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The Pros and Cons of an Asphalt Shingle Roof

Asphalt shingle roofs are a budget-friendly option that has the shortest lifespans compared to metal and tile roofs. Since they last over a decade, it’s just enough to make the investment worth it for people who cannot afford stronger materials.

Architectural asphalt shingles are a step up from 3-tab asphalt shingles, but the pros and cons are still the same. Before you decide whether you want an asphalt shingle roof, let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of this popular choice.

asphalt shingle roof

Pros of an Asphalt Shingle Roof

Asphalt is the most economical choice in roofing materials. It’s also the most common roof type in America for a few reasons including their price and decent lifespan. Let’s look at those benefits in more detail.

Cost-Effective

Nobody enjoys spending thousands of dollars on their home or business out of the blue. When your old shingles curl or your flashing rips and water is pouring into your home, a fast fix at the right price sounds like the perfect plan.

With shingles costing anywhere from $3 to $5 every square foot, it’s a sweet deal many can’t resist. To put it into perspective, a metal roof will run you $5 to $10 per square foot.

Maybe you’re trying to sell your home, and that old roof is turning off prospective buyers. An asphalt shingle roof is the most affordable option. When you add “Brand New Roof” to your listing, it’s going to make homebuyers’ eyes light up.

Adequate Protection

Let’s face it! Sometimes you just need a roof over your head. You don’t want anything fancy, just something that does the job.

Asphalt shingles are a solid choice for people who want a roof that simply protects their home or business from the elements. When properly installed, they are a surefire way to keep moisture out for over a decade.

Hundreds of Options

Asphalt shingles are fully customizable to suit your property and neighborhood. Many manufacturers make asphalt shingles, each with a large array of colors and styles. You can also choose between organic and fiberglass waterproof coatings.

Easy Installation and Repair

Asphalt shingles are lightweight and a piece of cake to cut. That makes them faster and easier to install and repair, which means less labor cost for you. If saving time is a big factor that weighs heavily on your roofing decisions, you’ll be pleased to know that we can do a full asphalt roof replacement in 2 days or less.

Cons of an Asphalt Shingle Roof

We won’t lie to you, asphalt shingles are not our top choice in roofing materials. There are a lot of disadvantages to them, especially in Florida where hurricane winds will plague your area year after year.

Wind Damage

Asphalt shingles crack, lift, and blow off. When they are exposed to high temperatures during the Summer, it will eventually make the shingles brittle.

If your area experiences powerful storms with high winds, you need to choose your asphalt shingles wisely. We recommend you buy a higher-end shingle, specifically a Class A asphalt shingle with UL 2218 Class 3 and 4 impact resistance. That should hold off 130mph winds until the materials deteriorate through age, granule loss, and UV ray damage.

Overall, you’re better off with a metal roof because it can withstand winds up to 160mph. They also don’t blow off in tiny pieces that could injure people on the ground. Although a hurricane can damage every type of roof, a metal roof will bend or dent before it breaks and exposes your home to the elements. If you are interested in an upgrade, read the Pros and Cons of Metal Roofs.

Toxic Pollutants

They make asphalt from semi-solid petroleum that is not environmentally friendly at all. Shingles also contain asbestos and other nasty chemicals. When it rains, traces of these toxins can run off and pollute the soil. If you like to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs around your home, the idea of toxins might not appeal to you.

Some contractors may offer to recycle your old shingles so that they can be made into street pavement in the future. Ask your roofers if they can recycle your shingles.

Heat Absorbing

Asphalt shingles will actually heat more than the surrounding air. On an 80 degree day, your shingles will be 30 to 40 degrees hotter. That’s completely opposite to metal and tile that actually reflect heat and stay cooler.

This isn’t splendid news for your attic space or your energy bill. The best defense against this increased heat is a balanced ventilation system that supports ample airflow in your attic space. An expert roofing contractor will explain your options to make your roofing system as energy-efficient as possible.

Asphalt Shingle Roofing Installation and Repair in Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach, Florida

If roofing materials make your head spin and you need answers fast, get in touch with local roofers you can trust! Roofing Recovery has been servicing your neighborhood for over 30 years and we can help you decide what roof will suit your taste and budget.

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Pros and Cons of Roof Tiles

Tile roofing is the Mercedes Benz of roofing materials. You really can’t get better than tile. It’s long-lasting, thermal, strong, quiet, and easy to maintain. But there is a very good reason why it’s not on every building in the world. It’s expensive and heavy. It’s also not very DIY friendly because of how easily tiles crack underfoot.

