As I was driving through a neighborhood in Mukilteo I noticed a few roofs that had just been pressure washed. While these roofs appeared to be the original roof I found myself wondering if anyone knew what they were really doing to their roof? I understand that a clean roof looks very nice but at what cost is it all worth that kind of cleaning?
A pressure washer is good for cleaning concrete and metal surfaces but is it really all that good to clean your roof with? The answer is simple, no it is not. Weather you have a asphalt composition roof or a cedar roof it is not the advise of the professional roofing community to ever clean your roof with high pressure water. Pressure washing you asphalt composition shingle roof will remove the granules which are a very important component to assuring the roof will last many years to come. The granules not only add the weight to the shingles but they protect the asphalt from the UV rays that destroy the asphalt. Pressure washing a cedar roof will take a layer of the cedar off or even blow a hole through the thinner parts of the cedar roof. Excess foot traffic on a cedar roof will cause the cedar to split and have the potential to cause a leak.
Today they use water pressure to cut through steel. What do you think that water pressure is doing to your roof? If you want to clean your roof you might want to try a broom and a high volume leaf blower. This method is safe for your roof and will not destroy the integrity of the very thing that keeps your home dry and safe from the weather.
The next time you want a clean roof call a Regal Roofing & Contracting and we will be glad to give you advise that will assure a safe cleaning process for your roof. If you still think that cleaning your roof with a pressure washer is the best way than remember Regal Roofing & Contracting should be the next call to repair or replace the roof from the damages of pressure washing.