Dirty asphalt shingles

Country_Livin

New Member
Hi,
I am new to this forum and I am trying to find the best cleaner I could mix in a 100 gallon tank and clean some asphalt shingles.What is a good cleaner to use ? I am a novice in the pressure wash business and I want to do the job right.

Thank you
 

onecallpowerw

New Member
Harold, you are probably looking at another Roman. Wastin space. If not, I apoligize and will be the first to help ya if I can.
 

Country_Livin

New Member
Sorry for not giving more information.
My name is Scott and I live in West Virginia near the Ohio River(Near Parkersburg). I am 45 years old/married/father of 4. I live in the country.I have a small farm and currently work in a plant and I work shift work(12 hour shift) which allows me lots of days of.
 

Harold Brantley

New Member
Scott, chemically cleaning black fungus from asphalt shingles is not very difficult, and there are several different chemicals that different people swear is the best. What ever the chemical you choose, you need to spend some time considering all of the aspects before you begin.

First do a search on this board for there is plenty of information. Next you have to have a pump system that will hold up to the strong chemicals over time. The liabilities are numerous, wind blowing the chemicals, run off onto bushes, trees, flowers, grass must be diverted with covers and / or washed down with plenty of water.

Remember, don't power wash a shingle roof even at low pressure. The initial results may look good now but the black fungus streaks will return within a year because you have not killed the fungus, only knocked off the visible streaks. Even with low presure you are removing some grit which is the color and UV protection.

Lots of Watch Outs in roof cleaning, but if done carefully the rewards can be great. Educate yourself first.
 

Country_Livin

New Member
A couple of years back I tried a product from http://www.ecctechnologies.com/
and a used a product from a place called http://www.shinglecare.com/ which you have to use a low pressure rinse.
The stuff from ECC technologies I just spayed it on and let it lay on the roof and did not rinse it off and in about a year the roof was clean.
But how do you sell a service that you do not see the end result for several months later ?
I bought a roof cleaners kit from USA pressure systems in Florida,which included the 100 gallon tank,shur flo pump and applicator.
 
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Harold Brantley

New Member
But how do you sell a service that you do not see the end result for several months later ?

The answer is, I don't. My end result is seen before I leave the job site. How would you feel about a car mechanic taking your money and telling you he fixed the rattle in your engine but it won't stop rattling for about a year. I think you, and everyone else, would find a new car mechanic.

Some here, and I am one, like concentrated sodium hypochlorite and it does the job fast and efficiently. Just watch out for wind and run off and be prepared to deal with them. This is where the experience comes in.
 

Country_Livin

New Member
Harold,
How much do you charge a square ft ? How much more do you charge on a steep roof? I have seen the pitch witch that is used on the steep roofs,have you or anyone else used one of these?
Where is a good place to buy some of these cleaners(whats a good brand?)
Do you use a garden hose to rinse the stains off?

Thanks

Scott
 

Tim Smith

New Member
5 gallon bucket

-- two gallons of chlorine, cup of soap, 2 oz of TSP, 3 gallons of water.

Spray, let set for 20 minutes and rinse, not pressure wash - very low pressure.


This works for me - With mixing any chemicals, be careful. This mix will harm vegetation, if your not careful.
 

Country_Livin

New Member
Originally posted by Tim Smith
5 gallon bucket

-- two gallons of chlorine, cup of soap, 2 oz of TSP, 3 gallons of water.

Spray, let set for 20 minutes and rinse, not pressure wash - very low pressure.


This works for me - With mixing any chemicals, be careful. This mix will harm vegetation, if your not careful.

Tim,
How does this mix impede the return of the black streaks? Does it kill the fungus like some of the other cleaners manufacturers claim there product does ?

I like the name of your business"Tidal Wave":)
 

Tim Smith

New Member
Country Living.

I've had good success with it. Drove by a house the other day that I cleaned two years ago - roof still looked good.
 
P

pldoolittle

Guest
Sodium Hypochlorite solution (chlorine bleach) quickly oxidizes organic materials. Since the roof fungus is organic it dies and gets consumed (not necessarily in that order).

Eventually, the fungus will come back. Technically, this probably happens within minutes of the chlorine breaking down. In reality, the streaks will begin to re-appear after the fungus has florished to the point of being visible. Some of the more experienced guys can help you with that time line.

As Harold mentioned, whenever using chlorine watch out for desireable flora such as grass and plants. It will oxidize them as well resulting in their untimely demise.

Philip


Would some of the more experienced guys comments about runoff control. I just passed up a roof add-on because I didn't know how to deal with it.
 

h2obouy

New Member
I use a mix of 1 gallon chlorine to 3 gallons water. This is a bit weaker solution than some use but it is easier on the plant life. I rinse 3 rows of shingles at a time from bottom up then rinse back downward with chem- allowing a 15- 20 minute dwell time. The second rinse downward compensates for the lesser mix ratio but is only effective if you allow a 10 minute dwell time before you down-rinse. I just move to a different part of the roof during initial dwell time. You should flush all drain spouts with at least 15 gallons of water . I carry heavy duty tarps for bushes and blooming flowers. Some bushes and plant life are obviously more hearty than others so in time you will learn which ones need more care than others. (Monkey Grass vs. Blooming Azalea) If you have gutters all the way around you just need to flush all down spouts and rinse bushes with fresh water prior to washing. As I do my fresh water rinse I spend an ample amount of time rinsing bushes and grass from the roof. ECC has a great info page explaining why and how the chemical reaction occurs that causes asphault shingle fungi.
 

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