Is it important to clean your roof? Your Florida roof goes through a lot. It’s the first line of defense for your home against all that comes from the sky, so it can get pretty dirty up there. Rain, sunlight, debris, and more leave your roof battered and messy, sometimes even a little algae covered. That’s why it’s important to make sure your roof is getting cleaned routinely, which is not an easy feat. Today we’re going to be talking about how to safely clean your roof, whether on your own or with a professional’s help.

Best Practices for Roof Cleaning

It may seem like a straightforward process, but there are a lot of little tips and tricks to making sure it gets done safely and correctly. For starters, you don’t want to crawl up there too often to clean, as this could damage the integrity of your roof. Here are some of the other big ones to remember:

• Use safety precautions: If you are cleaning your roof on your own, this is the biggest thing to remember. You will want to wear comfortable shoes with nonslip soles. This will help you stabilize. You will also want to use fall protection. We have all PPE in stock for you. If your roof is extra-slanted or your house is multi-story, take an additional step and either tie yourself to the chimney or (even smarter) get a pro to take care of it. You should also wear safety glasses and long sleeves and pants. Safety should be paramount if this process.
• Find the right day: Timing is key. You can’t do this on a sunny day, because the cleaning solution would evaporate too quickly to do any good. Obviously, you can’t clean in the rain. The optimal time is a cloudy day with minimal wind. This way the cleaning chemicals have time to soak in and do their job before you wash it.
• Protect your landscaping: When you’re working on cleaning your roof, don’t forget to take steps to protect the plant life around that area. Put a protective covering over them before you start and remember to rinse them off after you finish.

• Use the right materials: You can’t just use any sort of tools and materials on your roof. You will want to use a cleaner that will be best for your roof type, which will require a little bit of research. Whatever you use, be sure to dilute them correctly. You should absolutely NOT use a power washer; your roof is far too delicate for that. The sprayer setting on your garden hose should do the trick.
• Take your time: This is not a quick process, so you shouldn’t rush. If your rush, you run the risk of injury or not getting things clean. You need to take the right safety steps. You should take the time to sweep off any debris before spraying your chemical mix, and then you’ll want to fully saturate the roof and let it soak a bit before rinsing.
• If you have any doubts at all, hire a professional service! Whether you are concerned about your safety, don’t know what tools and chemicals to use, or just don’t have time to be thorough and safe, then hire a company to come out and take care of the process for you. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially with roof cleaning.

When it comes to the proper way to clean your roof, you need to take the right steps for your personal safety and use the right materials. If you want to truly be safe, then the best thing to do is hire someone else who is fully trained to take on the task. 

If you need fall protection, PPE, or a new power washer, stop in today. We can set you and your employees up with the gear they need to get the job done the right way. Whether its the job to clean your roof, or another item on your list, we are here for you. Conveniently located just of Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda.