Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Roof Cleaning With a Pressure Washer | Is it Safe?
Many people are still confused about roof cleaning and whether or not it is safe to do on an asphalt shingle roof. The confusion comes from inexperienced bloggers and contractors trying to make money off of consumers. They are typically either selling inferior roof cleaning products or trying to drive traffic to a web page so they can sell ad space.
As a contractor, I do not benefit from telling you the truth. It may get me a few local jobs here and there but for someone reading this blog across the country, it does not benefit me at all. The truth about cleaning roofs is that it is safe and recommended by the shingle manufacturers but with guidelines. You can look it up yourself by doing a search online. They recommend the use of a bleach mix applied with low pressure to clean shingles suffering from roof algae. They produce the shingles, they know the material better than anyone else, so wouldn't it make sense to follow their recommendations? I think so.
Yet there are people out there that call themselves contractors writing articles and doing videos on roof cleaning and suggesting that it is safe to use a pressure washer. The shingle manufacturers like Owens Corning and GAF warn against the use of a pressure washer! Why anyone would go against what the shingle producers warn against is beyond me. Like I said before, they are just trying to increase traffic to their web pages so they can sell products or ad space and make money. A certain "ask the builder" blogger, among others are simply giving false information to consumers.
Would you do something harsh to your vehicle if a certified mechanic warned you against doing it? I don't think so but the problem is that consumers come across these bad information sites before they find a truthful one and then it is too late. The bottom line is never wash your asphalt shingle roof or allow anyone else to with a high pressure washer. The excessive pressure may not result in immediate visual damage but it will lessen the longevity of your roof. There is a much better way to rid a roof of mold, lichen, and algae and it is the way the shingle manufacturers recommend; low pressure.
As a contractor, I do not benefit from telling you the truth. It may get me a few local jobs here and there but for someone reading this blog across the country, it does not benefit me at all. The truth about cleaning roofs is that it is safe and recommended by the shingle manufacturers but with guidelines. You can look it up yourself by doing a search online. They recommend the use of a bleach mix applied with low pressure to clean shingles suffering from roof algae. They produce the shingles, they know the material better than anyone else, so wouldn't it make sense to follow their recommendations? I think so.
Yet there are people out there that call themselves contractors writing articles and doing videos on roof cleaning and suggesting that it is safe to use a pressure washer. The shingle manufacturers like Owens Corning and GAF warn against the use of a pressure washer! Why anyone would go against what the shingle producers warn against is beyond me. Like I said before, they are just trying to increase traffic to their web pages so they can sell products or ad space and make money. A certain "ask the builder" blogger, among others are simply giving false information to consumers.
Would you do something harsh to your vehicle if a certified mechanic warned you against doing it? I don't think so but the problem is that consumers come across these bad information sites before they find a truthful one and then it is too late. The bottom line is never wash your asphalt shingle roof or allow anyone else to with a high pressure washer. The excessive pressure may not result in immediate visual damage but it will lessen the longevity of your roof. There is a much better way to rid a roof of mold, lichen, and algae and it is the way the shingle manufacturers recommend; low pressure.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Benefits of Exterior Cleaning
Today more and more people are realizing the importance of keeping their home's exterior clean and maintained. It raises home values and also saves the homeowner money by stopping the damaging effects of dirt, mold, and mildew. Many sellers are beginning to see the benefits of putting a little money into their home's before listing them on the market.
It used to be that nobody wanted to put another dime into a house they were selling, they really didn't see the plus in it. They might dump all kinds of money into the home they were buying but not one dime into a house they were handing over to someone else. But today people are benefiting from sinking a little money into a home before selling it because it raises the value and will yield them more back out of it.
It most cases with exterior pressure washing, having the home washed and especially having the roof cleaned if it is suffering from roof algae, will give the homeowner their money back and then some. An exterior cleaning can raise the home value by 5-10 percent in some cases which will yield them back way more than they spent to have the house washed.
Another benefit is that it helps their house stand apart from the competition or all the other home's for sale in that price range. This can mean just because your roof or siding is nice and clean, your home could sell before the neighbors home. So there are many benefits to having your home's exterior cleaned during the time you live there and even if you are getting ready to list it.
It used to be that nobody wanted to put another dime into a house they were selling, they really didn't see the plus in it. They might dump all kinds of money into the home they were buying but not one dime into a house they were handing over to someone else. But today people are benefiting from sinking a little money into a home before selling it because it raises the value and will yield them more back out of it.
It most cases with exterior pressure washing, having the home washed and especially having the roof cleaned if it is suffering from roof algae, will give the homeowner their money back and then some. An exterior cleaning can raise the home value by 5-10 percent in some cases which will yield them back way more than they spent to have the house washed.
Another benefit is that it helps their house stand apart from the competition or all the other home's for sale in that price range. This can mean just because your roof or siding is nice and clean, your home could sell before the neighbors home. So there are many benefits to having your home's exterior cleaned during the time you live there and even if you are getting ready to list it.
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