How to Clean roof yourself

clint_silver

Rang a couple of places that do roof cleaning and getting quotes of €1200-1300 to clean a roof of a semi D house in Dublin. Had more than one quote and theyre the same ball park so I guess thats the price.

Has anyone done this themselves and how did you go about it? Im not one for ladders, a cherry picker hire is about 150 a day. Pressure washer with a roof attachment is about another 50 to hire for a day. (I know you cant use regular nozzle for risk of tile damage)

Is this doable? Has anyone done similar and can advise?

raspberrypi67

Funny but I'm thinking of doing the same thing. I was actually up on my roof cementing up some holes on the verge tiles. Cement had come away.

I couldn't believe the amount of moss on the roof. I know there was a good bit but not this much. I read that pressure washing is not such a good idea. I'm inclined to agree and don't really like the idea myself. I could go up and do it my self but its a big job in my view. If I'd the time id probably do it but the weather is so Sh1t these days. Neither do I trust too many companies to actually do a proper job.

I'm kinda in a bind too to be honest. I'm prepared to pay for it to be done but I don't want my roof destroyed…

Ardent

There's a place up in Swords called Serlex that provides window /roof cleaning equipment. I got a water-fed telescopic pole, a roof scraper attachment and a BigBoy powered backpack.

Scraped all the moss off my roof from the ground and then followed up by soft-washing with Algon.

They provide scrapers that match the contour of your roof tile but I don't see them on their website currently for some reason.

Here's the poles they sell:

https://www.serlex.ie/collections/facelift-phantom-poles

clint_silver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122049466#Comment_122049466

Ive been looking for places for the last month and must have spoken to 5-6 companies. Some filled me with more confidence than others. All the pro companies recommend not powerwashing, scrape the moss off and then softwash with a biocide like algon and wait until weathering does its trick. But while its recommended you dont powerwash I think thats with regular nozzle, the circular one seems to do the trick, example https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eJn2hexRt-A theres more than one channel showing them using that type of attachment.

Its just an awful LOT of money for what seems like to me something that shouldnt be for a days work. If I hired 2 plumbers/electricians to come in for a day it wouldnt cost the amount Ive been quoted.

raspberrypi67

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122049980#Comment_122049980

I see what you mean. I doubt that thing on youtube, though it looks good, would not suit the angle my roof is at. I have a lower roof which is over my porch and garage room. What I did there was spend an hour every now and then scraping and brushing the moss but i then used a large dust collector type vacuum I have for my shed. Its dust collector but quickly sucked up all the loose moss. Its too heavy an awkward to get up to the main roof unfortunately. If I had the time I wouldn't mind doing it myself but its a hell of a job, time wise. I value my week ends, especially sunny ones…lol

I don't like giving someone nearly 1K for this job

I get the poles and scrapers etc but to be honest if I can get up on the roof myself I find a yard brush seems to do the trick.

clint_silver

Im liking the looks of this

https://high-clean.com/en/telescopic-pole-aluminium-package/?attribute_pa_length=7-2-m&utm_source=Google%20Shopping&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping%20Internationaal&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=480&source=x&device=c&campaignid=21095044254&adgroupid=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745C-KeSlokJAxMSl4P5CJ8R36r1D46sxFLGNNjoSsoZaWur1hz3gAn8aAjMsEALw_wcB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122050119#Comment_122050119

need to get a blade too. A brush like that wont take the moss off.

This fella sells them:

https://www.benzsoftwash.com/products/roof-moss-scrapers-professional-rapid-moss-removal?variant=39545062326349

Drumorig

Forget about a pole. A pole that will reach to the top will be very heavy, it will also have serious bend in it so will be resting on the gutters.

They are used for windows cos your only going up, you won't be able to hold a pole like that at an angle, I wouldn't even attempt it.

The OP mentions a cherry picker. Pole does not need to be that long.

I have done this with a pole and a blade. It's a work out, but it does work.

Drumorig

I thought he was trying this from the ground. Should be handy enough so.

Forgot to say, that Benz fella has a YouTube channel with lots of videos.

It's where I learnt how to do this myself.

Correction: AE Mackintosh on Yoube tube for roof scraping videos.

Benz for the tools and softwash chemicals.

clint_silver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122050187#Comment_122050187

I really like this and the channel thanks for posting.

