Roof cleaning operations manual

That alone sounds bad. It will rot your roof and its tiles, lowering its lifespan! With an asphalt shingle roof installed, you should also watch out for black algae, green algae, algae stains, and more! That being said, roof cleaning is an important job you need to do. It protects your roof; algae stains are eliminated and extend the lifespan of your roof.

Safety is always an urgent priority, and it should also be yours! Before you get started with roof cleaning, look at the sky. Is it too sunny, or is it cloudy? Well, a cloudy day is an ideal working condition for you. Not too hot nor cold! So, what safety materials do you need? We recommend using slip-resistant shoes. Next, use safety goggles to keep debris out of your eyes. Expect a lot of junk on your roof and the possibility that the wind might suddenly blow on your eye. Use thick gloves.

Make sure also to wear a long sleeves shirt and pants to protect yourself against these harsh chemicals.

If you have a slanted roof, we recommend that you use a safety rope to tie yourself to the chimney. If not, you can use a safety point where you can connect the cord. Finally, before you decide to clean your roof, let someone know. If something goes wrong, like getting into an accident, at least someone knows, and they can quickly know of your whereabouts. Once you get to your roof, inspect it. Is there any unnecessary debris in the area?

If so, remove it! Before you even think of using cleaning agents already, have in hand your trusted leaf blower or sweep to clear the area. This is an essential step for roof cleaning!

Whatever the case, never use a harsh chemical! Mix them well and place them in your container. You can even use a pump-style garden hose sprayer to get the job done fast. But, never pour your solution and use a pressure washer! Spray every asphalt shingle you want to clean, especially those that already have a lot of algae.

Point the nozzle of your spray, depress the handle and go! Be thorough and get rid of those nasty black streaks. It usually depends on how dirty your asphalt shingle is, how much algae has grown, and more. Once the time is up, use a water garden hose to rinse all the solution you applied.

Remove all the bleach and be thorough with this step. If you still see black streaks or stubborn algae on your roof, scrub it down until it goes away. Besides roof cleaning, there are other ways for you to maintain and prolong the lifespan of your roofs. Oh no! The branch might fall on your roof and damage it. As a general rule, you want your roof to be exposed to sunlight as much as possible. Moss and algae are less likely to grow and accumulate in your area! Insure that all maintenance personnel are adequately trained in safety procedures and that all safety equipment is in proper working condition.

Your new standing seam roof SSR is designed to provide years of protection with very little maintenance. However, no roof is immune to severe weather or completely maintenance free. To keep your roof performing as it should, a comprehensive maintenance program must be implemented.

Mortar or concrete will etch the paint or Galvalume coating. Roof panels in areas where there is a possibility of any masonry product being spilled on them should be protected.

In the event that the panels do have a masonry product spilled on them, they should be cleaned and the panels rinsed. Should any solvent or chemical be spilled on the roof, clean up immediately and thoroughly rinse the affected area.

Panels should be cleaned with mild detergent. This is never a long term solution for repairing a leak. Surface applied caulks and compounds will eventually lose their bond to the metal. This will allow water to become trapped between the repair material and the roof panel, which will cause severe corrosion. Leaks at panel or trim joints, should be repaired by disassembling the metal joint and reinstalling the proper sealant between the metal layers.

Leaks caused by roof punctures must be evaluated on an individual basis. In some cases, the affected roof panel may need to be replaced. Foot Traffic Keep foot traffic to a minimum. Heavy foot traffic can cause ponding on low pitched roofs.

This is particularly true just upslope from the eave and at end laps. Always walk in the flat of the panel near a supporting roof structural.

Do not walk on trim or in gutters. On bare Galvalume roofs, excessive foot traffic may cause black burnish marks. In order to limit access to the roof, roof hatches or access ladders should be locked at all times. A sign should be posted at the point of access, stating that only authorized personnel are allowed onto the roof. In addition, a log book should be kept of all visits to the roof and the reason for such visits.

Drainage In order for your roof to perform as intended, water must properly drain from the roof. Following are things to avoid:. Ice and Snow Removal Excessive ice and snow should be removed from roof immediately to prevent damage to roof and possible collapse. Also, be careful around plumbing pipes and flashings.

Be extremely careful if your roof has Light Transmitting Panels. Additions to Roof All additions to the roof, including but not limited to, roof curbs, pipe penetrations and HVAC units must be approved in writing by Miller before work commences.

Dissimilar Metals Never allow your roof to come in contact with, or water run off from, any dissimilar metal including but not limited to: copper, lead or graphite. Failure to adhere to this requirement will cause your roof to rapidly deteriorate due to galvanic corrosion and will void all warranties.

Paint and Coating lnformation Remove smudge marks from bare Galvalume. Formula has proven to be somewhat effective. Lightly rub with a clean cloth and rinse with water. Do not rub more than required to remove smudge. No product will remove all smudge marks. Remove rust stains. Soft Scrub has proven to be somewhat effective.