Homeowners across Brisbane really understand the importance of keeping their roofing well-maintained. It is not uncommon for Australian roofing to be exposed to various detrimental elements of the environment like dust, wind, pollution, rain, and even extreme sun. These elements can pose a threat to the integrity of your residential and commercial roof. Furthermore, there is unwanted growth like algae and moulds which can cause a lot of diseases to humans. Thus, it is a must that roof cleaning efforts shall be done to keep everything at home in order, safe and clean.
Roof cleaning can be approached in two different ways: low pressure roof cleaning and high pressure roof cleaning. There are plenty of homeowners who are unaware of these methods when they hire professional pressure washing experts around town. They are quite surprised that both low and high pressure choices are in existence and each can be used in different situations. In fact, if you use the wrong method for a specific task it could cause serious damage on your roof over a long period of time. Eventually, you could be spending tons of money doing a home repair or replacement project for your roof or even end with roof scaring.
To help homeowners understand the basics of low pressure roof cleaning and high pressure roof cleaning, we came up with an article that will serve some really clear comparisons and alike, let us take a closer look into low pressure cleaning and high pressure cleaning methods separately:
High Pressure Roof Cleaning
Basically, high pressure washing is using water along with pressure to help eradicate dirt and mould. Do not let the word “high pressure” worry you though. A good exterior cleaning company can provide adjustable pressure cleaning methods for roof cleaning. This means they can clean your roof with pressure as low as tap pressure if requested. If you are dealing with a roof, you will be surprised knowing that most hard surfaces around the home will benefit from this type of adjustable high pressure washing instead of the low pressure method.
The main reason behind this is the fact that low pressure washing can be extremely potent in causing eventual or immediate damage to your home with the use of highly corrosive chemicals. According to BlueScope Steel, Australia’s largest manufacturer of Colorbond and Zinc Alum roofing material, no solvents (e.g. chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, harsh soap, etc.) should be used when it comes to exterior roof cleaning. An experienced and knowledgeable exterior cleaning company will be able to provide the soft bristle rotary washing device required according to BlueScope Steel.
Thus, it is best that you examine the kind of material used on your roof at home. In Australia, most of the houses have terracotta, cement, Colorbond or iron roofing. All of which are durable and quite long-lasting. These roofing types according to the CSIRO require a high pressure water jet spray to help remove dirt, lichen and mosses.
On the other hand, homes in American require a low pressure chemical roof cleaning method because their roofing materials are not as sturdy as the Australian homes. Over 75% of Americans homeowners do not have the same roofing materials as Australians due to the harsh weather and high fire danger the Australian weather produces.
Most of their homes only have shingle roofing which is generally made up of wood or acrylic. These materials are highly flammable and not the acceptable roofing solution for the harsh Australian environment. This roofing material is more affordable and easier to break. Hence, it is the very reason why high pressure water should be avoided when roof cleaning efforts are being carried out.
At House Washing Experts, this company offers both high and low pressure roof cleaning services for clients around Brisbane area. This company fosters all the recommended methods and approaches on how to carry out their services safely and efficiently.
At House Washing Experts, it is recommended that no solvents shall be used in their cleaning process. Thus, service providers who are offering soft washing services for roofing in Australia are commonly using a chlorine (bleach) solution which serves as the solvent. This roof cleaning method inherits a higher than the recommended 2% chemical application which can not only void roofing warranties but also causes irreversible damage. To give you a good comparison, Safehouse cleaning bleach sits at an application of around 3-3.5%. As you can imagine, this solution alone would not be highly ineffective at removing thick lichen, mould and mosses on your roofing let along remove any unsightly dirt that also darkens your roof.
Unlike many American residents, Australian homes have their downpipes buried underground and not free-flowing onto their lawns or gardens. These residential pipes come out onto the road guttering which eventually runs into the storm water. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has stringent laws in place to avoid water overflow
The reason behind this is solely safety. The removal of any dirty water from the roadside gutters endangering homeowners, animal and plant life around is incredibly important as the water will eventually end up into the dams and creeks.
In compliance and observance of this recommendation, the technicians being deployed by House Washing Experts, make use of water adjustable bristle pressure cleaning for roofs and not highly corrosive chemicals. They only use water and then they can collect and pump the grey water back into the garden. This is a required cleaning practice according to the State Council’s.
High Pressure Roof Cleaning Method
Most homeowners think of high pressure washing when they hear of the term “pressure washing”. The process includes pressurized water which can penetrate deep into the surfaces with the use of sheer force which removes debris and dirt easily. This water pressure does an excellent job in the removal of stubborn stains that can leave the grungy and old surfaces looking like brand new. However, most homeowners request this kind of washing method on their houses. This is highly too powerful for a basic house washing service.
According to an Information Sheet from CSIRO Australia, there are two options when cleaning concrete or cement tile roofing. You can carry it out as a DIY project or ask the help of a highly skilled and seasoned roof cleaning service provider. The CSIRO recommends that high pressure water jet sprays are to be used to efficiently clean cement tile roofing.
If you choose to do low pressure on a concrete roof or cement surface, there will be a greater possibility that water pressure is not effective and strong enough to reach through and deeply penetrate the surface which will leave the concrete still dirty despite the effort of cleaning it. There is no chemical available that can remove dirt without the need of some type of agitation, whether it be a strong brush, a hand scrub or water pressure.
High pressure washing is recommended for a resilient and solid surfaces. This would simply mean that you should request this kind of service only when you need help with your cement tile, Colorbond (or metal corrugated), and terracotta roof cleaning.
The next time you will be looking for a professional roof cleaning service provider around town, make sure that you ask about which method you are looking for. This will make give you that sense of security and assurance that you are hiring the right person for the job. There is nothing more satisfying than making the right decision for your home cleaning dilemmas.
If you want to know more about the roof cleaning services being offered by House Washing Experts, you can look at this link.
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