Roof Cleaning in Port Huron MI

(810)-242-3974

Roof Cleaning

Have you ever wondered what those black and green stains and streaks are on your asphalt roof?It is actually algae that consists of many types of organisms! While the stains and spots can vary from green and black, the bacteria itself is green. The color variation is determined by the UV exposure of the surface it is inhabiting.Shaded roofs will tend to produce green growth while roofs with direct sun exposure tend to have a black color.Now that we know what that growth is on our roofs, let's talk about why it's there and why you need to get rid of it!

Why does my roof have black and green stains on it?

If you have black and green stains on your roof there is a good chance you have asphalt shingles.You aren't alone, its estimated up to 80% of roofing consists of asphalt shingles. Why does this growth happen on asphalt shingles? While asphalt shingles are a great cost effective way of protecting you from the environment, they also pose a great living environment for organic growth. Your shingles consist of limestone granules that the growth love to feed off.If left long enough the damage will reach a point it needs replacement.

Will those black and green stains damage my roof?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes and to the point you may need to replace your entire roof. When growth gets in between the many microcrevises your asphalt roof provides, it now has a great place to multiply and grow.Those crevices hold moisture and we know how much organic growth loves moisture.Along with moisture your shingles proved sharp jagged edges that the growth uses to grip onto, which prevents them from being washed away with rain or being dried out from wind.Once the growth has its footing, it will start wreaking havoc on your shingles.The biggest concern is the growth consuming the limestone in your shingles.However, it doesn't stop there.Once a food supply has been established the organic growth will get to the point it will raise the limestone from the shingle causing it to be washed away down your gutters! It gets worse, not only does it consume your roof, it removes a lesser known important part of the shingle..THE REFLECTIVE PROPERTIES! Your shingles are designed to reflect as much radiation up and away from your house, this helps keep your roof cool which in turn helps keep YOU cool.

How does a roof cleaning help me?

With the average price to replace a roof being in the neighborhood of $9,000 sometimes exceeding $20,000 depending on the material and square footage, you want to protect that investment as long as possible.Letting organic growth call your roof home is a quick way to void your warranty and increase your cooling bills.Once you have a layer of growth over your shingles the reflective properties have been diminished meaning your roof will absorb more heat and raise your bills! If that isn't enough to justify a cleaning what about the destruction to the shingles? If left uncleaned the damage will reach a point it starts to raise the edges of your shingles and create humps in the shingles. Now you don't just have higher cooling bills, you have a roof that is allowing moisture under your shingles which is a quick way to lose shingles and facilitate leaking.

Roof condition is a major factor when insurance companies decide on coverage for you home. A neglected roof is most likely going to be considered high risk and will not be covered. Even if you already have coverage, in the event a leak or damage occurs the insurance may come to inspect the roof. If neglect of maintenence is found the insurance companies will do whatever they can to deny coverage of the damage. Insurance companies actually recommend the cleaning of roofs.Dont believe us, see it for yourself.PowerPros L.L.C is fully insured to clean your roof!

How do you clean a roof?

The act of cleaning a roof is simple in theory, but there are many variables that will quickly turn a roof cleaning into a full roof replacement if it is not left to a professional. Organic growth is persistant and lives hiding in aspault shingles,spraying water even at high pressures will not remove it.We use special chemicals designed specifically for cleaning roofs. We use special soft wash equipment to spray at very low psi(typically < 90PSI). Some roofs require a completely different mix of chemicals than other roofs. We don't do this because we enjoy chemistry, we do this because not every roof is created the same using the same materials.A new roof with light growth build up will require a different treatment than an old roof with heavy growth build up.Below we have outlined just a few variables that will determine how we treat a roof.

Age of the roof
Roofing type
Condition of the roof hardware
Condition of the shingles
Roof pitch
Landscaping around the roof
Gutter condition (If any)

Why can't I clean my roof?

Did you know that using chemicals not approved by your shingle manufacturer can void your warranty? Manufacturers don't void your warranty for fun, they have reasons. Spraying the wrong chemicals can lead to the following:

Facilitating rusting hardware
Encouraging more organic growth
Eating away of the compounds that hold your shingles together
A change in color of the shingle

Each of those issues have their downfalls but its not limited to just roof damage.Spraying the wrong chemicals can lead to:

Gutters rusting
Dead landscaping
Discolored siding
Electrical fires
Corrosion of pipes exiting/entering the roof

Nobody likes when what was supposed to be an easy task turns into something time consuming and costly. That is why it is best to leave roof cleaning to a professional.We know what to expect and how to address issues should they arise. We are glad to answer any questions and address any concerns with homeowners. It is your home, we understand and respect that. We are in the business of making customers happy, not just cleaning your roof.

Can I power wash my roof?

We get this question a lot. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Let's think about what a roof is there to do.Your roof is there to protect you against the elements. The two most common elements are water and wind. Now let's think about what a power washer does. A power washer typically provides the user with 3,500 PSI of water. Water exiting the power washer is typically traveling at over 240mph, that is the equivalent to an f4 tornado. Your shingles are not designed to handle even close to that amount of force. Power washing a roof is possibly the fastest way to destroy a roof. Not only are you blasting away all the limestone on your shingles, you're not killing the growth.Any limestone left behind after pressure washing your roof will certainly harbor growth under it waiting for the next sunny day to start spreading.

Are the chemicals PowerPros L.L.C uses dangerous?

Without knowledge, even soap can be dangerous. Some of the chemicals that consumers try to use to clean a roof can be dangerous if they mix it with other chemicals. We work with the manufacturers of our chemicals to ensure we know exactly what they can and cannot be used with. Used in knowledgeable hands, these chemicals are vital to rejuvinating a roof. There is simply no way around it, we must remove the growth and it takes more than water. That being said, all of the chemicals are diluted with water once they hit the ground and will pose no threat to you or your plant life. Most of our cleaners can be sprayed near plants and landscaping with no damage to the landscape.We are still cautious and will spray your landscaping in the event some overspray occurs.Its your home, we want it looking better than when we arrived.

How long does it take to clean a roof?

Much like everything else, it depends. Things like prepping the surrounding area, roof size and amount of soilage on the roof are all factors in the time needed to clean a roof.For a typical single story 1500sq ft home, we are out of your driveway in under two hours.Two story homes can take slightly more time.Things like roof pitch and topography and surface temperatures also play a role.

Can PowerPros L.L.C clean metal roofs?

Metal roofs are increasing in popularity thanks to new metallurgy techniques. Most metal roofs in the last 15 years are “Galvalum”. Galvalume require very special chemicals to be cleaned. While we can get these cleaners, they carry a higher price. Metal roofs dont have the cracks and crevices or limestone that asphalt roofs have so they don't suffer from the same issues such as organic growth buildup. You can certainly get it on a metal roof but typically only if there is very heavy soiling from dust and debris on the roof. However, metal roofs suffer from something aspault roofs do not..oxidation.Metal roofs contain a coating that starts deteriorating the day it's installed. It takes very special cleaners to remove the oxidation and leave the protective coating in tact.Using the incorrect chemicals only accelerates the oxidation and rusting process. Our cleaners do not effect the protective coating or the hardware on the roof. They will remove the oxidized layer and leave your roof shining like new.

Providing the Port Huron area with power washing and soft washing services.