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Roof Cleaning - House Washing - Power Washing
Suffolk
Roof Cleaning And Power Washing
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What are the Stains on my roof?
What is a "Soft Wash"?
Why not Power Wash?
Asphalt shingles are made with limestone as a filler. These shingles hold moisture and organic "bacteria food" material longer than the paper/asphalt/ceramic shingles of the 1980s. This cyanobacteria causes substantial destruction to roofs causing shingle decay and loss of reflective power. Over time, Gloeocapsa magma breaks down the shingles by feeding off of the limestone granules embedded in the shingles. This decreases a roof's ability to reflect ultra-violet rays of light and shortens the life of the roof.
Once the bacteria have become noticeable, the stains will continue to worsen year to year. As the bacterial colony grows, gravity pulls it downward, resulting in the smear-like stain down roofs. Most "experts" within the subject area conclude the bacteria to be harmful, if left untreated, as the growth holds moisture within shingles causing premature aging, rotting, and/or granule loss.
The buildup of Gloeocaspa magma on residential properties has led to earlier roof replacements, lowered property resale values, insurance companies canceling policies and increased utility costs as the black stained roofing draws in more heat.
Our ‘Soft Wash” system is a low pressure method (approximately 100 psi = pressure from a garden hose) used to eradicate mold, lichens, and algae from your roof. The system works by applying our proprietary blend of detergent to the roof surface. The detergent will kill any mold, lichens, or algae on the roof. After a brief dwell period, the roof will be washed with fresh water revealing INSTANT results. The rinse will also dilute the mix rendering any runoff completely harmless to surrounding plants, grass etc. This method is the ONLY method recommended by the American Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA).
Power washing can be extremely detrimental to a roof. Power washing will remove the aggregate from the roofing shingles and most likely void any warranty you may have. Aggregate are the granules that physically protect the layers of asphalt and shield them from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Aggregate not only protects the roofing surface. It also provides another layer of insulation, as well as reflectivity. Power washing a roof can take years off of its life span.
How Suffolk Roof Cleaning's Soft Wash System Works
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Our roof cleaning process involves applying a biodegradable cleaning agent to the roof surface using very low pressure. This process is commonly known as “Soft Washing”. Soft Washing is the recommended cleaning method by the American Roofing Manufacturer’s Association (ARMA).
What should I expect after having my roof ‘Soft Washed”?
Black Streaks – Black streaks are a type of blue green-algae known as Gloeocapsa Magma. These black streaks will instantly turn a light brown color and be removed from roof within the next few rainfalls.
Lichens – Lichens appear on the roof surface as circular shaped, flat discs. They attach themselves to the aggregate (granules) of the roofing shingles. Lichens may appear light whitish-green to dark green in color. Once our soft wash mix is applied they will be killed. Once dead, lichens will turn bright white in color and most likely appear more pronounced upon visual inspection of the roof. Although some may gently fall off with rinsing, others may take up to a few weeks to fall off naturally. Because they are attached to the roof surface, the safest, most effective way is to remove them is to let natural elements remove them. Once killed, lichens will dry out and fall off with wind and rain. This may take weeks depending on the weather.
Moss – Moss appears as raised fuzzy green strips or patches on roof surfaces. The Soft Wash mix will kill the moss giving it a white or grayish-brown appearance. Much of the moss may be removed with light brushing and/or rinsing. The remaining moss will naturally fall off within the next few rainfalls.
*It is normal for a roof to appear “dirty” with light brown, white and/or gray matter for a period of up to approximately 8 -14 weeks after being “Soft Washed”. These organisms are dead and will be removed from the roof surface. The safest, most effective way to clean a roof is with the use of a Soft Wash System and to let the natural elements handle the rest. This is the recommended cleaning method provided by the American Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA). For questions please visit us at SuffolkRoofCleaning.com, on Facebook at “Suffolk Roof Cleaning and Exterior Washing”, or call (631) 325-0084