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Brandon · Guest

Roof Washing Mix Explained

Guest

Hey Brandon,..TSP in the mix does two things,..it enhances the hypo, and also gives the mix the added benefit of a detergent. There is more than just live growth on a roof,.there is also your basic airborne dirt, smoke,.etc... Make that three things,..it also thickens the mix, without the soapy soap bubbles.

Some of the surfactants have taken the place of the TSP, they provide enough cleaning ability and are easier to mix in. Tsp is hardly used anymore by most here. But TSP is still the best.

In my experimenting the alcohol doesn't do anything noticeable to the mix as far as giving it extra punch,..some here think it does,..but it's minuscule affect isn't worth the chance of ruining a good roof mix. Many here seem to try and add a scientific twist to the mix,..but in reality, the simpler the better. I used to be just as guilty,..but I've turned back towards the simple way.

Nothing wrong with even just using hypo and water for a demo with a pump up.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Wednesday 9th of March 2011 02:50:15 PM

Brandon · Guest

Jeff, very helpful thank you.

I cleaned part of my roof with a pump up this weekend. I used straight 12.5% SH & emcol (just the base ingredient in soap such as dawn...same stuff I downstream in my housewash) with fantastic results. I got excellent cling and the roof came out better than I could have hoped. So I did another section yesterday and diluted the SH with water, 1 gallon SH to 1 gallon of water. Also used the same amount of soap I did the other day when I was using straight SH. The solution was very runny after introducing the water into the mix. I tried again with 1 and 1/2 gallons of SH and 1/2 gallon of water. This was a little better, but honestly the straight SH & emcol I used this weekend was the most effective. I have talked to quite a few guys in my area that are cleaning roofs and most of the guys I talk to are using straight SH & surfactant. Before I use a method other than those promoted here, I want to hear opinions / dangers of a mix that hot. By the standards I've read here, this mix is beyond hot. Will it do damage?

Guest

Brandon,..there really isn't any need to use your mix that hot to achieve great results. As far as damaging the roof,..I wouldn't think so,..but it may damage an inferior quality or old shingle. BUT,..it will be risky business around plants.

What was the temperature when you were experimenting? The warmer Summer like temps will boost the cleaning power of the hypo,..and also give greater chance of damaging vegetation.

The 12.5% probably only worked faster,..because even 4% will clean a roof effectively,..just may take a little longer,..but the amount of time saved isn't worth the trade-offs of overly hot mix.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Wednesday 9th of March 2011 02:04:25 PM

Brandon · Guest

Here is a pic of the section cleaned with straight SH & surfactant. It has been 4 days since I cleaned it.

Brandon · Guest

It was mid 60's and cloudy Saturday when I was cleaning. I was blessed with a mother of a thunderstorm on Sunday afternoon. Great rinse. The parts I cleaned yesterday, it was low 60's and sunny. The mix was steaming as it hit the shingles. Those sections are looking darn good too....just waiting on tonights/tomorrows rain to do the rinsing!

Guest

Thats a nice picture Brandon,..but those same results can be achieved with the lighter mix. Look at the various pictures on this site,..I don't anyone here uses 12.5%. and there are some great pictures here.

Jeff

Guest

The cost is an obvious benefit.

Jeff

Ugly Shingles LLC · Mar 9, 2011

-- Edited by Ugly Shingles on Thursday 10th of March 2011 02:58:29 PM

Guest

Why and where

Guest

Ugly Shingles wrote:

THIS NEEDS TO BE MOVED!

Bob,..this isn't classified information. Everthing I said is on this site or on other sites a million times already. I've been answering questions on here since the beginning,..after all,..thats why this board was created.

And I will continue to answer them,..if I can.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Wednesday 9th of March 2011 03:42:59 PM

Guest

Guys the mix is out there these type of questions can be answered right here.

jimmyjamroofcleaninman · Guest

i agree, he's getting the info just like i did. its no secret anymore. its better to welcome all than to push somebody to another site where its freely posted. i think everyone should be a paid member, including myself. as soon as i can afford to part with an extra hundred bucks i will be. but until then this side of the forum does still exist. i think everyone owes way more than 100 dollars to the rcia. i can just hope that like me, he'll stick around and become a premium member when he can afford to. i've been on here about nine months learning and haven't cleaned my first roof yet. it will be coming very soon i just wanted to be as educated about it as i could be and not rush things. anyway this has been discussed a million times on here. not trying to get into it with anyone but just my .02

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Brandon:

The hotter the mix, the faster it will clean. However, faster is not always better. A 30-50% mix is far superior to a 100 % mix for many reasons:

1) That SH will go somewhere, and likely that somewhere will be on the ground or plants after a rain. A lighter mix stands less chance of damage. A light shower would reactivate the SH and drop it on the plants. If there was not a heavy rain you WOULD fry the landscaping if you didn't go back and rinse again. Remember, it takes a little while for the SH to "die" up there on the roof.
2) Cost - You are literally doubling your cost by using such a hot mix.
3) Damage to the property: 100% is much more caustic than a 30-50% blend. A hot mix can eat up metal flashings, remove paint from vents, Change color of paint on drip edges, etc.
4) Your health....breathing fumes form 100% is rough on the lungs.

