The fact that you have
taken the time to visit our roof cleaning page, indicates that you are
either looking for information to better understand what roof cleaning is
all about, or you are fed up with looking at your own dirty, algae
infested roof top and are ready to do something about it. Well you've come
to the right place. By the time you are done reading this page you will
have a greater understanding about the benefits of roof cleaning, some of
the do's and don'ts of roof cleaning, and how we have been able to become
Jacksonville Florida's #1 roof cleaning service company.
Today's Roof Cleaning Industry
Roof cleaning is actually
somewhat in its infancy as a widely recognized service. For many years
roof cleaning was either not attempted, or attempted by non professionals,
using cleaning methods that would often cause more harm to the roof than
good. Today the benefits of roof cleaning have become much more
understood, which has propelled the trade to new heights. Sadly though,
even here in Jacksonville, Florida, where roof cleaning is very well known
, there are still many misconceptions of how it should be accomplished to
insure that you are getting excellent results, SAFELY.
The truth is, many so called
roof cleaning professionals right here in Jacksonville no little more
about cleaning a roof correctly than the average homeowner. Unfortunately,
the state of Florida does not currently require state licensing for roof
cleaning companies. This makes it even easier for unqualified individuals
to get into the business with little or no knowledge of the trade. Our
mission with this website is to provide you with as much information about
the trade as possible so you can make a more informed decision when
considering a roof cleaning company here in Jacksonville, FL that is right
for you. Of course, we are hoping that you find us to be that company.
Roof Cleaning Legalities in Florida
A couple of other tid-bits
regarding requirements mandated by the state of Florida is that any
company performing roof cleaning or pressure washing services must carry
liability insurance as well as workers comp insurance for every employee.
The only exception to this is that up to 3 owners may file for workers
comp exemptions, which officially waves there right to Worker comp in the
event that an accident were to occur. A business must be an LLC or a
Corporation to file for these exemptions, so if you hire a roof cleaning
or pressure washing company and they are a sole proprietorship or
partnership, they must carry workers comp on every employee (including
themselves) to be a legal operation.
Why Roofs Get Dirty, and The Benefits
of Having Them Cleaned
Now getting back to
understanding the problem, and how to solve it. Why does the Jacksonville
Florida area, and many other parts of the south east seem to have such a
problem with algae, mold and mildew growing on roof tops? Well the answer
has to do with a few different issues. First of all, Our humid, wet
climate down here in Florida provides the ideal conditions for algae,
mold, mildew, lichen, etc to thrive. Secondly, your asphalt shingle roof
provides an excellent food source for these organisms giving them
everything they need to grow. Asphalt shingles today contain limestone
fillers to help add weight to the shingles. The algae feeds on these
limestone fillers, and over time this feeding process by the algae will
actually degrade your roofs shingles. This can result in decreasing the
life span of your roof by years.
There are also some other
benefits, as a proud Jacksonville, FL home owner, to having your roof
cleaned as well. Of course the most obvious is that you will be left with
a newer looking, more esthetically pleasing roof without all that
unsightly algae growing all over it. A clean roof can also actually
increase the energy efficiency of your home by allowing the roof to
reflect and displace heat like it's intended to do, as opposed to a dirty
roof which will actually absorb more heat. Lastly, removing all that algae
and mold will make your home a safer environment for your family and pets.
Lets face it, you wouldn't live with all that algae and mold growing in
your house, so why would you want to live with it growing on your house.
How We SAFELY Clean Roofs
in
Jacksonville Florida
After 6 years
of providing Jacksonville Florida with our roof cleaning and pressure
washing services, there has been one constant; that is that we are
dedicated to always exploring ways to improve our process to insure that
we
are
proving the best services possible. Now, after 1000 roof cleanings later,
our workmanship speaks for us. Our secret is in our proprietary roof
cleaning blend that will systematically kill and
remove the algae and mold on your roof all without the use of high
pressure, or other form of agitation. After we treat your roof by killing
the algae and mold, you will see immediate results, but your roof will
actually look its best after a good rain. The reason for this is because
the rain will effectively rinse the residual dead algae, mold, and mildew
from the roof leaving you with one of the cleanest roofs in all of
Jacksonville FL.
Our Cleaning Solutions and Methods
are Recommended by the Roofing Industry
We use a chemical blend based
on the recommendations of the
ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufactures
Association), as well as other major shingle manufactures like
GAF, and
Owens Corning. Our blend is a chlorinated
solution which also contains other proprietary surfactants that we have
specifically formulated for roof cleaning. Since every roof is different,
all with varying amounts of algae, mold, lichen, etc, we are able to
tailor our blend to meet the specific cleaning needs of each individual
roof. This helps to insure that we are achieving the best results possible
on every job
Why Roof Cleaning Solution Containing
Sodium Hydroxide should be Avoided
Many roof cleaning chemicals
on the market today are sodium Hydroxide based. These products are popular
because they are a bit more idiot proof for inexperienced contractors or
homeowners to use, but there are many negatives to using these kinds of
chemicals to clean roofs. These reason include:
-
Sodium Hydroxide is a
degreaser and when you use it to clean an asphalt roof, it does not kill
the algae, instead, it simply helps loosen the top layer of algae
leaving behind much of the algae spores in the shingle, which will
quickly grow back and repopulate your roof with new algae within as
little as a few months.
-
Asphalt shingle roofs are
essentially a petroleum based product, and it stands to reason that
using a degreaser to clean a roof held together with a grease-like
product doesn't make much since.
-
Also, Sodium hydroxide
based roof cleaning chemicals require the use of pressure to achieve
enough agitation to remove the algae, and using pressure to clean a roof
is never recommended, as it can damage shingles by removing the
granules, lifting and breaking the shingles off, and it can even force
water under the shingles, potentially causing leaks and water damage
inside your home.
How We Always Take Every
Precaution to Protect Your Property
Many people want to know
how our cleaning process may affect there plants or other parts of their
house such as windows, etc. Because of the nature of what we are trying
to achieve, which is to kill the algae, mold, and mildew growing on your
roof, there is always a potential for damage to plant life, but our job
as roof cleaning professionals is to use our experience to help limit
that risk to not only your landscaping, but any other personal property
near by that could possibly be affected. We will always make you aware
of any areas that we think could be a potential issue during the roof
cleaning process before we start. After 6 years of providing
Jacksonville, FL with our roof cleaning services, and over 1000 jobs
later, We've learned how to work around, and deal with, just about any
situation imaginable, but being up front about any risks before we start
a project, will always be a top priority.
Your Roof is Now Clean
and It Looks Fantastic!
So now your roof is clean,
and it looks like a million bucks. The next question is; how long will
it stay clean? Well, there are a few factors involved with that, and at
least one is beyond your control, and that being rainfall and climate
conditions. Another is tree coverage and tree proximity to your home.
The more trees you have in your yard, and the closer those trees are to
your house can make a huge impact on how long your roof will stay clean.
All things averaged out, most roofs will stay free from visible algae
growth anywhere from 2-4 years.
Well, there
you have it. I would have to assume that if you've read this hole
webpage on roof cleaning that most of your questions have been answered,
but if we've missed something, feel free to call us anytime with any
questions that you may have.
