Average life expectancy of roof tiles is anywhere from 70 to 100 years under optimal weather conditions, and they tend to wear off faster when constantly exposed to extreme weather conditions. However, pressure washing may decrease the durability of the roof tiles shortening their life expectancy quicker than expected. It is important to use the best methods to clean your roof. Need Roof cleaning in Bury? Check out Just Clean Property Care.
Some of the potential damages from pressure washing are:
- strip off the surface of your roof tiles.
- Remove the sealants and any further underlying surfaces.
- Cause permeable porous resulting in further leakage.
- Change the roof colour and decrease the life.
- Create etched roof surfaces.
Certain roofing may be with waterproof sealants, however high pressure can rip the sealants creating opportunity for leaks. Prolonged or unattended underlying leaks may further result in algae growth. Another disadvantage from pressure cleaning is that they can change the colour of the roof making it look duller even after going through the entire cleaning process and paying for those cleaning agencies. It can be a taunting, as this is not the result we want after all going through so much time and money invested in power cleaning.
Although under certain unavoidable circumstances such as build-p of heavy moss, algae, lichen may require pressure washing. The most important factors are (i) choosing the right expertise (ii) getting right pressure by examining the type of roof tiles and finally (iii) choosing the right detergent. Expert roof cleaning companies warn that any pressure over 1200 psi can result in permanent irreparable damage to the roof tiles.
Asphalt shingle roofs are known for less maintenance, but pressure washing can severely damage, discolour and degrade the shingles. Even though pressure washing can be conditionally used on most roof tiles however, they are NOT recommended for roofs made of shingles or garage flats. Pressure washing clay and concrete tiles with harsh chemicals also tend to erode the tile coatings and paint and some clay tiles can be fragile and result in cracks when under pressure. Pressure washing the wood shakes may also lift the woods from the array trapping water underneath causing leaks. Harsh chemical, bleaches and ammonia may even discolour those beautiful wood shakes. Slate roofing is delicate, and it can crack up under the use of strong pressure from garden hose and usage of both pressure and chemical (chlorine) can easily break apart the slates which are costly to replace. Metal roofing is known for their durability, but chemical cleaning may increase their vulnerability to corrosion and rust formation.
Finally, pressure washing is a chemical cleaning and rinsing process and if the right environmentally friendly chemical were not used and the runoff chemical water may damage your beautiful garden, lawn and landscapes making them look unsightly. Whilst it is important to inspect the roofing twice annually, it is equally important to invest the time in choosing the right cleaning expert who can carefully assess the roof material, required pressure and the cleaning agent not only to protect the roof but also to increase its value visually and cost-efficiently.
