What Chemical Would You Use To Clean A Medal Roof

You may have noticed the last time yous looked at the exterior of your home that your metallic roof is looking a little muddy. You want your metal roof to look its accented all-time every bit it's the statement slice of your home's adjourn appeal.

Cleaning the metallic surface is also important for reasons beyond aesthetics. Getting off the dirt and leaves can actually help in the longevity of your roof. By cleaning the roof periodically, you're preventing dirt that is stuck to the roof from damaging the paint. By removing leaves, you're preventing buildup in your gutters that can result in your roof system not working properly.

While it's not as quick and easy as washing your car, cleaning a metal roof is relatively simple and definitely worth it.

At Western States Metal Roofing, we get across but manufacturing metal covering. We are continuously creating content to go on our customers informed on topics that include how to treat their covering and metal panels.

In this article, we're going to talk over how to safely clean your metallic roof. Plus, we'll become over how to find a reputable roof cleaner in case you'd rather rent someone else to clean information technology for you, or if your roof is too steep for you to walk on.

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Roof Pitch: Is Your Roof Safe To Walk On?

Roof pitch refers to how steep your roof is. A steep roof is not safe as it increases the chances of someone losing their balance and falling, especially when it's slippery from water during cleaning.

If your roof has a high pitch and is steep, it's not prophylactic to walk on. A roof with a pitch greater than 6:12 is mostly considered to be too steep to be on without proper safety equipment. It is safer to use a ladder and spray the roof without actually going on information technology.

Walking on your roof can kill you lot. There is a 2014 study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that documents 647 fatal falls from roofs. It's always best to hire a professional that'southward trained to walk on a sloped roof regardless of the pitch. If you are determined to wash the roof yourself then you must do it safely.

This is an excellent article that covers the following items:

Secure the ladder
Wearable a harness
Use proper footwear
Have a quality tool belt
Ensure the weather conditions are appropriate
Clear the roof
Mark off your work area

Y'all may also cull to hire a professional which we will discuss afterward in the article.

Metal Roof Cleaning Tools

Before you become started cleaning, you need to brand sure you have the tools you'll need to practise the job.

Mild detergent
Soft bristle castor
Solvent (for spot cleaning merely)
Cloth or sponge

Metallic Roof Cleaning Mix

For most basic cleanings, a mild detergent mixed with h2o creates a solution that is a potent enough cleaning amanuensis to remove dirt. Y'all merely need to add together a ¼ cup of detergent per gallon of water.

Examples of mild detergents:

Car wash soap
Detergent solution or PH neutral mild dish soap (Dawn, Ivory etc.)
Laundry detergent

Metallic Roof Cleaning Brush

A soft bristle brush should exist used during cleaning because it helps remove dirt while non causing damage to your paint.

Practice not utilise a wire castor or steel wool when cleaning your roof. These products are also abrasive and can strip the paint off of your roof.

Solvent

Sometimes y'all need something a little stronger to remove a tough stain. In these cases a solvent can be used, mixed with water, to spot make clean harder to clean stains. Practice not use this solution on your entire roof, only the areas that are in need of extra attention.

Read and follow the directions of the cleaning solution. Merely make clean a small area of your roof with these solvents to verify that they will not damage the paint. Also refer to your paint warranty to insure that yous don't use cleaning products that will void the pigment warranty.

Examples of solvents:

Mineral spirits
Rubbing alcohol

When working with these harsh chemicals, use caution. Keep your work area properly ventilated because solvents can exist toxic and flammable. Avert any open flames or sparks. It's also of import to be sure to wear center protection and protective clothing

Cloth Or Sponge

As well your castor, you lot'll desire an additional cleaning tool, such as a cloth or sponge, to wipe the panel down after it's been cleaned. Whatsoever you utilize should merely come into contact with patently h2o and not accept whatsoever detergent on it to forbid streaks from forming.

How To Clean A Metal Roof

1.Remove Any Excess Leaves Or Droppings From Roof

If at that place is any big debris on your roof, remove it either by hand or with a broom prior to starting the cleaning process so you take a clear surface to piece of work with.

2.Outset At The Top Of Your Roof

When washing your roof, muddy runoff will drip downwardly and so you want to start at the top of your roof and work your fashion lower. Otherwise, when dirty water runs downwardly the roof, it volition exist ruining the area below information technology that you only cleaned.

three. Make clean. Rinse. Repeat.

Clean each panel with your cleaning production and brush. Once you are washed, rinse it immediately with clean water until the water runs clear to prevent streaks. Then wipe the panel once again with a cloth soaked in plain h2o.

Pressure Washing A Metallic Roof

A different and faster cleaning approach y'all can take to make clean a metal roof is using a pressure washer. However, you want to use caution with this method. A very high pressure tin potentially damage the roof. Do not use more pressure than is needed.

We recommend a hot water pressure washer every bit the the oestrus is is more effective at breaking up debris as opposed to cold water.

Take Your Metallic Roof Professionally Cleaned

As nosotros mentioned earlier, if you do not feel comfortable cleaning your roof yourself (or simply don't want to do information technology), yous can rent a professional to clean the roof for you lot.

One time you find a roofing cleaning service in your area, set up upwardly a consultation so they can give you a quote in person subsequently seeing your roof.

The toll of your cleaning will depending on several factors including:

How Often Should My Metal Roof Be Cleaned?

Nosotros recommend doing a thorough cleaning of your roof once a year. However, like with whatsoever other blazon of cleaning, the more y'all stay on superlative of it, the less daunting of a task it will be.

The time it takes depends on the size of the roof and the method used, simply cleaning should take virtually 3 hours.

Cleaning Is Part Of Metal Roof Maintenance

We get that it's not fun, merely keeping your metallic roof clean will non only brand it wait nicer, but it volition also make it last longer. Think of it as a office of the maintenance to upkeep the longevity of your roof that helps you become the most value out of your investment.

Besides cleaning, nosotros recommend the post-obit maintenance for your metal roof: