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hickeys45 · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Potassium Monopersulphate

hickeys45 · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Thanks guys.

Ray do you think that it helped the mix clean better? I seem to be going from from one false dawn to another with roof cleaning. When I look at the results that you guys get on shingle and compare it to what I get on cement fibre slate I get depressed. I don't even want to think about the prices you can charge to what I can charge over here. I'm starting to think that the temperature on the day has a lot to do with it, would making the mix with warm water improve the results

Thanks again
Michael

-- Edited by hickeys45 on Saturday 10th of November 2012 06:25:48 PM

gutterdog · Nov 10, 2012

never heard of that?

gutterdog · Nov 10, 2012

For gutters we are switching from sodium hydroxide to potassium.

gutterdog · Nov 10, 2012

Testing.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

What Micheal is referring to is also known as "Fresh and Clear" and you can get it at Leslies Pool Supply. It will boost your SH, and make it very active, but it will also burn up you mix in a matter of hours. I've used it to "stretch " my SH when I've been in short supply on jobs, but in the AM, everything in your tank will be reduced to soapy saltwater.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Couple of ideas:
1) cement fiber is harder to clean than tile. You'll need a pretty damn hot mix, 50/50 Id guess. It also need a few good solid rains to rinse off the dead algae. So I wouldn't necessarily promise same day results on that type roofing.
2) temps have everything to do with cleaning! That being said, I don't think warm or hot water would be able to substantially heat up your roof enough to make a difference. Warm, extended sunshine is the only thing that helps temp wise.

You should message Chris Tucker with some questions. He's an expert at tweaking mixes. And yes the PM will help boost your mix up.

RCIA Founder

Michael, the cleaning chemical works best at warmer temperatures, and on Sunny days. Your worst nightmare is a cold CLOUDY day.

Some roof cleaners first spray a section of the roof with very warm water first, to warm it up. Then, they use a strong mixture (the warm water you have used on the roof will dilute the mix). Some added TSP (trisodium phosphate) jacks up the cleaning ability of the mix, soap (surfactant) keeps the mix on the roof longer (increases dwell time). Some guys use the Potassium monosulfate, to make the roof cleaning mix even more strong. Cleaning in the winter is always a challenge, but ALWAYS try to pick a non cloudy Day, if possible.

The cold slows down the oxidation reaction, and it is not unusual to have to wait up to 30 minutes to see any results!

garyw · Nov 11, 2012

Perhaps the SH in IRELAND isn't as strong as SH in the USA. How fresh is your SH?

hickeys45 · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

Thanks everyone. garyw the SH is 12%, it comes in 25ltr drums and probably isn't as fresh as the SH you guys buy. I bought my SH about six weeks ago and it is stored outside. Would this adversely affect the potency of the SH?

I have found on the last 2 roofs we did a) The mix didn't clean near as well as in warm weather even though we left it dwell for ages and reapplied it twice. b) White residue was left on some of the slate. I think that it is some cement fibre leeching out from under the slate. The underside of the slate not being sealed in the manufacturing process.

The north facing side of the roof is always the side with the most moss, lichen and Gleocapsa Magma. The problem here in Ireland at this time of year is that the north facing side of the roof does not get any sun during the day, so will not heat up at all.

If we could heat up the roof and apply a hotter mix then we should get better results?

garyw · Nov 11, 2012

That might be part of the problem. How old was the SH when you bought it 6 weeks ago? Don't know who your supplier is, but in my area, UNIVAR is a major supplier, and uses a code on the lot # label like this. CI10262345. the CI stands for Cinn. Ohio which is where it was made. The next 5 numbers are the date it was made, meaning Oct. 26, 2012. SH is typically good for 30 days before it starts to loose strength depending how and where it was stored. If what you bought was outside in the sun and heat, and was already 45-90 days old and then you kept it for another 6 weeks, It was probably around 4-5% when you used it. If your supplier cannot provide you with fresh SH, find another company to buy from. Check your local water company, chemical supply company, pool supply company, uniform supply company that washes uniforms, etc.

Freshness makies ALL the difference in the world.

garyw · Nov 11, 2012

You guys are correct about cold weather slowing down the de-grading process. However we have not had any cold weather yet, and I don't think IRELAND has either. Lets just say the SH was 45 days old when it was purchased 6 weeks ago. It is now a little over 12 weeks old, which puts it manufacture date back around the week of August 26. Plenty of hot weather for almost 2.5 months that could very well downgrade the potency. We are talking about usuage NOW, not next spring.

Honestly, how many of you guys would buy 3+ month old Sh and hope it worked as it should??

-- Edited by garyw on Sunday 11th of November 2012 07:25:41 PM

Nov 11, 2012

I know Gary is a very intelligent person especially in this area but I have to say the following. I have had up to thirty or forty gallons of SH left over from the end of November and used it the following April and have found no problems with it. This Sh has sat out in the freezing weather and worked perfectly for me. I figure after this week I will have twenty gals or so left and I am not worried. No sun all day going to be tuff.....heat up that water to the max add your SH and hit it. Remember there is always warm weather a couple of months away.

SEE OUR WORK HERE!!! · Guest

Pat, I also have had leftover SH the last three years that has worked the following season.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Nov 11, 2012

The cold will keep it fresh with little deterioration. I always have 50+ gallons left from December to March and I don't see a lick of difference in strength. 4 months in hot weather would be a different story.

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
The cold will keep it fresh with little deterioration. I always have 50+ gallons left from December to March and I don't see a lick of difference in strength. 4 months in hot weather would be a different story.

Exactly what Ed said!

gutterdog · Nov 12, 2012

Apex Roof Cleaning wrote:
Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
The cold will keep it fresh with little deterioration. I always have 50+ gallons left from December to March and I don't see a lick of difference in strength. 4 months in hot weather would be a different story.
Exactly what Ed said!

What he said!

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Nov 12, 2012

gutterdog wrote:
Apex Roof Cleaning wrote:
Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
The cold will keep it fresh with little deterioration. I always have 50+ gallons left from December to March and I don't see a lick of difference in strength. 4 months in hot weather would be a different story.
Exactly what Ed said!
What he said!

Yeah, that.

Guest

The biggest part to that gary is you just never know. Also the potasium monopersulfate will boost the sh so much that it wont matter how old the sh gets. I always add it to my mix every year starting in november. It allows me to use less sh and clean just as fast.

Nov 12, 2012

wow really Mike? It works that well with the cold? No time wasted standing around waiting?

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