Reasons to have your Roof Cleaned
Spring is the perfect time to do some roof cleaning if you haven't gotten around to it the past few years. Roof Cleaning should be an essential part of your home's maintenance and cleaning routine. The past several years, you might've forgotten about it.
Keeping your roof clean is beneficial in making your house more energy-efficient and look nice for summer. Keep in mind, there are a lot of other benefits to keeping your roof clean all year round that you might not be aware of.
1. Improve Curb Appeal
The most obvious reason to keep your roof clean throughout the year is to improve its appearance. Whether you're planning to sell your house or you simply take pride in keeping your valuables clean, keeping your roof clean will go a long way in making your home look great.
If you're planning on selling your house, getting your roof cleaning can be an inexpensive way to increase your residence's perceived value. Remember, even if your roof is still in great shape, a dirty roof will scare off potential buyers. Most people looking for a house to buy aren't roofing experts, so a dirty roof will cause potential buyers to assume that the roof may need to be replaced. Replacing a roof costs a significant amount of money, and buyers will likely subtract this amount from your asking price.
Depending on your house's value and other factors, getting a buyer for your home might take some time. Keeping your roof in great shape throughout the time you're looking to sell is an excellent way of ensuring your house sells for its full value.
2. Roof Cleaning is an Important Part of Maintenance
You may think that the only benefit to cleaning your roof is that it looks better, but this is far from the truth. In reality, roof cleaning is an essential step in prolonging your roof's lifespan and keeping it in an overall good condition.
When left without being cleaned, your roof can start to show signs of severe moss and algae growth. Left uncleaned for too long, this unsightly problem can develop even further, causing lichen to form on your roof.
This will not only make your house look completely neglected but will also cause a significant amount of damage to your roof tiles or shingles. Lichen exceeds the normal to general wear and tear on your roof. When left over winter, these growths can freeze, causing them to expand and induce frost damage to your roof's surface. As well the root systems of mold, algae, and moss do comparable damage.
3. Protect Your House Structures
As mentioned, keeping your roof clean is a vital roof maintenance step. By keeping algae, moss, and lichens at bay, you'll help to keep your roof in good condition for a longer period of time. Your roof is your first layer of defense against the outside elements, meaning damage to your roof can spread once your roof is no longer in good condition.
Roof damage that is caused by lichen and moss growths include:
- Moisture damage: Seeing as lichens and moss attract moisture to the surface of your roof, they can eventually cause moisture damage if left for too long.
- Separation of shingles: When lichen penetrates your roof exterior, it can start to grow between your shingles, causing them to separate. This can lead to roof leaks, ceiling damage, and other structural complications.
- Shingle damage: Besides causing shingles to separate, moss on lichen growths will lead shingles to bend and cup.
Once your roof is compromised, other structures in your home will be completely vulnerable to the elements. Rain, hail, wind, UV rays, and heat deflection from the sun and other weather elements will start to damage your home rapidly. This can lead to roof leaks and moisture seeping into your walls. When left unattended, these new problems will eventually lead to mold growth inside your home, which can lead to multiple adverse effects on your health.
4. Save Money on Roof Maintenance and Repairs
When you keep your roof clean, you're preventing a lot of roof problems that could drastically shorten the lifespan of your roof. The cost of getting your roof cleaned might not be cheap, but compared to replacing your roof, it's very reasonable. By keeping your roof clean, you can expand its lifespan quite a bit, which will save you a lot of money on roof maintenance, repairs, and replacements.
To give you an idea, the average cost of roof cleaning is approximately $250 - $1000, depending on your roof's size. Roof replacement, on the other hand, tends to cost between $5000 to $25,000. Whereas the cost of roof cleaning is mainly dependent on the current state of your roof, as well as its size in square feet, the cost of roof replacement will depend on the size of your roof, the contractors you use, and the quality of your roofing shingles.
What's clear is that the price difference between cleaning and replacing a roof is huge. Spending $25,000 on replacing a roof isn't something anybody wants to do more often than necessary, and cleaning can prevent that.
5. Save Money on Insurance Installments
Many insurance companies place a lot of value on how well you maintain your property. Often times, insurance companies can send out inspectors to note the overall condition of your property. If an inspector drives by your house and only to see moss, lichen, and dark lines (Gloeocapsa magma) on your roof, chances are your insurance company will assume you aren't investing enough into maintaining your property. This can cause your premiums to go up, which will keep costing you unnecessary money in the long run.
Keeping your property in good condition can go a long way in enhancing your quality of life, meaning it's an investment you'll benefit from. Rather than spending extra money on insurance costs, it's better to maintain your house and get the most out of your money spent.
6. Choosing a Professional Roof Cleaner
Now that you know the benefits of keeping your roof clean, it's important to choose a good roof cleaning contractor to clean your roof. While you could try to clean your roof yourself, it's a risky job with a high risk of falls and injury. Hiring a professional to clean your roof can also help you get a better result.
When hiring a roof cleaning company, it's important to ensure you're hiring trained professionals. Be sure to ask any contractor you're considering whether or not they have insurance, as well as whether their employees undergo training to ensure they adhere to safety regulations and offer quality services.
Also, find out about the different roof cleaning services offered by various companies. You should look to hire a company that has the ability to soft wash your roof using some form of low-pressure pump to distribute the cleaners onto your roof. Other means can void your warranty or insurance coverage, such as pressure washing.
Do your research about different methods of cleaning a roof to make sure that the company you choose uses a roof cleaning method that you're comfortable with. In some cases, it can also be beneficial to contact your insurance provider and ask what roof cleaning methods they believe is best, as some insurance companies might penalize you for using roof cleaning methods they believe to be potentially harmful.
SUPREME WASH PRESSURE & SOFT WASHING HOMEOWNER'S SAFETY TIP:
Pressure Washing, Power Washing, and Soft Washing require precautions. You should always wear appropriate safety gear, as directed in your instruction manual, and you should always ensure others stay clear, as the high-pressure stream of water from a pressure washer can break the skin and cause serious injury to humans and animals. Refrain from mixing chemicals and/or cleaners unless the directions specifically tell you to do so. It is always best to have another hose nearby that you could quickly use to rinse yourself if need be.
When it comes to general roof cleaning, turn to Supreme Wash Pressure & Soft Washing. You can be sure of our experience and manpower to care for your residential and commercial roof cleaning, big or small.
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