Spring is upon us and with the change in weather, it’s a great time to look up, and at your roof. Does it need a good clean? We spring clean the inside of our homes, our gardens and the back sheds, so why not give the roof a spring clean as well! Your roof is a key feature of your home, it prevents the elements, debris and water from entering your home, it keeps you and your family safe and dry and so it’s important to look after your roof. Not just to keep it in tip top shape, but to also prolong the life of your roof ensuring it stands the test of time.
Now there are many ways to clean a roof, generally speaking though usually one of two methods is used; high pressure cleaning or soft washing using chemicals. The important thing to note before undertaking either method is the material of your roof. If your roof is metal or concrete than high pressure cleaning can be an effective method, however softer surfaces can be damaged with high pressure water, even if there are no chemicals present.
Chemicals are another option, used to strip away grime and built up dirt on your roof surface, there are a few conditions and considerations before you break out the chemicals though. To make sure you don’t do more harm than good, it’s probably a good idea to consult with roofing experts before you start the chemical washing.
Roof cleaning is no easy feat and can be an all-day job or in some cases a whole weekend. It helps to be prepared and to break the big job up into smaller more manageable tasks. So, we put together a checklist of cleaning to complete for the areas that need the most attention, so your roof gets the care it needs this spring.
Gutters
Whether its wind or rain or just simple nature, over time our gutters fill with leaves, debris and in some cases bird nests. Add water to this equation and suddenly you have waterfalls around your home, meaning water cannot travel the routes away from your home as it should. Check your gutters for any wear and tear or mould or even just discolouring, these could be signs your gutters need replacing. If your gutters are visually fine, clear out all the debris and give the gutters a good clean. It may also be worth looking into installing mesh systems to make cleaning out the gutters easier in the future. Once the debris has been removed, it’s a good idea to run the hose through the gutters and make sure the water comes down the downpipes and into the drains. If the water isn’t flowing freely, you have a build-up of debris somewhere in the guttering system and you may need an expert to help. Otherwise, if the water freely flows then your gutters are clean, and you will notice a difference next time it rains.
Long Term Grime
Over the course of the year all kinds of damaging materials build up on your roof, often baked on by the sun. Debris, grime, moss and algae as well as bird droppings can damage your roof surface as well as any layers of protection that has been added to the surface. So when you are cleaning the dirt and debris from your roof don’t use pure corrosive chemicals like bleach, always choose the cleaning process that suits your roof materials and if you are not sure, contact the experts. It will save you a lot of money and headaches down the track.
Damage
Every year your roof should be checked for damage to tiles, any gaps or other concerns across the roof. Checking for damage can be daunting as the best way to check is to get on the roof; might be best to leave this one to the experts. Storm season is fast approaching, so getting in and giving your roof a good clean and trimming surrounding trees is just one way you can help prevent excess damage to your home during storms.
GT Roofing Adelaide specialises in roofing restoration, replacements, repairs and extensions and works with COLORBOND® Steel and BlueScope Steel throughout the Adelaide area and across South Australia. For an obligation free chat, please call George on 0434 640 550 or complete our contact form and we will get in touch shortly.