Before you decide if tile roofing is right for you, you need to read our list of pros and cons. First, let’s focus on the highlights.

 

roof tiles

Pros to Roof Tiles

Long Lifespan

You may live your entire life without ever needing to replace your roof! Talk about a low maintenance solution!

Roof tiles can last 75 to 100 years or more. Clay tiles typically last longer than concrete tiles. There are clay roofs in Asia that have been known to last hundreds of years!

Heat Distribution

Concrete and clay tiles regulate the internal temperatures of your home. They prevent heat flux transfer from the sun to your attic and actually reflect over 75% of the heat, lowering the indoor temperature and the energy cost to cool your home in the warm weather months.

Like a kiln, in the wintertime, tile roofing holds more heat inside. You use less energy to keep your house warm because it’s not escaping like it would with other roofing options.

Strength

Due to their mass and density, concrete and clay tiles are extremely durable when facing the elements. Unlike their asphalt and metal alternatives, they stand up to UV rays, rain, and wind like a champ.

Outdoor Sound Reduction

Tile roofing has been tested to reduce the noise of outdoor sounds by 30 decibels, offering you a quieter living experience, even if you live in high-traffic areas or near an airport.

Easy Repair

Once a tile is cracked or broken, the risk of water leaking in is high. If it’s a small crack or hole, it can be filled with plastic roofing cement. If a single tile is beyond repair, the tile is carefully removed, roofing cement is put down and a new tile takes its place.

Cons of Roof Tiles

Clay and concrete tile doesn’t have many cons to it. It’s a highly protective roofing material that lasts a lifetime. But there are a few drawbacks you should know about before choosing to have a tile roof installed on your property.

Paper Replacement

The paper under the tiles will need to be replaced every 20 to 30 years. That means a professional roofing contractor will remove all of the tiles carefully from your roof, discard the old paper, and lay down the new paper. Then, the original tiles can be reinstalled.

Broken Tiles

Simply walking on the roof can crack the tile. There are a number of techniques out there that roofers use to get across a tile roof without harming the clay, but accidents still happen. If you are not a trained professional, you should never climb up on your own roof.

Improperly treading across will damage your beautiful tile. They are designed to withstand Mother Nature, not over 150lbs of pressure from one foot. So keep off!

Also, if a tree limb or other heavy flying debris were to strike your roof during a storm, you may have to replace a few tiles. It’s a good idea to buy more tiles than you need when your roof is installed, and keep them in a safe place. This way, when repairs are needed, you have more on hand.

Weight

A tile roof is heavy, and not all buildings are capable of handling the weight. To put it into comparison for you, a 10×10 foot square of asphalt shingles weighs approximately 200lbs. The same square of tile roofing will weigh 3 to 5 times that amount. That’s 1,000lbs above your head at any given moment. There is no doubt that you will want to be 200% certain that the roof’s rafters and building’s infrastructure is able to hold it. That’s why it’s imperative to hire experts with decades of experience under their belt when you have a tile roof installed.

Expense

The initial cost of a tile roof will be significantly more than an asphalt shingle roof. But when you consider that an asphalt roof will last at maximum 20 years, the total cost evens out. The amount of money you will spend on your roof in your lifetime is less when you choose a tile roof because they are low maintenance, cheaper to repair, and last up to five times longer.

If your house can support the weight of tile roofing and it’s within your budget, it is an economical investment in the long run, especially since they save on energy costs. However, since it has a high initial price tag, many people can’t afford the expense and choose asphalt because it’s cheap. But you get what you pay for.

Roofing Recovery Can Install and Repair Your Tile Roofing in the Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach Area, Florida

If you want your next roof to be made of concrete or clay tile, contact Roofing Recovery today and speak to a knowledgeable customer service representative. We will answer all of your questions and help you to decide if roof tiles are in your home’s future.

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Advances in Roofing Technology

Why should you care about cutting-edge roofing technology? You just want a roof over your head that protects you from the elements, right?

Well, think again!

The latest in roofing advancement focuses on:

  • energy efficiency
  • durability
  • safety
  • and cost-effective construction

That means a technologically advanced roof saves you money. Let’s explore the ways you can upgrade your roofing system and get the most out of your home improvement project.

advances in roofing technology

Solar Roof

After Tesla and Elon Musk announced their plans for solar roofs, the media and roofing industry has been ablaze with news about new developments in solar energy. By harnessing the power of the sun with solar shingles, cells, tiles, or panels, your roof can serve as an environmentally friendly power source.