I know its counter intuitive, but its far superior to spend extra time with lighter treatments. You will get superior results with less chance of adverse effects.

Feel free to chime in with other reasons, guys!

Brandon · Guest

I appreciate the responses.

I want to go ahead and respond to the few that seem to have a problem with some of the paid members taking part in this discussion with me. I have been a member of this board since July of last year. I recently changed my business name, as my business has grown and I'm finally in a position to clean roofs in addition to the recent addition of residential and commercial pressure washing. Therefore I created a new screen name since my old one (clancysguttercleaning) is a thing of the past. I'm not a newcomer.

The recipes are not secrets, and if you have them somewhere on this site locked up for only members to see, please know that they are pasted in other threads that aren't recipe specific threads....so if they are hidden, they are still findable using the search button and being creative.

My intentions are, and have been since it was created, to become a paid member. But guys, give me a freaking break. I'm honing my skills on my roof and the roof of family members and friends. I haven't made a dime cleaning roofs yet. So to help me, is not to hurt you. I'm not a hack, and I'm not using you guys. Sorry if you don't consider me one of you because I haven't sent you $100 yet, because I will after my first one or two paid jobs. I know a lot of the misunderstanding stems from my brand new screen name, and for that I apologize. But rest assured I, as JimmyJam said, have been around this site for almost 9 months educating myself.

Guest

Hey Brandon,..I'm not a paid member,...I'll be around here to offer help to those I can. Alot of the guys here complaining sucked it all up for free also and didn't have a problem with it then.

Jeff

Brandon · Guest

Thanks Jeff. I am really grateful to this site and all of the people on it. Lots of good knowledge here.

Central Iowa Roof Cleaning · Certified Cedar Shake Roof Cleaning Specialist

jimmyjamroofcleaninman wrote:

i agree, he's getting the info just like i did. its no secret anymore. its better to welcome all than to push somebody to another site where its freely posted. i think everyone should be a paid member, including myself. as soon as i can afford to part with an extra hundred bucks i will be. but until then this side of the forum does still exist. i think everyone owes way more than 100 dollars to the rcia. i can just hope that like me, he'll stick around and become a premium member when he can afford to. i've been on here about nine months learning and haven't cleaned my first roof yet. it will be coming very soon i just wanted to be as educated about it as i could be and not rush things. anyway this has been discussed a million times on here. not trying to get into it with anyone but just my .02

Central Iowa Roof Cleaning · Certified Cedar Shake Roof Cleaning Specialist

sweetwaterfish wrote:

Brandon:

The hotter the mix, the faster it will clean. However, faster is not always better. A 30-50% mix is far superior to a 100 % mix for many reasons:

1) That SH will go somewhere, and likely that somewhere will be on the ground or plants after a rain. A lighter mix stands less chance of damage. A light shower would reactivate the SH and drop it on the plants. If there was not a heavy rain you WOULD fry the landscaping if you didn't go back and rinse again. Remember, it takes a little while for the SH to "die" up there on the roof.
2) Cost - You are literally doubling your cost by using such a hot mix.
3) Damage to the property: 100% is much more caustic than a 30-50% blend. A hot mix can eat up metal flashings, remove paint from vents, Change color of paint on drip edges, etc.
4) Your health....breathing fumes form 100% is rough on the lungs.

I know its counter intuitive, but its far superior to spend extra time with lighter treatments. You will get superior results with less chance of adverse effects.

Feel free to chime in with other reasons, guys!

Well said. Any successful business has to put the customers needs and care first!

Matthew · Guest

Actually guys...

Not to start too much debate here but the latest tech bulletins from Manufactures are now going away from SH as the salt in these solutions can effect shingle life, especially when applied year after year.

When I get the chance I'll post the link.

And the "Chlorine" evaps in less than 48 hours.

What kills the plants more times than not is the salt.

-- Edited by Matthew on Thursday 10th of March 2011 09:58:09 AM

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"