If there is one part of your home you want to protect as much as possible, it's your roof. Responsible for protecting your home from various things like rain, snow, and ice, your roof is made to withstand almost anything for several decades. Yet this does not mean it requires no maintenance or cleaning on your part. In fact, a roof that is properly cleaned and maintained will have a very long lifespan. When you're ready to give your roof the TLC it deserves, here are some cleaning and maintenance methods to use.
Use a Garden Hose
When you want to rinse down your roof, always use a garden hose instead of a pressure washer. While a pressure washer may be fine for concrete surfaces and perhaps even the vinyl siding on homes, it can severely damage the tiles on your roof. To get the best results, attach a sprayer to your garden hose that is filled with an equal mix of water and chlorine bleach.
Clean on a Cloudy Day
While you may think it would be best to clean your roof on a bright, sunny day, it is actually better if you do so on a cloudy day. If you climb up on your roof and use your bleach and water cleaning solution, it will evaporate almost instantaneously upon hitting the shingles, meaning your roof will barely be cleaned.
Trim the Trees
Before you start cleaning your roof, take some time to trim any trees that have branches hanging near the roof. If you allow tree branches to grow over your roof and wind up resting on it, they can keep parts of your roof damp practically year-round, which can result in rotted shingles and perhaps even a hole in your roof.
Get Rid of Moss and Algae
While the chlorine bleach and water mix will be very effective in getting rid of dirt and grime, you should also make sure you take steps to rid your roof of any algae and moss that may have formed on the shingles. Along with giving your roof a poor appearance, moss and algae can actually eat away at your shingles, causing damage over time. To solve this problem, you can have your roof cleaned by professionals like NJ Roofing or purchase preventive products that can be applied to problem areas on your roof.
By inspecting your roof twice per year and making cleaning and maintenance part of your regular routine with your roof, you'll have peace of mind and a long-lasting roof that looks great.
