What to Expect for RI Roof Cleaning | Rhode Island Power Washers

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Regular roof cleaning in RI is vital for ensuring a home’s roof is in good condition and always looking its best. Roof washing removes damaging storm debris as well as drying soot and air pollution residues, exposes areas needing repair, and improves a home’s appearance and curb appeal instantly!

If you’ve been putting off residential roof washing, you might wonder what to expect with roof cleaning in RI and if it will remove unsightly stains and discoloration. You might also wonder if this service is even needed in the first place! To ensure you’re keeping every part of your home in good condition and looking its best, check out some vital information about roof washing including what it does for your home and what to expect with this service.

What to Expect From Roof Cleaning in RI

To know what to expect with roof cleaning in RI, it’s helpful to first review a bit of added information about all that dirt and debris on your home’s roof, and how a pressure washing contractor tackles those shingles or tiles and other roofing materials!

What is all that dirt and debris on your home’s roof?

Why is it important for you to know more about all the dirt and debris on your home’s roof? Simply put, some debris is more damaging than others, and should be cleaned as quickly as possible! Algae, moss, and lichens are especially damaging to a home’s roof, as they hold moisture against shingles and tiles, softening them and leading to early cracking and other such damage.

While moss is often easy to spot, a homeowner might overlook lichens, which usually appear in large spots of varying colors. It’s especially easy to overlook lichens if they appear in the same color as your home’s roof. To know if discoloration or spots on a roof is lichens or another damaging material, call a roofing contractor or pressure washing company for a full roof inspection.

Algae is also very damaging to asphalt tiles in particular, as it can strip shingles of their surface granules. Those granules discourage standing water on the roof while also providing added insulation and traction for workers!

Dark discoloration can mean soot and air pollution residues, which dry out shingles and tiles and make your entire house look run down and neglected. Gritty residues can be sand and silt, as well as dust and dirt kicked up during storms. These also degrade shingles and tiles and result in premature damage when left unchecked.

How contractors manages roof cleaning for RI homes

A homeowner would always do well to leave roof cleaning in RI to a professional! One reason to avoid DIY pressure washing is that certain detergents are damaging and harmful to various exterior surfaces including shingles and roofing tiles. Using a harsh detergent or something low-quality can mean damaging the roof or simply wasting time and resources.

A power washing contractor will use the right cleanser for various debris. For example, they might use a bleach-based cleaner for mold and algae, as bleach helps kill their spores and roots so they don’t simply grow back after cleaning.

A pressure washing company will also typically use soft wash systems for roofs in particular. Soft wash systems start with specialty cleansers, designed to dissolve thick dirt and grime while also killing mold spores and algae growth.

Once these materials are dissolved, low-pressure rinsing is used to remove that dirt and those cleansers. This low-pressure rinse reduces and even eliminates the risk of blowing shingles off the roof during cleaning or dislodging them and other such damage.

Thorough roof cleaning with soft wash systems

Another benefit of professional roof cleaning is that detergents and cleansers used for roofs seep deep into cracks and crevices, reaching areas you might miss with a standard garden hose or even a brush designed for cleaning roofs. A professional pressure washer will ensure areas around the home’s chimney stack, roof vents, and other obstructions are also cleaned but without causing damage or stripping those materials.

Why Your Home Needs RI Roof Cleaning

A home’s roof is sometimes the last surface homeowners think of cleaning regularly, often more worried about power washing exterior walls and windows. While those surfaces need cleaning on a regular basis, there are many reasons to schedule RI roof cleaning as well!

• Mold, algae, and storm debris work their way under and around tiles and shingles, risking them coming loose and blowing away in high winds or stormy weather.
• Damp debris holds moisture against a roof, risking shingle and tile damage as well as wood rot along the roof decking and other materials.
• Mold, pollen, dust, and other irritants clinging to a home’s roof become airborne easily, causing irritation to anyone with allergies and other sensitivities.
• Mold and mildew especially often create unpleasant, bothersome odors that often make it difficult to enjoy spending time in your backyard or on the patio or deck!
• Cleaning away thick dirt, mud, dried dust, and layers of soot and air pollution residues can expose areas needing repairs. It’s much easier for a homeowner or roofing contractor to inspect and evaluate shingles, tiles, and other materials when they’re clean and free of dirt and debris.
• Roof washing removes caustic bird droppings as well as oil stains and other debris you might not realize are damaging to shingles and tiles.

A homeowner should also not overlook how a roof’s condition affects a home’s overall curb appeal. Dirt and debris on the roof makes a home look rundown and neglected, while a freshly cleaned roof can make your entire home look like new.

Untouched dirt and debris can also make their way to a home’s gutters, leading to clogs. Clogged gutters let rainwater wash over their sides, risking water damage to outside walls and a home’s foundation. Roof and gutter cleaning in RI keeps those gutters clean, protecting your home from damage.

How Often Should You Schedule RI Roof Cleaning?

Now that you know the many benefits of Rhode Island roof cleaning and what to expect with this service, you might wonder how often you should schedule this work. Most homeowners should schedule roof washing every other year; however, consider additional cleaning work if your home has been hit with strong storms or high winds, as these often kick up lots of dust and debris that then settle onto a home’s roof.

It’s also vital that you schedule roof washing in RI if you notice developing mold, mildew, moss, and algae along the roof, or if you notice strong mold and mildew odors. If someone in the home has allergies or sensitivities that are triggered when outside, consider annual cleaning, to remove pollen, dust, and other irritants.

A homeowner should also schedule roof cleaning in RI if you need the home especially clean for any reason. If you’re hosting your family’s annual holiday party or reunion, or are thinking of putting the home on the real estate market and need it to look its best, include roof washing as part of your other cleaning and prep work!

Rhode Island Power Washing and Roof Cleaning is happy to offer this information to our readers and hope you found it helpful. If you have any other questions about roof cleaning in RI or would like to schedule a FREE consultation for the roof cleaning you need to have done, give us a call! We offer full-service, affordable roof washing services and stand behind our work with a full customer satisfaction guarantee.