These solar roof products are attached to the roofing deck without the need for racks, giving them an attractive appearance. Some solar shingles have been designed to blend in with non-solar shingles.

Green Roof

Vegetative roofs are sometimes called “living roofs.” Urban heat islands are caused by large areas covered by buildings, pavement, and other constructed surfaces that hold onto the heat of the sun. These areas were once covered in foliage and fauna that naturally cooled the land. Living roofs offer a creative solution to this problem by increasing shade and deflecting radiation. Every living roof includes a waterproofing layer, root barrier, drainage system, and growing medium.

These roof gardens come in three different varieties:

  • Intensive
  • Semi-Intensive
  • Extensive

Many people shy away from this type of roof for fear that it might leak more easily. However, a quality contractor will use a strong waterproofing membrane and construct the roofing system to be just as durable as (if not more than) an ordinary roof. In fact, some living roofs have been designed to withstand an H5 hurricane!

Cool Roof

Not everyone has a green thumb and can handle plant life growing on top of their house or business. However, they still care about urban heat islands and don’t want ordinary roofing materials that get so hot. When a roof absorbs the UV rays from the sun, that makes your AC work harder which increases your energy bill.

That’s why many people are now choosing light-colored roofs or metal roofs that have been developed to reflect instead of absorbing heat and insulate better, keeping the temperature in your home steady.

How well these solutions work and how much energy they save will depend on the product and manufacturer. According to the Green Building Alliance, cool roofing materials can save you 7 to 15 percent of your total air conditioning cost annually. Ask your roofing contractors at Roofing Recovery about your options and what’s best for you!

Synthetic Roof

There are advances in roofing technology due to the development of new roofing materials that lean away from toxic materials like asphalt and asbestos. They are made to look just like natural slate or tile and have proven to be more durable than the real thing. With advances in technology, some synthetic roof manufacturers like CertainTeed offer 50-year warranties if their product has been installed by a licensed roof contractor like Roofing Recovery.

Taking Roof Inspection to a New Level

Besides roofing materials, the way we can inspect a roof is changing too! Many homeowners and roofing experts alike are using drones with video cameras to get to hard-to-reach or dangerous areas of a roof.

This avoids unnecessary wear and tear on the roof’s surface by trampling feet. It also eliminates the risks involved in climbing to deadly heights under uncertain conditions. After the problem areas have been identified, all parties involved can decide the next course of action with confidence.

Roofing Recovery can help you find the right roof for you!

When you want new roofing technology in Florida (Dade/Broward/West Palm Beach), it needs to suit your budget and be exactly to your liking. That’s why you need trained and licensed contractors with decades of experience like Roofing Recovery to help you navigate your options.

For more information, contact us at our office in Dade, Broward, or West Palm Beach, Florida.

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The DIY Guide: How to Inspect Your Roof

Do you ever wonder what’s up there? We don’t recommend that you climb onto your roof – or any roof for that matter. But should you safely travel to the top of your building and check out the condition of your asphalt shingles, this is your guide. If you want to learn how to inspect your roof, you need to know what roofing issues look like. By pinpointing specific details that indicate the condition of the structure, you can gain a deeper understanding of the health of your roof.

Here are the most common problems you should look for when you inspect your roof.

how to inspect your roof

Curling Shingles

You don’t need a ladder to spy your shingles. If you get enough distance and have a decent pair of binoculars, you can see if the edges are curling up.

If they are, it’s time to call your trusted roofing professionals.

Home insurance companies will not cover you if your roof shingles are curling because it’s a sign of old age or poor roof ventilation damaging your roof from the inside out.

Granule Loss

Brand new asphalt shingles are as rough as coarse sandpaper. Any friction on the shingles will remove some granules.

The more abuse your roof receives from Florida’s harsh weather, the more granules are lost. As time goes on, some shingles can look and feel “bald” or smoother. Once your roof is receiving significant granule loss, it’s time to replace it.

Nails

Nails are an important component of every roof. But just how important they are is not fully understood by most homeowners.

The nails in a roof must be long and pierce through the entire roof structure to ensure a secure hold. Temperature fluctuations and corrosion from the elements can cause these nails to pop up or completely out, leaving behind holes that water can enter through.

All you need is a few loose nails to get a leak. When you see nails popping up out of your roof, they need to be set and sealed to protect the house from moisture.

Poor Tab Adhesion & Blow-Offs

If you stick your nose above the top of your house and can physically touch your asphalt shingles, gently try to lift a few up from the bottom. Do they peel away from the flashing?

