Kevin,
I dont want you to think that I am downing you in anyway but listen closely and try to understand what I am saying because I am going to try to talk you and anyone else out there that is new from making the attempt to clean roofs.
1) Learn your washer for at least a year
2) Learn about chemicals and how to handle them
3) Learn how to direct water into certian areas (not just where ever)
4) Learn about safety (concerning roof, talk to roofers)
5) Talk to different manufacturers of roofing materials to find out there requirements before cleaning blindly.
6) Buy safety equipment (learn how to use it) HARNESS is a big one on roofs. Check with OSHA, they have a list of special equipment that is necessary when doing this kind of cleaning.
7) Use common sense, please you are new to the business.
Now I dont want you to feel that I'm insulting you in anyway, I'm not. In fact all of us were new at one time and at least you are smart enough to ask questions before just jumping into a job.
Roofs are the most important part of a house and if done incorrectly you put the entire house at jepordy to leakage. Last year for example I helped a guy get into the deck biz and I trained him for 1 month with my company. He learned quickly, but didn't seem to pay attention to what I said about roofs. They are dangerous, its that simple and when you add water to moss it become slick then you add surfactants and they become even slicker. Well he fell and broke his right leg and an arm in 3 places. Now I never taught him anything about roofs, only decks and he was working for himself when he did this. What I'm trying to say, he was trained on decks (not roofs) he saw the opportunity to make money cleaning roofs and without thought jumped at the chance to make a quick buck. The moral of this story is simple, he is now laid up and unemployed and making nothing. There are many many many ways to make money in this biz for the new guy until he or she learns there washer and has a little (1 year expenience). If you want help or answers or help, I would be happy to help you one on one. I am also sure Dan Flynn and Craig Knight or Chris Detter would help you with answers one on one. My last suggestion is to find one thing that you would like to do and learn as much as possible about it and then do it well. Dont try to concentrate on doing ten things well do what the pros do and learn one thing and then more onto the next. I myself am in the learning process right now, I am learning the building restoration business and have found through many e-mails a company in PA that is willing to show me the ropes and teach me the correct way to do things. I have been in this biz for 10+ and I'm still learning. Just my 2.5 cents worth.
Rob