Aside from inclement weather, the other common enemy of any roof is mold and algae. These growths are often found in areas that are highly humid or more prone to rain or sleet. Since roof mold loves moisture and dark areas, it gradually multiplies in shady areas of your roof. If left to propagate, it can make your roof look old and dull and could even decrease the real value of your property. Logically speaking, this mold does not harm your roof instantly; it just spreads quickly and can make your roof look unsightly in a relatively short period of time.
There are many ways to clean and maintain your roof. If the stains are situated in just some areas, it's simple to fix. If your roof, however, is enveloped with algae and black streaks of mold, then it's time to roll up your sleeves and prepare for much cleaning ahead. Roof mold cleaning is a strenuous and dangerous task and it's often advisable that you let the roof cleaning experts do their job.
They have many ways of making your roof appear new again.However, if you're insistent on doing the job with your own two hands, then there are options that you could choose from. Doing the task by yourself would be a little cheaper but be very cautious because this task could result into permanent roof damage or worse, an accident. Your first option is power washing your roof. Most roof cleaning experts use this but they do so because of long years of practice. If you're not careful with this method, you could cause damage to your roof's shingles. If, however, you do power washing with care, then you won't have to clean your roof for another year. If you also choose to power wash your roof, just make sure that you aim downwards because water might seep through the shingles. The safest distance where you could aim is at least six inches from the roof area that you're cleaning.
If you're nervous about power washers, then you could just make use of a regular garden hose. If you're not an expert at cleaning roof mold, then this is the safest way to go. With just very little pressure, you're able to control the angles of washing. Along with this garden hose, you need to purchase some products in the market which were specifically formulated to clean the stains in your roof. Just be sure to follow the directions when you use these products.
Roof cleaners that are commercially produced often have a base of chlorine bleach or sodium hydroxide. Both solutions are very effective in scrubbing away roof mold right at the very root of the growth. But practice caution when you use chlorine-based solutions because they could harm your body. All you need is a gentle application and hosing to take away the grimy growth from your roof.
If you also want to prepare a homemade solution for roof cleaning, then you could mix ¼ cup TSP (trisodium phosphate), 1 gallon of water and 1 quart bleach. Just pour the solution into a spray bottle and you can use this to spray onto the affected areas. You can use a pump sprayer for larger roofs to clean. Just let the sprayed solution stand for 15 minutes then you can rinse off the mold. Choose which option works best for you then go ahead and wipe off that roof mold!
Roof Mold Cleaning Options