Cleaning your roof is not a fun task, but it’s essential to maintain the structure’s integrity and extend its lifespan.

How often should you perform roof cleaning? Can you do it yourself, or should you hire a professional roof cleaner?

Here’s a comprehensive guide with everything you need to know about roof cleaning! Read on and discover how you can keep your roofing system in excellent condition.

Common Causes of a Dirty Roof

Before delving into the roof cleaning steps, it’s important to understand what makes these structures dirty.

Most homeowners know it’s time to clean their roofs because the roof shingles are dirty. Falling debris is the most common cause of this issue.

Plant matter – such as leaves, sticks, and branches – can fall or be blown onto the roof by strong winds. Birds or other animals can also bring it there.

Most of the time, rainwater rinses this plant matter and other pieces of debris away. However, if debris builds up on the roof, it will accumulate moisture and gradually decompose.

As a result, your roof will be fertile for moss and mould, which can cause further structural damage and pose safety risks.

Also, if you ignore this issue, debris build-up can cause extensive damage both to the roof decking, causing roof leaks, and to the entire property. You don’t want your house to be damaged, right?

Regularly cleaning your roof is one of the best preventive measures. Moreover, performing this task every so often can help you save money on costly repairs.

How to Clean Your Roof Safely

Calling a professional cleaner is the best course of action. Experts know the right techniques and products to clean your roof and make sure the process is safe and effective.

Also, when seasoned roof contractors take on this task, you’ll get better and long-lasting results. However, if you want to do it yourself, this guide offers essential information on the best ways to clean your roof.

Find the best recommendations, from eco-friendly products to use to the most effective cleaning methods, here!

What You Need to Clean Your Roof

The first thing you should do is gather all the materials and tools. Essentially, this is what you need if you’re set on attempting to clean your roofing system:

Equipment

  • Safety gear, such as a harness and roof anchor or a fall protection kit
  • Protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, non-slip shoes, and a pair of rubber safety gloves
  • A sturdy ladder that extends at least one metre above the roof’s edge
  • A plastic tarp that you can use to cover the roof or spread across the garden beneath to collect debris

Moreover, you need traditional cleaning tools or a pressure washer. You can also find different types of roof cleaning starter kits with everything you need for this task, including roof scrapers and blade sets.

Starting the Roof Cleaning Process

Before you start the cleaning process, you should also inspect the area. Ideally, you should make sure it’s safe to work there and start at one end of the roof.

Protective equipment is essential. As mentioned, you need sturdy, non-slip shoes. Wearing wet or slippery shoes increases the risk of falls. You should also avoid walking on slippery spots.

Here’s an expert recommendation: always walk where tiles overlap. It’s the structure’s strongest part.

Finally, instead of carrying the tools while you scale the ladder, use a bucket tied to a rope to hoist these supplies up the ladder. It reduces the risk of accidents.

Once you are up and personal with your house’s roof, remember to inspect it. Check the structure’s condition. If there are many missing roof granules, you may need to replace the entire roof.

Removing Debris From Your Roof

If there’s debris but it’s light, you’ll likely be able to remove it with your hands. Sometimes, you’ll need a soft-bristled brush or a small plastic scoop.

However, to remove thicker debris, you can use an air blower. Many also employ a soft-bristled broom. They’re the easiest methods to clean your roof.

Remember that you should not apply too much pressure on the surface if you use a soft-bristled broom to clean visible debris off the structure. Otherwise, it can strip away the protective granules that shield the roof from harmful elements, such as UV rays.

Also, applying too much pressure on the roof’s surface while cleaning can void the roof’s warranty and reduce its lifespan.

How to Clean Each Type of Roofing Material

Removing debris is an easy task when it comes to regular roof cleaning. However, things get more complex and technical depending on the structure’s material.

Ideally, you should use high-quality, eco-friendly materials to clean your roof. Strong chemical-based roof cleaners can harm the structure, as well as your home’s garden and landscaping. In addition, several products can affect the environment, so it is better not to use them.

Choosing the right products also depends on the type of roof material. Cleaners that work for metal roofs could harm roof tiles or asphalt shingles, for example.

Cleaning a Metal Roof

Metal roofs are strong but can suffer erosion damage from organic growth, such as moss and mould. If the roof’s protective paint is damaged, the bare roof sheets are exposed to harsh sunlight and weather, which often cause rust. As a result, the structure’s lifespan is reduced.

Periodic roof maintenance and regular inspections are essential to identify and fix these issues. Ideally, an expert roofing company should inspect the structure once a year.

In order to clean a metal roof, you must use products and tools that are safe for this roofing material. Experts often use mid to high-pressure washers to remove debris.

However, if your roof begins to rust or corrode, you may need a roof restoration or replacement.

Cleaning Roof Tiles

Is your roof made of tiles? If so, the cleaning method may vary. Overall, terracotta and concrete are the two most common types of roof tiles in Australia.

How to Clean Terracotta Roof Tiles

To clean roof tiles, roofers use a multi-phase technique that starts with washing the structure with clean water.

After washing the roof with clean water, you can apply a biodegradable and dilutable high-powered cleaner. These products kill spores of organic growth, such as moss and fungi.

Expert roofers leave this solution in the structure for at least 24 hours to prevent organic re-growth and ensure that tiles remain intact for years.

After this step, you must clean the structure with more water. Pressure washing is also a common option.

However, if you plan to use that method, inspect the roof before you pressure wash the surface to make sure the structure is still sturdy and there are no loose tiles. Otherwise, you could break or damage it.

How to Clean Concrete Roof Tiles

If you have a concrete tile roof, you should hire a professional roof cleaning company. The same is true if your property has a slate roof. These structures are difficult to clean. Therefore, if you don’t have enough knowledge and experience, you can put your life at risk.

To clean concrete tile roofs, experts often use a high-pressure water blaster. It’s the most effective solution, and it’s also eco-friendly. However, you must know how to use this machine to avoid accidents.

Do You Need A Roof Clean?

Besides regular roof inspections, periodic roof cleaning is essential to ensure your roofing system is in excellent condition.

However, you need experience, knowledge, and all the equipment to perform this task safely and efficiently.

Therefore, most of the time, hiring a professional roof cleaning company is the best option. Are you looking for one? You’ve come to the right place! Fremantle Roofing Services team is ready to help you! Call us today and get a free quote!