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Soft Wash
Does your roof look like it needs to be replaced? Does it have black streaks all over it to the extent that it detracts from the overall beauty of your home? We have the solution to solve this problem for you without the need to replace your shingles. It is known as Soft Wash.
Pressure washing your shingles can significantly reduce the life of your asphalt single roof according to the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA). It can also void the roof warranty. The surface of your shingle is manufactured with ceramic coated granules that are the wearing surface of the shingle. Look in the gutters of a roof that has been pressure washed and you will find a significant accumulation of these granules which are the life of your shingle. Enough are dislodged by rain and snow so you definitely don’t want to speed up the loss of these granules. This is why we use the Soft Wash process to clean a shingle roof.
Soft Wash uses chemicals that are recommended by ARMA to clean the roof with out pressure washing. The chemical most used is Sodium Hypochlorite mixed with water and soap. This solution is two to three times as strong as your regular household bleach. The solution in not toxic to landscaping as long as it is not allowed to dry on their leaves. It is biodegradable and becomes a salt once it dries. It will kill and remove the black algae that creates the black streaks on roofs in our area. It will also kill moss and lichens on your roof. Since both of these are attached to the roof shingle the proper procedure is to allow the moss and lichens to decay once killed and to be removed from the roof by subsequent rainfall or very light brushing where possible. Trying to remove these growths with pressure washing or hard scraping will harm your shingles.
In most cases, if your shingles are in reasonably good condition, you can expect your shingles to return to their original color. There are some stains that are not caused by black algae and may not be removed but the vast majority of the black streaking seen in our area is caused by black algae. If we believe that your roof needs replacement we will inform you and not try to use the Soft Wash process on it. Your roofing can look new again for significantly less cost than replacing the roof because of black algae.
McNeil’s Service Techs will work to protect your property while cleaning your roof. We are a licensed contractor with the necessary insurance to protect you and your property while we are working on your roof. This same Soft Wash system can be used to clean algae and mildew from your house, deck, walks, and driveway.
