Cleaning a roof is an operation that must be carried out regularly. Otherwise, you risk damaging your roof through negligence. It is covered with foam and can degrade quickly. You will then have to consider a roof renovation.
Before you get there, plan regular cleanings. This file explains how to carry out a roof cleaning efficiently and without too much difficulty.
What is a roof cleaning?
Simple roof cleaning consists of rubbing the cover with a brush and water (manual brushing) and applying a moss removal product ( against algae, mosses, lichens, etc.).
This operation can be completed by high-pressure cleaning with specific detergents and possibly the application of a water-repellent coating which will act as a protective film against humidity.
Why clean your roof?
Maintaining your roof regularly allows you to preserve it and avoid carrying out renovation work, or even complete repairs. Roof cleaning can:
extend the life of your roof. Proper maintenance with appropriate products can keep a roof for several decades, up to 100 years for some materials! act preventively to avoid infiltration, leaks, the occurrence of permeability of the insulation by condensation improve the resistance of your roof to external aggressions due to the weather and the wear and tear of time.
When should you clean your roof?
Working on a roof is a risky operation. It is imperative to ensure that all safety conditions are met before cleaning, applying a coating or treating your roof covering.
operate during the day in clear weather in order to benefit from perfect visibility
the absence of wind is also important so as not to destabilize you, because you risk falling
the weather must be dry and without rain for several days so that the different products have time to soak up the surface well and can dry
the temperatures should not be too high (especially not during a heat wave, for example) so that the products can dry gently
Taking all these parameters and criteria into account, the best periods for roof cleaning are:
You can thus check the condition of your roof (joints, fragile parts, tiles, etc.) after any damage caused by the cold and winter weather. This season is conducive to bird nests that you can carefully dislodge to avoid further damage and soiling during the summer.
Provide cleaning at the end of autumn, when the dead leaves have fallen from the trees, accompanied by branches. You will be able to clean the mosses, lichens, various fungi and dirt that tend to settle.
Important: working at height on the roof is very risky: if you are not used to this kind of work, you are putting your life in danger!
How often should you clean your roof?
You have to clean your roof much more often if you are surrounded by trees and plants or in a very polluted environment, for example.
routine maintenance once or twice a year (each spring and each fall) to check the condition of the roof and remove foliage and other debris;
How to clean your roof?
Effective roof cleaning takes into account all the components of the roof using suitable products.
The elements of the roof to be cleaned
Projections : check the sealing of overhangs and overhangs. Be sure to remove all bird nests and any swarms that have settled on your roof.
Ventilation : clean the opening and check that the ventilation grid is still solid and well maintained.
Cover : depending on the material, cleaning can reposition displaced elements, change damaged elements and clean the cover.
Openings : check all the junctions on the windows, the behavior of the frames and skylights and check the tightness.
Fixings : check the fixings wherever necessary: on the edges of the roof, on the decorative elements, on the edge tiles, on the ridges. Take special care when installing photovoltaic panels.
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Gutters should be cleaned more regularly than the roof itself. This type of maintenance can be included in a roof cleaning package. Gutter cleaning essentially consists of removing foliage and any debris that could prevent the evacuation of rainwater, on the entire evacuation circuit (gutters, gutters, downspouts, overflows, grilles, gratings, etc.)
If your gutters are pierced, take the opportunity to fill the leaks with suitable sealants or coatings.