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Spring Cleaning The Cedar Shingles
20th October 2020
Removing Fungus & Plants
To get rid of lichens, moss, and mildew, you need to first execute a soft wash with your sprayer. You have to use a low-pressure power to wash down the surface of your roof. A pressure washer with a higher pumping system will easily damage your cedar shingles. Use a pumping system of 12 Voltage with 60 PSI of pressure. Now you need to use a brush with soft bristles for scrubbing the washed area. It will loosen and get rid of all the growth present in your roof.
Proceed to add 5-parts of water and 1-part of bleach accompanied by multiple Tsp of detergent powder for creating a mixture. After you mix them, you need to pour the mixture into a spraying bottle. Don’t forget to use gloves and goggles for safety measures while you handle them. Avoid using detergent of any type that has ammonia in it. Why? Because it will create a hazardous chemical reaction in contact with bleach.
If you are not interested in using bleach, you could also use a citric solution from the hardware store. They are effective, simple, and non-toxic, which makes it super convenient for you. Start spraying the solution on your rooftop, especially the places where there are many fungus remnants. After you stop spraying, let your cedar shingles rest for a good 15 minutes. Now rinse everything off with a garden hose of 40 PSI. Make sure to start from the top and make your way to the bottom.
Maintaining Your Cedar Shingles
The first step in maintaining your cedar shingles would be to trim all the branches hanging over your roof. The shade will encourage the growth of moss and lichens. Plus, the tree leaves and branches tend to collect on your roof, causing extra dirt. You could cut them by yourself or contact a tree cutting company. Make sure to clean all the dirt and debris on your roof with a broom. You also need to replace all the damaged shingles as they can cause further damage to your other shingles. How? Well, the damaged shingles start to rot and invite fungus over.
However, it is always best to hire a roof cleaning company from Manchester to do all the replacements. You might have black & blue stained cedar shingles, which is very unattractive. To cure this problem, you will require a 5% solution of oxalic acid. Handle with care as it is toxic for human contact and keep reapplying on the stubborn areas. In this way, you will have a shiny cedar roof with no stains and other organisms living on them.
Important Reminders
- Consider using a safety harness for securing your body against the roof.
- It is advisable to use athletic shoes with proper traction.
- Don’t forget to put on the safety goggles while handling the bleach and chemicals.
Conclusion
You can’t control the climate, but you do get a say in what goes on on your rooftop. It is important to be consistent with your cleaning to prevent the worst from happening. Roof replacements are not cheap at all, so we highly recommend you to be watchful of its condition. If you live in a dry and hot climatic area, you need to clean every 2-3 years. But if you are living in overcast and wet climatic areas, then a yearly clean is required.