If your shingles are flapping in the breeze, they can fly away during a storm. The glue that originally held them down has worn away. They call this poor tab adhesion, and it can lead to shingle blow-off and leaks.

Nail holes become exposed after a shingle comes loose, allowing water to leak through and into your home. This is why prevention is key. If you shrug off poor tab adhesion and blow-offs, it will lead to leaks that cause water damage and mold in your home.

Low Overhanging Trees

If the trees near your home touch your roof naturally or during high winds, it can spell trouble for your shingle’s health. All that friction can rub off granules and scrape away loose shingles.

Be sure to trim trees on your property and keep them a safe distance from your house. If any branches loom overhead, they can become highways for mice, rats, squirrels, and raccoons. Giving these animals easy access to your home can unintentionally welcome them as guests. It’s common for them to find or make holes to nest inside the attic space.

Debris

Even when you don’t have any nearby trees, hurricane winds can blow tree bits everywhere including on your roof. It might not seem like a harmful element, but tree debris can devastate your shingles.

When leaves, stems, sticks, and branches sit on your house, they decompose and become acidic. That acid decomposes your roof.

When you see light debris on your roof, your garden hose might wash it off. But if there are large broken tree branches, you need to call in professionals to remove them safely and repair any damage that the impact may have caused.

Roof Vent Corrosion

Whenever a new roof is installed, all other components are replaced too. That means that we can use every part of your roof as a tool to determine its age and when it will require another new roof installation.

Check out your roof vents for rust. If they are old enough to be corroded, then your roof is too old and needs an expert roofer like Roofing Recovery to inspect it and give you an assessment.

Looking for Expert Roofers in Florida?

Now you know how to inspect your roof. However, it’s best to leave roofing tasks to the pros! Look no further than Roofing Recovery! We have been in this business for over 35 years and know roofs like the back of our hands.

If you notice serious problems with your roof, you need a serious solution. Contact our office at Broward, Dade, or West Palm Beach, and tell us how we can help you.

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Top Roof Repair Mistakes

They say that it’s best to learn from the mistakes that others make. Well, whenever Roofing Recovery is called to inspect, repair, or replace a roof, we see a lot of roofing mistakes. It may surprise you to know that many of those accidents were purposely made by “professional” roofers years before we arrived.

Whether you intend to repair a roof yourself, or you suspect the last roofers you hired did a terrible job, we hope that our list of the top 5 roofing mistakes will help you make better, informed decisions.

roof repair

Mistake: Reusing Flashing

Under your shingles are protective metallic sheets known as flashing. When a small portion of your roof is repaired, it’s possible to remove a few injured shingles and replace them with new ones without disturbing the flashing. However, when much of the roof needs to be replaced or a full installment is necessary, the likelihood that the flashing can be preserved is extremely slim, and building codes do not permit flashing to be reused if damage is present. The point of flashing is to keep out moisture, Even when flashing is “lightly used,” water will easily slip through nail holes.

Mistake: Reusing Shingles For Other Purposes

There are specific components of a roof called “ridge caps” and “starter strips.” To save money, some DIYers and roofers believe that it’s okay to repurpose old shingles as these components. However, Shingles are engineered to be nailed down to your roof, overlapping one another slightly.

Shingles are not designed to do anything else. Do not use them in unintended ways or the results will be less than desirable. It might be cheaper and cut costs, but it will also reduce the life of the roof itself. Save yourself the trouble and use authentic ridge caps and starter strips. Leave your crafty recycling ideas for another project.

Mistake: Leaving the Underlayment Alone

When the shingles and flashing are torn off, there is one extra layer called the underlayment. It’s a type of felting or paper that covers the wood decking. If that isn’t pulled off, it’s impossible to know the true condition of the roof. It’s very important for roofers to assess the health of a roof, and the decking is an essential component. If parts of it have rotted or become damaged, nails will not hold. Always remove the underlayment before installing new flashing and shingles.

Mistake: Keeping Poor Ventilation Systems

When Roofing Recovery does a roof inspection, 9 out of 10 times the roof has poor ventilation. You can test this yourself by checking the temperature in your attic space and outdoors. Good ventilation should have less than a 10-degree difference. If the temperature in your attic is more than 10 degrees hotter than it is outside, expect more damage, higher energy bills, and frequent repairs. Many roofers won’t bother to fix your ventilation issues and that will ultimately lead to an endless cycle of prematurely deteriorating roofing systems.

