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If you own a house or commercial property with a concrete tile roof, you might wonder whether it's imperative to get it cleaned. After all, concrete roofs are made of rigid materials that can survive extreme weather, so why would they need to be cleaned?
However, as it turns out, there are several compelling reasons to regularly clean concrete roof tiles. In this article, we'll look at some of these reasons and how to clean your concrete tiles effectively. Read on!
How To Clean Concrete Roof Tiles
- Cold water jet washing
- Manual roof scraping
- Hot water pressure washing
Cold water jet washing
To clean moss, filth, and algae off your roof's concrete tiles, you can use jet washing involving pressurised cold water. However, doing so could destroy the concrete tiles' surface and cause a reduction in the lifespan of your roof.
To clean your concrete roof tiles, approximately 15 litres of water every minute, at a psi of about 2175.6, is needed. This enables pressure washers using cold water to remove tough moss and years' worth of organic soil from your roof's concrete tiles.
However, remember that using such a powerful pressure washer carries the inherent threat of water infiltration, possible damage to your home's concrete roof valleys, and your hip and ridge tiles to develop pointing. As such, always employ a professional cold water jet washer or roof restoration company to clean your roof.
Manual roof scraping
By cleaning your roof by hand rather than with a pressure washer, manually scraping your roof eliminates the chance of water infiltration. However, there is still a slight possibility that concrete tiles with hairline fractures could break if the scraper head catches them at an unfavourable angle.
Additionally, your concrete roof tiles may become scratched if you subject the scraper head to excessive pressure. Therefore, it's always best to consult an expert roof scraper or roofing contractor to handle the scraping.
Steam cleaning/hot water pressure washing
A hot water pressure washer's boiler can produce steam; therefore, pressure washing with hot water is frequently called "steam cleaning." In order to generate steam from a hot water pressure washer, the water flow and psi are drastically lowered to roughly 870-1015.3 psi at a rate of around 8 litres every minute.
This enables the water to move through the pressure washers' boiler gradually. As such, it can reach temperatures of approximately 150 degrees! While steam washing is typically used to restore the brickwork and stone of ancient, listed structures, if you're considering using it for concrete roof tile cleaning, it can still carry some danger.
Additionally, the chances of water infiltration are smaller because the hot water is administered at a significantly lower psi and volume than jet washing with cold water. Therefore, steam cleaning reduces the chance of harming the concrete tile's surface when compared to jet washing with cold water.
However, it is advised to always consult with a professional roofing contractor if you wish to conduct hot water pressure washing to clean your concrete roof tiles, as there are risks involved.
Benefits Of Cleaning Your Concrete Roof Tiles
Improves curb appeal
One of the main advantages of cleaning your concrete roof tiles is that it will improve your home's exterior appeal. This is because a clean roof undoubtedly looks nicer than a dirty one. Whether you're considering selling your home or simply want to make sure it looks its best, roof cleaning, whether professional or DIY, is a must.
Enhances energy efficiency
Another incentive to keep your concrete tiled roof clean is that it might help optimise your home's energy efficiency. This is because accumulated dirt and debris on the surface of your concrete roof tiles could double as insulators, trapping heat and making it more difficult for your home to keep cool during the summer.
Additionally, dirt and grime on the surface of your tiles could reflect heat into the atmosphere in the winter, making it more difficult for your home to keep warm. All this is to say that you could keep your house at a conducive temperature all year long by keeping your tiles clean.
Extends the lifespan of your roof
Cleaning your concrete roof tiles will also play an essential role in increasing the lifespan of your roof. A dirty roof is more prone to deterioration because it is not well protected against the elements. By keeping your concrete tiled roof clean, you may extend its life and avoid having to replace it sooner than needed.
Average Lifespan Of Concrete Roof Tiles
Your concrete tiled roof could typically endure up to 50 years. However, making this happen depends on several things, including proper maintenance, regular inspection, high-quality underlayment, and hiring an expert contractor or roofer to undertake repairs and clean it.
How To Spot A Good Roof Cleaning Service
One of the most critical elements of your home is its roof, and with good reason. It shields you from the elements while keeping your family secure and comfortable. That is why keeping your concrete tile roof in good shape is vital by arranging frequent roof cleanings.
But, with so many roof cleaning services, how do you choose which one to use? Here are a few typical characteristics to look for in an exceptional roof cleaning service:
Extensive experience
Experience is one of the first things to look for in a roof cleaning service. A firm that has been in operation for many years is more likely to be respected and dependable than a newcomer to the scene. Before you use a company's services, make sure to inquire about their degree of expertise and experience.
Good customer reviews
Reading customer reviews is another technique helpful in assessing a company's reliability. Customers are typically glad to share their positive and negative experiences, which can give you an idea of exactly what to anticipate from a specific company. Therefore, check each company's reviews from available internet sources before making a selection.
Trustworthy and honest
You should pick a roof cleaning firm willing to offer information regarding their licences, qualifications, and insurance covers. Ideally, this information should be available on their website.
All of their contact information, including a mailing address, should also be available on their website. Transparency is the distinguishing feature of an excellent service provider. However, if that is not the case, be sure to enquire about all that during your appointment.
Good communicators
Any roof cleaning contractor must have excellent communication skills. Therefore, you should look for a cleaning company that takes notes and asks essential questions regarding your budget, timeframe, etc.
Once you've signed the contract, the best roof cleaning company will keep you updated frequently via email, phone, or text. They should also be ready for all your inquiries and concerns as they arise.
Maintaining Your Concrete Tile Roof Extends Its Life
Regularly examine the roof
You can do a simple visual roof inspection from a ladder. However, hiring an expert is a better and safer option. This is because DIY maintenance might be hazardous, and inspectors know what to check for.
The roofing expert will inspect the installation, flashing, fastening, correct exposure, missing or broken tiles, environmental concerns, shrinkage cracks, and excessive weight.
Experts also know how to walk on your concrete tile roof without destroying the tiles in the process. The last thing you would wish to do is destroy tiles when inspecting your roof.
Always clean up any roof debris
You could clear the dirt out of the gutters when conducting tile roof maintenance. However, this might be a significant undertaking. Hiring a professional to clean the gutters and assess your roof simultaneously is more convenient.
Debris is frequently trapped under the tiles, causing damage to your concrete tile roof and holding water, which could lead to mould and moss development. Therefore, cleaning your roof regularly is an essential undertaking in the maintenance process.
Do You Need Professional Roof Cleaning Services?
Cleaning your concrete roof tiles has several advantages, as you have read in this post. You could do it yourself if you follow the instructions in this post, but hiring a professional roof cleaner is worth the cost. Contact a reliable roof cleaning company near you for assistance if you need an excellent roof cleaning service for your concrete tiled roof.
