall distance.

So if you, your clothes/gear, and the rope itself weighs 225 lbs your safety rope's and all attachment points need to have a safe working load of 2250lbs or better. Typical rappelling rope is 4500-9000 lbs. Caribiners are 4500#+. There is a reason they are rated so high, and there is a reason they are so expensive.

And even with the margin of safety provided by good equipment, you must take care of your ropes if they are to take care of you.

- use only a kernmantle rope. Twisted rope is not intended for high angle work. Yes, I know the army uses it but they also use a cost vs.expendibility scale on a human life. You only have one soldier to send out and if the rope breaks, you loose the whole battle.

- Keep your rope in a protective bag when not in use.

- Put a pad under the rope when it crosses a hard edge like a roof peak or edge.

- Don't ever step on your rope or allow it to get stomped into the mud. The sand grains act like little scissors as the rope flexes.

- Periodically wash your rope with mild detergent in water to remove dirt. Note: Wash only in a front load washer with no spindle unless you want to buy a new rope and washer.

- Don't allow you rope to come into contact with chemicals or oils. I know this is impossible in roof work, but avoid it whenever possible as we do not know the long term effects of bleach on kernmantle rope.

- Do not wrap you rope around your arm to spool it. That creates an internal twist that weakens the rope. Spool it onto a loop on the ground, around a buddies extended arms, or sit bent kneed and spool it around your knees.

Last, but not least: Give your rope a "breast exam" every few weeks or so. I know the monicker sounds pig'ish, but it was one of our girls that coined it so I claim safe haven. Anyway, the name stuck because the idea is exactly the same. You are regularly, carefully, and attentively feeling the entire object for changes in consistency. If you practice it regularly, you will become attuned to normal/baseline, and changes will stand out clearly to you.

Anyway, to examine your rope start at one end and slowly feel, squeeze, and massage your way over every inch until you reach the other end. If you feel internal kinking, knotting, or changes in diameter or consistenct *retire the rope*. If the mantle is excessily worn or you can see the rope core, *retire the rope*. If you have ever used the rope to handle an excessive load such as a fall, or used the rope in a mechanical pull (towing, tree felling), *retire the rope*

Anyway, here's some links I googled that you may fine useful.

http://www.aspiring.co.nz/inspectn.htm

http://www.fortunebaycompany.com/Education/Ropework/caremaintinspection.htm

http://experts.about.com/q/2259/3423315.htm

[RCBill 14]

Phillip,

Where did you learn about rope?

I am getting a system set up. I have a natural fiber 5/8" twisted rope that I plan to use over the house to place loop at the crest to which I planned to attach a line to my rappeling harness. I was not considering stopping 2200#. More like something to grab on to should I start to slide.

Here's a link; http://www.versales.com/ns/rope_nets/new_england/kernmatle.html

Bill

[RCBill 14]

This is better;

http://www.rescueresponse.com/store/Tree_Aborist_Gear.html

[Claude Hawkins 14]

Philip,

Great information.Can you recommend a harness?

Claude

[Washaway 64]

The ShurFlo is designed to just pump liquid from one place to another. It's very robust and can handle a very wide range of materials (no flammables, though).

I was planning on using my ShurFlo as a flamethrower, to kill the mold, but now forget it. I don't want to ruin my pump!

:lgbonk:

[RyanH 14]

I was planning on using my ShurFlo as a flamethrower, to kill the mold, but now forget it. I don't want to ruin my pump!

The precaution was not to save the pump. Something to do with electric pumps having a tendency to spark with loose connections, and those pesky VOCs tendency to ignite from those sparks.

Shurflos cautions, not mine. Personally, I think it would look pretty cool to jet some fuel and ignite it!

[Coop 14]

do you spray right out of the bottle 6% bleach or do you dulute it with water to get more use out of it, etc. Also, how long do you let is sit on the roof before you rinse, I realize you said you left it on there for the rain to wash it off, but if I was going to rinse that day what kind of dwell time should I allow?

pics look good, that's about the only questions I have besides I am wondering what you charged for those jobs. I am in NC so our prices would be pretty close I guess. I'm trying to get some numbers in my head to get me started.

thanks!

[Adrian 155]

Hello all,

Ryan, great and informative thread you started here.

I have been really curious about saftey ropes and harnesses and this thread has been very helpful. Plus I guess I was all wrong in thinking that my golf shoes on a roof were sufficiant enough to keep me planted.... kidding ( that one was for Phillip...lol) I did a funeral home last year that I got creative with for advertising in a pic.

It was alot more roof area than what the picture actually shows. It was an intersting job and took two days to do, since there where 3 hurricanes that blew as far up into Marietta last year so one day got cut short in a hurry. That is when I actually thought that I wasted all of my 6% in a large section of the roof. That's when I found the benefit of Nature's rinse cycle. Woo Hoo. I did have to double up on chems on a few sections of the roof due to crematory smoke stack spewing human burnage fallout on the roof over the years. See the pic if I attached it correctly.

Now if someone's company has a real long name to it, I wouldn't suggest this method. It worked out really cool for me though. Thought I would share with the forum. I have done a few hotel roofs as well but the bleach (6% does work well).

I guess I would like to say as well just don't use the highest pressure to clean as it can weaken the shingle and fill the gutters with all the pesky minute sized gravel that the shingles are compiled of.

I have not yet had the chance to clean any other type of roof yet but am eager to learn.

I can't wait until the day of the Jetson's comes to pass as we will only need a jetpack to elevate ourselves and just squirt chems and rinse.

Until then I will have to just rely on the old ben Hogan golf shoes!!!!!

Great day to all.