Weather, animals, and shade could all contribute to your Minneapolis roof appearing dirty. If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for roof cleaning solutions in Minneapolis since your shingles aren’t as new and desirable as they once were. You may suspect mold growth on the shingle surfaces if some areas of your roof seem black and discolored. The black streaks you’re seeing, on the other hand, are blue-green algae colonies. Instead, you have a moss problem if you observe dense, green spots on your roof. The north, west, and shadow areas of your roof are more prone to be attacked by these moisture-loving parasites.
The wind or animals spread moss and algae spores from rooftop to rooftop, which is why entire neighborhoods are commonly affected. Moss may cause asphalt shingles to curl and fly off, causing leaks. While algae isn’t damaging to your roof, it might make it look less appealing. Climbing on your roof on a frequent basis to brush off plants can damage your roof and shorten its lifespan by loosening the granules on your shingles. It’s thus preferable to understand how to properly clean your roof so that you don’t have to do it as frequently.
Now that you know this, what are the best strategies for clearing a roof of algae and moss development? Read on for our Midwest Roofing roof-cleaning suggestions!
Don’t: Use a power washer to clean your roof since it might remove shingles and cause severe damage.
Do: Fill a sprayer with equal parts chlorine bleach and water and attach it to a garden hose. If you have an asphalt shingle roof, this is the best way to clean it. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for the mixture to settle on the roof before thoroughly cleaning it with clean water.
Don’t: Forget about your landscape and neighboring areas since the bleach solution may hurt them.
Do: Thoroughly soak plants and shrubs before covering them with plastic, then rinse them once the bleach solution has been applied to your roof.
Expect the solution to remove the growth from your roof and then reapply it.
Do: Be patient. The algae will wash away with subsequent rainstorms, and the moss will loosen to the point where it can be cleaned with a leaf blower.
Don’t: Clean your roof on a hot day since the bleach solution evaporates too quickly, diminishing the cleaning effectiveness.
Do: it on a calm, cloudy day with no wind and no threat of rain.
Don’t: Clean your roof until you’ve made sure you’re safe.
Do: only clean your roof after determining that it is safe to walk on. If the slope is too steep to climb or your house is more than one level, you should hire an expert. If you must climb up on your roof, use well-fitting shoes with slip-resistant rubber soles as well as eye and skin protection.
Don’t: wait until your roof is totally covered with algae or moss before cleaning it.
Do: use a leaf blower to remove debris from the roof’s surfaces, such as branches and leaves, and trim back overhanging branches to expose the roof to sunlight. Keep gutters clear to keep roofs as dry as possible.
Make sure you follow these regulations to the letter now that you know how to clean a roof correctly. Keep in mind that our roof-cleaning recommendations are only for asphalt shingles. If you have a different type of roof, contact the manufacturer for instructions on how to clean it. To avoid unexpected injury, regardless of the type of shingles you have, check with the manufacturer for roof-cleaning guidelines.
Minneapolis roofs are sometimes too unclean to clean, or the cleaning reveals other, more serious issues. If this is the case, contact Midwest Roof and Solar right away at (612) 332-2744, and we’ll come out and inspect your roof for free and explain your options.