Roofing Recovery aims to ensure proper ventilation for every roof we touch. When the right ventilation balance is achieved, airflow in your attic is optimal which naturally cools and dries your roofing system. Perfect ventilation is created when there is an even balance of intake and exhaust vents installed within your roofing system. Calculations must be made to evenly distribute vents throughout the entire attic space area.

Mistake: Wrong Nails

Nails hold the entire roof together. If you use the wrong ones, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Shingle nails should be 11 or 12 gauge and at least 2 inches long. Its head should be no smaller than 3/8th inch. This secures the shingles well because you can drive them straight through the decking.

It also matters where the nails are placed. They should be positioned under the top layer of shingle to protect them from rusting. If nails are exposed to the elements, they will corrode away and leave holes behind.

Professional Roof Repair and Installation in Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach

There are many small but common mistakes that can ruin the integrity of a complex roofing system. It’s no wonder that people search carefully for a roofer they can depend on to do the job right.

If you live in Florida within Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach area and you’re looking for experienced and trusted roofers to work on your commercial or residential property, contact Roofing Recovery today!

If you are not in our service area, you should consult a roofing manufacturer to find trustworthy and certified roofers who will not make the above-mentioned mistakes.

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4 Facts About Roofs You Need to Know – Explained By Roofers

When your roof leaks or it’s looking shabby, who are you going to call? We hope you answered, “The expert roofers at Roofing Recovery!”

But what happens when you don’t need a repair made or a new roof installed? Maybe, you’re a new homeowner who is doing careful research about roofing facts.

Well, we want to help you out and test your knowledge. Here are 4 facts most people don’t know about roofs. Test your knowledge, and let us know what you think!

 

 

1. There are 7 different components (or more) to every roof

When you think about a roof, you might consider the shingles, flashing, and wood supports. But did you know that there are over 7 components? It’s way more complicated than most people imagine.

First, the roof decking supports and sheathing are built to hold up the entire weight of the roof. Around that is the eaves edge created with boards. Put on top of that in order is the:

  • Water/ice barrier – Prevents ice damming
  • Waterproof underlayment – Protects from moisture
  • Flashing – Covers joints
  • Drip edge – Guides the water off the edge
  • Shingles – Looks beautiful while offering protection from all elements
  • Vents – Provides proper roof ventilation

This is why it’s so important to hire professional roofers like the ones at Roofing Recovery to install a new roof on your property. No one besides an expert can build or repair a roof that will maintain and protect the beauty, health and safety of your home for years to come.

2. You should never pressure wash a roof

Pressure or power washing a roof involves a specialized machine that creates an intense force of extra hot water that is directed at a variety of outdoor surfaces. So many pressure wash companies will tell you it’s the fastest and most efficient way to clean a roof, but they are dead wrong.

It is the worst thing you could ever do!

Sure, it will remove the dirt, moss, and algae, along with 10 years from your roof’s lifespan. Water projected at your asphalt shingles or tile at high speeds will tear off the granules and crack clay. If you don’t have a leak in your roof, the high pressure is sure to create a new one for you. It will force water into holes that it normally couldn’t reach.

Even pressure washing concrete can cause damage that is equivalent to multiple years of water erosion. You might not see it, but you’ll notice the difference when your roof needs to be replaced much sooner than your roofer estimated.

3. Selling a home? A bad roof can ruin your sale!

When you list your home with a “new roof” as part of the perks, you will sell fast.

A home inspector will notice the damage on your roof and their eyebrows will raise. Water damage and possibly even mold could be present. That will rack up an even larger list of repairs that they will report to the prospective buyer, killing your deal.

Buyers don’t want to pay roofers when they can choose a property that already has everything they need. Increase your curb appeal and your chance to close the deal by hiring Roof Recovery to repair your pre-existing roof or install a new one before your property enters the market.

4. Roofs need to breathe

Just like we exhale and inhale air, so too does our roof take in and let out air in a balanced system that provides the attic with great circulation throughout that space. Intake and exhaust vents placed in key points throughout the roof. Solar-powered fans can help you maximize your vents and minimize your energy costs.

Without a well-constructed ventilation system, heat and moisture will become trapped under the roof and lead to water damage, mildew, and mold inside of your property. Your electricity bill will be significantly higher because air conditioners will work harder to keep your indoor areas cool during hot weather.

We hope you learned a fact or two about the value of professional roofers, and why it’s vital that you find certified experts to work on your home or commercial property. Roofing Recovery has over 20 years of experience in the industry. If you are interested in having a roof inspection and estimate for your next roofing project, get in touch with us.

