A slight change in weather always gets you worried about the roof. The roof is an easy target because it one of the most exposed parts of any house. To protect you from climate change the roof has to bear harsh weather over and over again. This is why it is of extreme importance to pay attention to the regular maintenance activities related to the roof. The maintenance doesn’t mean that you have to do some repair work, a good cleaning of the roof is also included in maintenance. You can easily avoid any major roof repairing costs by general maintenance. The best DIY roof cleaning tips are given below that you can use to your advantage.
Take necessary safety measures
Being on the roof puts you at risk if you have no prior experience you must pay attention to your safety first. Since it is a roof and it can be slippery sometimes due to mold, use maintenance gloves, and recommended rubber shoes for this type of work. You should also inspect the roof and devise a plan of action. During the DIY roof cleaning, you should find suitable places to provide strong footing as well.
Get your toolkit ready
It is not always a good idea to hire roofing contractors. DIY roof cleaning might take some time but still, you can do it and avoid the maintenance cost, or you can also do it as a hobby. A good toolkit is the basic requirement of any maintenance work. You may take some help online to get your tools ready. The general toolkit for the roof may include a ladder, ropes, cleaning products, pressure washer, etc.
Inspect for the dry rot
A quick way to clean your roof is to adopt DIY roof cleaning. You can easily find problems by looking at the roof from the inner part of your home. Extreme problems require a general roofing service. The leaks can be a result of excessive dry rot. The dry rot is not a result of water damage; it happens due to poor ventilation but once it can damage the roof badly. You can install a ridge vent but you would need a soffit went as well.
Get rid of the leaks
The trickiest task is to find the leak in your roof. You are probably aware that the water is fluid and it can travel very longs distances over time. If you see a wet patch inside your home that doesn’t mean that the leaking point is right above. The most efficient way to find a leak is to conduct the roof cleaning activity when your roof is completely dry, and spray water on the roof to identify the possible leak points. Once you pinpoint the leaks get rid of them efficiently.
Clean your gutters
Gutters are very important if you believe in the “DIY roof cleaning” philosophy. The gutters retain a huge amount of dirt and other stuff that can become a barrier to the water during heavy rain. A poorly maintained gutter can cause seepage issues in roofs very easily. Frequent cleaning can help you avoid unnecessary roof repair costs. It is highly recommended to install seamless gutter for better performance.
Prevent ice accumulation
The roofs that experience excessive and long cold weather often have an ice buildup during the snowfall. If the snow stays only on the edge or on the tiles it is not that harmful but the accumulation at the joint of wall and shingles can be dangerous. The proper ice shield and good ventilation is the perfect solution to avoid it. You can also slat to avoid excessive accumulation of ice on your roof.
Check the valleys
You would have often noticed that the corners of a home don’t get that much attention. Similarly, roof valleys are always neglected. The water flows down from the valley because it is a joint in the roof. The DIY roof cleaning can be one of the fastest ways to get rid of the mold in the valleys, it can cause seepage in the roof.
Use pressure cleaning
Pressure wash is your best partner for the DIY roof cleaning process. If you don’t have a pressure washer, then you can borrow it from a friend temporarily. Use an elevated temperature to wash off any dirt and mold on your roof. A regular pressure wash during summers can increase the life of the roof considerably. You can learn the pressure wash techniques online to have full command over the process.
The roof plays a vital role to protect the structure of your home. People pay very close attention to the roofing process to be sure that the roof will not cause any problem in the future. Still, you need regular maintenance to avoid general issues. Frequent cleaning is one of the best ways to ensure the long life of your roof. If the DIY roof cleaning approach is too difficult for you, then you can hire a local cleaning contractor to do it for you.
