Who should I trust to wash my roof?

Anytime you hire someone to be on your roof it's very important they know what they are doing. Not only can it be dangerous and you want someone who has the right experience and safety gear to walk on a roof but you want someone who understands the whole roofing system to make sure it all works together.

Imagine asking someone who has changed their oil in their car before and expecting them to understand how a transmission works? A roof is more than just shingles and wood, it's a system that has to meet code and work together to keep your home dry and unfortunately for many roofing systems there are literally thousands of places a leak could occur.

Anyone with a basic pump sprayer and a ladder could theoretically wash a roof but there are a few reasons this is not helpful. And hopefully, this is what makes our company different. We are not a pressure washing company with the right gear, we are a roof maintenance company who understands a roof inside and out, including manufacturers' code, building code, and how to repair or diagnose problems properly.

Let me offer a few things to consider as to why hiring someone who has a roofing background is often helpful before they wash your roof...

1. They can let you know of other issues. You essentially get a free roof inspection! Someone who knows what to look for to make sure there are not other more important issues with your roofing system other than algae growth. Or even to let you know if the algae growth has created any problems in the shingles yet or not. We recently talked a customer out of the roof wash because we had determined the damage was already done and there was little Benedict in doing it and instead they should consider spending their money on a roof replacement due to the multiple issues found and the condition of the shingles.

2. They can fix the issues they cause. No one is perfect no matter how much they tell you they are. At times, a roof wash could cause issues and you want someone who is able to actually address and properly fix their mistakes. One example may be a tile roof that was stepped on and cracked. Replacing that tile is not something just anyone can do and will be an expensive fix for you that should be on the roof washer to cover.

3. They can make sure the wash does not make things worse. Let's consider one example. On your roof are likely thousands and thousands of nails. Those nails when exposed to air and moisture, will rust. When they rust they corrode away and create small but present leaks. Oftentimes, roofs that are 10+ years old can have 10-30 exposed roofing nails for various reasons. If those are not addressed (caulked over) and you spray bleach on them, what will happen? They will corrode much faster and create a leak. There could also be tears and holes in pipe boots that liquid bleach could get through into the attic or wood. All of these reasons require someone who understands your roof to work on the roof and not cause further damage.

If you're unsure of a roof washers knowledge of your roofing system, consider asking them some questions to gauge if they are worried about the health of your whole roof or just know they can make good money spraying bleach up there! Or call a roofing professional to get a proper inspection and maintenance tune-up done before and after your wash to make sure you are good to go!