Roof Soft Washing - 0421 675 037

This is only the case with terracotta roofs that may require multiple treatments. Both concrete and terracotta tiled and colourbond roofs will appear very different and much cleaner immediately after the first treatments, but terracotta tiled roofs will normally require at least one but sometimes two follow-up treatments after the first treatment. 

However, sufficient weather (namely some good rain) will be required before the second treatment is applied. If you are preparing your house for sale and do not have the luxury of waiting, this process can be accelerated, and you will need to discuss this with me when I quote.

I normally take full payment of the cost quoted after the first treatment for terracotta roofs. Despite the requirement for at least one follow-up visit being most likely. If you are not comfortable with this you must advise me beforehand.

If gutters empty into water tanks, measures will have to be taken to ensure this flow is diverted on the day of the clean and for the periods between and after treatments. Water should not be diverted back to the tanks until the roof has seen sufficient rain following the final treatment.

If gutters or downpipes empty into garden beds or lawns, (or any place that could affect the health of plants) you will need to notify me of this prior to cleaning, so steps can be taken to protect plants and lawns from runoff.

Gutters should be free-flowing and valleys cleared of any excess leaf build-up. I generally do not provide a gutter cleaning service so this preferably should be done before cleaning. Blocked gutter and downpipes might result in overflow into garden beds, lawns, or even into the roof cavity.  Also, valleys that are clogged and overflowing onto roof tiles, will prevent the soft washing solution from penetrating down to the tiles.

The safest and most recommendable method for cleaning gutters is dry gutter vacuuming, as wet cleaning can result in water damage in the roof cavity. This is especially the case in older homes when the gutter or valley flashing doesn't extend past the 'purlin' or first roofing batten. Shooting water into the valleys and gutters at a pressure high enough to dislodge it can result in significant amounts of water and debris entering the roof cavity This is more common than not on the valleys of older roofs. This is why as a general rule I do not offer gutter cleaning as I only offer 'wet' services.

A concrete tile roof should look like new once the treatment is completed. I generally give the street-facing roof panels a light rinse for maximum visual affect and the non-street facing which will still have the dead light brown algae, (which is barely visible from the ground) will just weather off from the rain. The decision of whether to rinse for concrete tiled roofs will depend on the age and condition of the oxide coating. If the runoff is relatively clear rinsing is fine, but if the runoff is taking on the colour of the roof it is best not to rinse and let the weather work its magic.

Terracotta roofs (depending on how much lichen build-up is on them) will visually be much lighter and the original colour of the roof will be far more eveident after the first treatement. The white dead lichen will mostly wash off after the first rain event. 

If the terracotta roof is only slightly to moderately affected by lichen you can expect a clearance rate of about 80-90% after the first rain event. If the roof is very heavily affected with lichen that is also very old, you should expect a clearance rate of about 60-70%. 

For terracotta roofs, second or third treatments will be provided and the cost of these are included as part of your cleaning quote unless otherwise agreed.

This depends on your roof and on the weather. For concrete tiled roofs largely affected by green and black algae (Cyanobacteria/Gloeocapsa magma etc), the effect will be immediate and very noticeable. For terracotta tiled roofs that suffer from lichen as well as black algae, it will clear when there is some decent rain. It definitely is quicker than options like Wet and Forget and such like which can take up to two years to clear a roof.

Possibly, but much less so than when pressure cleaning which requires an operator to walk all over your roof. If your home is single story and every roof panel can be accessed safely using a ladder (i.e. not to close to the property borders or other structures) it may be possible to clean the entire roof without stepping foot on it. Otherwise I will access from a few vantage points on the roof that will minimise roof walking, but still provide the angles needed to provide adequate coverage.

Your fur babies (and children) should be kept inside the house during cleaning and all windows and doors should be kept closed. Your pets bowls and bedding should also be taken inside. Try to keep your pets inside for up to 24 hours after the clean. Prior to leaving your property I will thoroughly soak and rinse down all exterior areas of your home to ensure any residual overspray is washed away and suitably diluted.

I haven't had a call about a dead plant yet, but if the roof treatment is done irresponsibly, yes it can! I have developed rigorous pretreatment and post-treatment processes that absolutely minimise or totally mitigate the risk of this happening. I protect smaller soft-leaved plants, and hardier plants with waxy leaves by soaking prior to and after the soft washing chemical is applied to the roof. You should water all plants heavily in the days prior to the clean.

WINTER without question is the best time to clean your roof. Plants with new spring growth or shoots and leaves where the cuticle has not yet formed will almost certainly be tip pruned by the cleaning chemical, even when the utmost care is taken. If you are an avid gardener and have a particularly nice garden you should not do a roof clean in spring or summer. Late autumn to winter is definitely the best time to clean the roof. However with that said, I have cleaned plenty of roofs in spring and summer without damage or with temporary leaf damage only.

No it doesn't, but if your gutters are relatively clear and free-draining the soft wash runoff from the roof and the rinsing away of this will have a cleaning and clearing effect on the gutter. it is recommendable you have your gutters cleaned first if they require it.

1. Give your plants plenty of water in the days leading up to the clean. if the plants are totally hydrated they will be less inclined to take up up any cleaning solution if it does land on them.
2. All laundry and natural fabrics should be taken inside the house.
3. Pet bedding and bowls should be taken inside the house.
4. Cars should be in a lock up garage or on the street (not in the carport). Please ensure you leave adequate on street parking in front of the house for my dual cab and trailer. 
5. Close all windows and doors.
6. Let your neighbours know using my 'Neighbour Notification Letter' which you can down load below.
7. If you have and history with troublesome neighbours you must let me know.