The cherry picker hire is only 155 for day but delivery and vat on top leaves price at approaching 300.

So I was thinking of getting really good ladder but I dont like ladders and then I have to keep a 300 quid ladder for use once every few 2-3 years. Then I found scaffold hire. this is only about 200 a week, now this is looking a lot more like it.

raspberrypi67

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052471#Comment_122052471

The scaffold hire sounds like a good idea to me… I think the pole and brush is good but under certain circumstances it might not be great. Sometimes you need a bit of power to get some of the stuff off.

I didn't think the scaffold would be that reasonable? I guess there's not building going on!!!

how much you thinking of getting and where would you place it, front or back , as a matter of interest…

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052471#Comment_122052471

Is that price including delivery?

raspberrypi67

I see Haven hire in my area do scaffold hire, they have what they call a 2x8M platform. I didn't get a price yet. On wheels too and looks the business, so that and a pole or even hop up on the roof and move the scaffold as you go along. I'm just thinking too that i could rest my vacuum/dust collector to vacuum up all the moss as it gets to the gutter instead of the mess it would make falling. Though on a scaffold you could easily do it by hand, little slower though..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052547#Comment_122052547

the idea I belive is not applying any significant force. Scrape off the heavy moss, then soft wash with a biocide like Benz clean or other biocide. That Benz fella says don’t use sodium hypochlorite for some reason.

anything I have read says dont power wash, yet you seen plenty of people getting a 3000 psi wash job done on the roof. And it cleans up well.

I would be concerned about mortar damage/tile damage.

FYI- have no affiliation with Benz, just the only Irish source I found for chemical and blades

raspberrypi67

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052650#Comment_122052650

Yeah, id be a bit concerned the power wash. Something a bit gentler , hose pressure to me would be good enough, anyway, its only to remove the moss. I like the idea of treating it after with the Benz chemical

clint_silver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052637#Comment_122052637

yeah thats it. Theres guys on donedeal doing mobile scaff hire for 100 a week for up to 6 meters standing height. probably have to collect, now we're really talking doable at that. Get your poles and scraper out, get the gutters done while up there. should be able to spray comfortably if standing as well. (ooo err :) )

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122052547#Comment_122052547

definitely front thats where I need it for now. I know theres a knack to putting it up and it goes up and down quickly once you get it.

raspberrypi67

Sounds like the way to go ok and not overly expensive…I'd of thought you would have needed to get them to put it up or would it matter, need to see how it works….great craic..!!🤣

Rustyman101

Couple of lads in a van doing it down my way, looked out of the bedroom window here he was powerwashing away down the road with the hose wrapped around the chimney.

Then took out his phone taking pictures while walking along the ridge tiles having a smoke admiring the work.

Didn't get his number !

No H&S there.

Tiles looked clean enough when he was done..........

tom23

A couple of lads in a van done them in my estate. Apart from a **** show of a mess to the two houses either side they damaged some of the roof tiles and mortar. They used a petrol powerwasher.

Was wondering if one of these lads had an accident of the roof… whos insurance covers that?

raspberrypi67

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053831#Comment_122053831

Ha, theres some chancers about, no, a lot… I had a roofing company call out to look at other issues, which I ended up fixing myself. Before you could say stop, himself and his buddy were up on the roof with 4-5 ties already removed pointing out this and that. I know theres a few issues but nothing urgent but my problem was with his constant aggression and would not stop talking. He even called me when he had left saying that the guttering would need to be replaced if they were to remove old facia boards. I ( I've 15 year old white PVC gutting. Looks new!!! ) Told me it was time to replace them…Yeah right, I was born last week. I had to Hang up on him…..

I was up on the roof just on the sunny weekend we had, 6 -7 holding nails from the tiles they dug up , scattered around. I never gave them any permission whatsoever. I never mentioned removing tiles, infact, it had noting to do with the small job I wanted done. Unbelievable…

Rustyman101

When I saw yer man walking across the ridge tiles with the phone.

Unreal, that would look well on the house insurance.

Roofs are dangerous places to be one slip and its potentially game over.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053915#Comment_122053915

Most if not all house insurance policies exclude covering anyone hired, it's why tradesmen have their own PL insurance. So if he fell off the roof uninsured you could find yourself facing a civil suit.

Always ask if they're insured.