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Half clean and half dirty contrast on a tile roof.

When it comes to owning a home, there are so many responsibilities. Often, homeowners neglect to look up and remember that their home’s exterior needs some attention. If you live in a homeowners association you will likely get a letter if you let your roof get too dirty or have mold and mildew growing on it. How to clean roof tiles? Lightly spray the roof with water and add a roofing cleaner chemical. Then rinse the roof off.

Let’s take a look at some more details for cleaning your roof tiles.

Moss on roof tiles.

Will My Tile Roof Need Cleaning

Believe it or not, cleaning the tile roof is important. There are a variety of reasons for you to clean your tile roof. Just like many other areas of your home, maintenance of the roof tiles is important towards the longevity of the tiles. If you hire a roof cleaning contractor, make sure that there are reputable. Let’s take a look at the reasons why we need our tile roof cleaning.

  • Moss – if moss grows on the roof tiles, it will need to be removed. Moss will contribute to the softening of your roof tiles. This, in turn, will crack and split the roof tiles. It is also damaging to the aesthetics of your home.
  • Cracking – if the tiles crack and split, moisture will get into your wood decking and other parts of the roofing structure.
  • Roof pitches – the roof is typically positioned on a slope. This keeps excess water from pooling on the roof. Roof runoff is necessary to prevent algae, lichen, and moss from growing on the roof tiles.
  • Neglect – it is never a good idea to neglect your roof. Keep in mind that a storm can dump added debris, dirt, pine needles, and mud to your roof. If this occurs, clogs and water damage could occur.

What Are The Steps For Cleaning

When it comes to any maintenance project there are recommended step-by-step instructions to ensure that the project is done properly. For the cleaning of your tile roof, you will want to ensure that the instructions are followed so that you do not damage your roof. Let’s take a look at those instructions:

  1. Use a low-pressure hose to spray the roof and remove the dirt, dust, or debris that has been collected.
  2. Always spray toward the gutters so that the runoff goes away from the home.
  3. If moss, lichen, algae, or other organisms have grown on the roof, add your roof cleaner chemical and allow it to soak in. Read the directions for diluting the chemical as needed.
  4. When it comes to rinsing, use very low pressure. Look towards 60 psi or lower. Homeowners should consider a garden hose. Also, rinse the gutters so that everything stays clean and clear.
  5. As soon as you are done cleaning the roof, make sure that you use a sealant to coat your roof tiles. This protects the roof tiles from sunlight, wind, rain, and other airborne debris. Also, the sealant will keep the color of your roof tiles looking good.

How Much Does It Cost

Typically, getting your roof cleaned is relatively reasonable. The national average cost range for roof cleaning is between $250 and $600 depending on the size of the top and the location of where you live. Your local roof cleaning company will typically charge by square footage for roof cleaning.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you have a grasp for cleaning your roof, take a look at how to kill moss on a roof. There are a variety of ways and you will want to maximize the safest way to clean the moss off your roof. Also, if you are cleaning moss off the roof, it is possible that mildew has also begun to grow.

Removing mildew from the roof soffits is just as important as removing moss from your roof. Be sure to hire the right roof cleaning contractor to ensure the job is done safely.

Lastly, it could be a great idea to get your roof inspected. Getting the roof inspected allows you to determine if there is any damage to the roof that requires replacement. Before you clean the roof a roof inspection is a great idea.

Broken roof tiles need to be repaired before washing the roof.
Always check your roof tiles before cleaning.

When Do I Call A Professional

When it comes to your roof, you should call on a professional. It is never an ideal situation for a homeowner to climb on top of their roof to clean it or inspect it. Additionally, you should always consider safety first. If you aren’t sure who to call, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect your roof before getting it cleaned to make sure that you don’t have any roof damage. Cleaning a roof with roof damage will only make it worse.

Conclusion

Getting your roof tiles cleaned is an important part of maintaining the longevity of your roof. If you aren’t sure how to clean the roof or comfortable getting on the roof, you should call a professional. Also, if you aren’t sure if your tile roof is ready to be cleaned reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect the roof to ensure that it is safe to clean the roof tiles. Call Waypoint Property Inspection to inspect your home in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Orlando, Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and surrounding areas.