Advice with roof clean...

This is my first roof clean (apart from my own) and these are different tiles.

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Will hypo be OK with this roof? Should I just be looking to spray on hypo and hose off?

Would a 40 degree nozzle on low power be safe to test on this roof? Or using the pressure washer a no-no?

All and any advice welcome.

My opinion....... SH would be fine on that roof, say a 2 - 3 percent solution and a little bit of your usual detergent, spray it on let it dwell for a while 10 - 15 mins then rinse off. Watch the plants, you should spray all the plants adjacent to the building with plenty fresh water before starting your roof clean and give them a good soaking again when your finished. A 40 degree nozzle will be fine , but you should really get yourself a a soap nozzle for these jobs, overspray and drifting can be a problem with a 40 degree nozzle if theres any kind of wind about. Good Luck and let us know how you get on.

My opinion....... SH would be fine on that roof, say a 2 - 3 percent solution and a little bit of your usual detergent, spray it on let it dwell for a while 10 - 15 mins then rinse off. Watch the plants, you should spray all the plants adjacent to the building with plenty fresh water before starting your roof clean and give them a good soaking again when your finished. A 40 degree nozzle will be fine , but you should really get yourself a a soap nozzle for these jobs, overspray and drifting can be a problem with a 40 degree nozzle if theres any kind of wind about. Good Luck and let us know how you get on.

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My usual detergent is UBIK 2000. Can you mix hypo with a little bit of UBIK and spray that on?

A soap nozzle attachment that pumps the detergent through your wand? I have one of those but haven't used it yet. So far I've always just used my IK9 sprayer for putting anything extra on jobs.

I'll post some pictures when I'm finished.

SH mix with UBIK .... i dont know, probably be ok but i would do some research first.

A soap nozzle is an oversized nozzle if you like, it fits to the end of your wand like any other nozzle but dramatically decreases the pressure of the water coming out of the lance but importantly maintains the lpm of your machine. You would normally work this system using a downstream injector or an x-jet, you need the low pressure to make these items work.

How do you intend covering the whole roof with your chems using the IK9 ? ....... you will have to get on the roof im guessing? You should research softwashing, you will do that job 10 times quicker and much more safely.

SH mix with UBIK .... i dont know, probably be ok but i would do some research first.A soap nozzle is an oversized nozzle if you like, it fits to the end of your wand like any other nozzle but dramatically decreases the pressure of the water coming out of the lance but importantly maintains the lpm of your machine. You would normally work this system using a downstream injector or an x-jet, you need the low pressure to make these items work.

How do you intend covering the whole roof with your chems using the IK9 ? ....... you will have to get on the roof im guessing? You should research softwashing, you will do that job 10 times quicker and much more safely.

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I have a black nozzle for the wand but it's not over-sized. I use that for wash-downs ect that just gives the wand the pressure of a normal garden hose. I'd assumed that was the nozzle I'd use if I was to attach some chemicals to the downstream pipe on the pressure washer.

Yes my plan was to spray the full roof with the IK9. Yes I'll be on the roof. I wouldn't normally do a roof but it's on a bungalow, the incline is low, and I know the owners. Unless I fell off headfirst think I'll be fine. I could jump off no problem, ha not that I plan too.

Could you give me the quick basics of a softwash wash. I'll look into that cheers!

For these types of applications Bernard, Softwashing is the way forward IMO , Have a Look on youtube, you will get the visual aspect aswell as the explanation, it will be much easier to understand. The Americans are MILES ahead of us in the pressure washing / softwashing business Bernard you wont believe the systems/tools/chems etc etc that they have developed, its big business over there and time is money, ive spent weeks/months studying there methods etc, ive even phoned a few of them on occasion to seek advice and to clarify stuff ive seen them do. You dont need a softwash system per se, you can just adapt the equipment you have at very little cost. Most of them will have a dedicated softwash system, but there are loads of them that have just adapted there PW's to enable them to softwash when required and pressure wash when required.

Good luck with your roofwash, i look forward to seeing the finished product.

Robster

Look on softwash forum uk on facebook

The best place for any softwash advice with some real experts on there ( and @Taxlossloz ) /emoticons/tongue.png

I've been busted ! @daveyboy

If your planning going up there anyway you may as well pressure wash the moss off - softwash will not remove that thick stuff

OR.. scrape / brush on a dry day

( time consuming )

then softwash

Using the correct equipment and the right chemicals and methods, softwashing will most definitely remove that moss from that roof ....... [media]

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Each roof is a different job

The ones on the vid are cedar so not much help for the concrete tiled roof in question

Soaking aload of thick moss in SH especially the joints doesn't shift it ( I found that out the hard way ) remove it first ( scrape brush or powerwash ) then softwash after

Makes no difference what the roofing material is, whatever the appropriate chems you use for the particular roofing material kills it, Rinsing with the appropriate pressure will shift it, we will agree to disagree .........

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well I'm speaking from my experience on the job

Not sure what the point of the you tube USA vids are ...

The point is............ it can be done by softwashing.

USA ? ........ Softwashing systems were pioneered by the Americans, they are miles ahead of us in this field, they have far better chems, and far better systems/methods, and the sooner we start learning from the "experts" the better we will become at applying this method in our daily routines.

There's plenty of experts in UK (who know our roofs and type of growth )who are very helpful online

@Bernard wanted help on particular roof

Scrape the heavy moss off or light pressure wash it off then softwash

that's my advice/ opinion from experience

Im done with this one now............. Im sure your roof job will turn out fine Bernard.

Make sure you disconnect any downpipes that are feeding a water butt before you spray the SH on the roof.

Make sure you disconnect any downpipes that are feeding a water butt before you spray the SH on the roof.

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Great point - I recently ballsed up on this one but thankfully no probs as it was so diluted (only a few pets died ) ha

Ended up having a big learning experience with this one... Keep away from roofs.

I did a little test patch away from the eye with hypo... The tiles were old so it just made it look washed out, faded and like concrete. I pressure sprayed another test patch with the 40 nozzle on low power and it just looked the same. I hummed and hawed for a while but I'm pleased now (despite the work) that I decided against it.

I turned to a hand brush and scrubbed the moss off. Hard work and took a while. When I took the moss off the section of the roof in the photo, beneath that the tiles had deteriorated to look just like my test patches (washed out). The moss was deep into and under the tiles and in a lot of places I was just able to knock the heads off so it won't be too long before its back.

Is there any moss killer spray recommended that will kill the moss but won't stain the roof?

Got any more pics ?

Roof cleaning is not as easy as Windows is it

Can be stressful at times!

So you going back for more Bernard ?

You show that moss who's boss

Try mosskillers online if you not happy with hypo