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How to Clean a Roof the Right Way

You look up and see something that’s not supposed to be on your house or commercial property. Is it dirt, debris, algae, or mildew? You’re not sure but you know you want it gone. Should you clean the roof alone or get a professional to do it? If you want to attempt this project yourself and learn how to clean a roof the right way, then continue reading.

Before You Clean Your Roof

We at Roofing Recovery highly recommend that you hire a professional to do this project, but we know that the adventurous type and those who are financially limited will attempt to do it themselves.  

Before you even consider cleaning your own roof, you need to know the risks of this endeavor and what to do to avoid them.

clean roofs - how to clean a roof

Risk of falling

Use a roof full-body safety harness with a well-secured anchor to protect yourself from falling.

Some roofing material, especially metal roofs are especially slick, and traveling across them could cause you to slip, resulting in injury or death. Stepping on a loose tile or shingle can cause you to lose your footing. Always exercise extreme caution.

Damaged landscaping

Always water plants thoroughly before beginning your cleaning project and cover them with plastic to protect them. This will hydrate them well, preventing them from drinking up the chemical water and protect their delicate stems, leaves, and flowers from the detergent raining down on them.

When you wash your roof, the chemicals you use will roll off and onto the surrounding plant life, damaging or killing it if you do not take proper precautions.

Damaged roof materials 

Avoid walking on your roof, and when it’s necessary to travel across the top of a building, always take care. 

Aluminum roofs dent, tiles crack, and shingles can loosen the granules. No matter what roof you have, walking on it will shorten the roof’s lifespan. 

The weather

You should also check the weather predictions for that day. The best weather to clean a roof is on a cloudy day with little to no wind.

You want the cleaning solution to stay up there and sit on the roof for at least 15 minutes. If the sun or wind dries it too quickly, it won’t have time to do its magic. If it rains, you won’t accomplish anything.

Cleaning Your Roof

Every roofing material must be washed differently. We will discuss how to clean a roof, depending on the 3 most common roof types in Florida: asphalt shingle, metal, and clay tile.

Asphalt Shingle Roof Cleaning

  • Gently soft-wash or spray a mixture of 1:1 ratio of chlorine bleach and water. The force of the sprayed solution should not be greater than a garden hose.
  • Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Rinse it off.

Only apply this once or you risk damaging your roof. This will not remove all the algae, mildew, and mold instantly. What it will do is kill it. During future rain showers and storms, the dead microorganisms will wash away.  

Metal Roof Cleaning

  • Mix a solution of 5% detergent. That equates to ¼ cup of soap to every 1 gallon of water. Use dish soap, car wash soap, or mild laundry detergent.
  • Apply the solution with a nonabrasive sponge, rag, or soft bristle brush.
  • Let it sit for 5-10 minutes
  • Rinse well with a garden hose.

When you have a painted PVDF metal roof system, sometimes all it needs is a good washing down with water from your garden hose. Really, it might be that simple! Take your time with it and don’t expect instant results.

If you have algae, mold, or mildew on your metal roof, you need to increase the potency of your solution. Instead, add 1 quart of 5% chlorine bleach and ¼ cup powdered laundry detergent to 3 quarts of water.

If you have rust stains, use a solution with a 5:1 ratio of water to citric acid or white vinegar. Don’t let it sit on the spot. Once the rust is removed, quickly rinse it clean. 

Clay Tile Roof Cleaning

  • Use your ordinary low-pressure garden hose and a brush to clean each tile by hand. Too much water pressure could damage the tile. If you decide to use a commercial product, use one with sodium hydroxide and follow the directions on the label.
  • Use plywood that has been foam treated on the underside to distribute the weight of your body and prevent tiles from being damaged under your shoes.
  • When the roof dries, if you use chemicals, you might notice a white chalky substance. They call this efflorescence; it’s completely normal and doesn’t cause any damage, but if you find it unsightly, you will need to buff it out after the roof is entirely dry. 

Prevention

Prevention can be a tremendous help. To slow the growth of mold, mildew, and algae, you should: 

  1. Trim trees to give your roof more sunlight during the day. 
  2. Check and maintain your gutter health to make sure that they are draining properly.
  3. Maintain good roof ventilation.  

Consider the Following

  • Always consult your roof manufacturer before attempting to clean your roof yourself. They will know the best way to clean their product. 
  • Do not clean your roof when it lacks integrity. You could cause more injury to your home or business.  

If you notice missing shingles or tiles, curling shingles, cracked tiles, rust, broken seams, or other signs of needed roof repair contact Roofing Recovery

 

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