When it comes to maintaining your home’s exterior, don’t overlook the roof. You might have already noticed the appearance of unsightly black, green, or brown stains. Depending on environment, the cause of these stains could be chimney soot, rust or living organisms like algae, mold, and mildew. These stains are not only eyesores that diminish the cosmetic appeal of your home. They can lead to the premature degradation of roofing materials, which can diminish air quality inside the home and eventually necessitate costly repairs. With proper care, most of today’s asphalt shingles have the potential to last 20 to 30 years or even longer. Power washing Atlanta roofs on a periodic basis is recommended to protect this investment, as well as beauty of your home and the health of your loved ones.
What should you know before power washing your roof?
First of all, roofing shingles are more vulnerable to damage than siding and wall shingles, making it imperative to use a low-power spray. Too often, do-it-yourselfers conduct a high-pressure wash of the façade and then move right along to the roof without consideration. Two dangers of this is that too much pressure washes away granules of asphalt and fades the roof’s color and can also damage your exterior painting. But the greater danger is water leaks. If high pressure causes water to permeate the roof and saturation of the underlying structure goes undetected for a period of time, you could be looking at a new, costly issue in your rafters – wood rot.
Another special consideration is choosing the right chemicals for power washing your roof. Beware of cleaners that include bleach. Bleach may seem like a logical way to kill biological sources of staining. However, streaks and drips can fade your walls or siding as they make their way down to the ground, where the chemicals may also pose a threat to valued plants and animals. To protect your home and its surroundings, look for or request a cleaner that is labeled as environmentally safe.
Is this going to be another dreaded yearly expense?
No, not at all. In fact, power washing your roof is only advisable once every three or four years in the hottest and most humid regions, and less often in the cooler northern states. This periodic step in maintenance has a lot to offer in assuring the long-term exterior beauty, interior air quality, and overall value of your home.