Roof Cleaning Richmond VA

 

If you live in Richmond Va and have a dirty roof, you now have the option of a roof soft wash over a roof pressure wash in your neighborhood! Hesitance has the experience and expertise to clean all types of residential roofs like asphalt shingle, cedar and slate roofs with confidence. Common sense will tell you that high pressure roof washing is not a recommended cleaning procedure for a roofing shingle, as it causes accelerated deterioration of your shingles, and lessens the life of your roof. Also, all of the stains on the roof are living organisms, which can be thought of as an “infection” of the roof. Anything short of complete sterilization will allow the stain to return quickly.

 

We clean roofs by applying a safe detergent that contains a small amount of sodium hypochlorite, which is the same product used in swimming pools to keep them clean and algae free, and is also used in gym pools and saunas. The local township adds small amounts to our drinking tap water to keep the water free of viruses and parasites. Most people are unaware of all the uses and products sodium hypochlorite is used in their daily lives….in other words it’s quite safe for roof cleaning.

 

Although we’re not saying it’s safe to drink the solution we are spraying on the roof, we are using a safe yet effective sterilizing product that is commonly used in for cleaning schools and hospitals, since, of course, nobody likes the thought of spraying chemicals around the home. We understand your concern, so we use sodium hypochlorite for 3 reasons: When sodium hypochlorite dries, it turns back to its original state which is sodium chloride (common table salt). The 2nd reason is that roof shingle manufacturers like Timberline and GAF recommend using this product,l which can be found on their website. The 3rd and main reason we use it because it works. Mold, algae and moss are living organisms of the Earth, and although earth friendly detergents will help lift some staining, it will not sterilize the roof. If you do not kill the mold you did not solve the problem, and it will return soon enough.

 

Black roof stains are caused by a single cell bacterium called Gloeocapsa Magma. This ancient line of contractible has been around for millions of years. They attach to the roof and start to multiply. As the growth gains momentum it will start to grow exponentially. The stain will appear to accelerate. These spores actually start attaching to the roof the same day your roof is installed, and since they cannot communicate and do not choose where to land, the spores land everywhere but will grow faster on the shady sides of the roof. These shady areas are a bit cooler and retain more moisture, even with no rain in the middle of summer, the morning dew can linger on a north side until 10-11AM. These moist conditions are ideal for roof algae. Many homes in the Richmond Va area were built decades ago and thus have lots of trees shading the roof. This shading can and will lead to more staining. It’s best to trim trees close to the roof otherwise they will not get the evaporation needed to mitigate the staining.

 

Moss is a bit of a different creature and will grow in moist areas in clumps especially where there’s a lot of tree overhang. Most moss can blow right off, but some moss may develop a root system into the roofing shingle. These root systems slowly tear apart the shingle. The process is very slow but it is certain, and allowing moss to stay on the roof will make certain of premature decay of the shingles, money wasted, and a new roof imminent.
Lichen is the worst of all organisms that stain the roof and is considered a super fungus comprising of a fungus and algae. Lichen feed on the limestone in the roofing shingle and eat right through the granules down to the membrane of the roof. It is difficult to know if the lichen had caused damage until it has fully rinsed away. In many cases lichen will leave small craters on the roof which look like scars similar to asteroid craters on the moon. Lichen should not be scraped or pressure washed.

Many people are unaware of the cause of roof stains. This leads to unneeded roof replacements when all the homeowner really needed was a roof cleaning. Ugly roof stains are going to continue to be a problem for roof’s in the affected areas as long as the makers of roofing shingles are benefiting from early replacements. Think about that for a second, if you call a roofing company for an inspection on your 15 year old roof that is just dirty, what are the odds they will recommend you simply need a roof cleaning? Roofer’s are hoping you don’t research or question their analysis…..they are banking on it.