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

Stay Clean wrote:

---

This is to all the pros out there. Im using water, SH, TSP, Borax, and Gain soap as surfactant. After spraying a roof with "applesauce" mix the gloecapsa magma turns orange. This has happened to me on shingle, tile, and painted metal roofs. I can rinse some of the orange off with a garden hose but if the roof is really black its still really orange when I leave. I can also dial down the pressure on the machine and use a 4-nozzle water broom attachment on the wand to mist off the orange but this takes more time and I dont like using any pressure on shingles.

1. Is the orange color from a weak or wrong mix?

2. Will heavy rain, sun, and time wash away the orange from the roof?

Open to suggestions. If more info is needed ask and I will give.

---

 How are you applying it, what kind of pump

Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa FL (813) 655-8777 wrote:

---

How are you applying it, what kind of pump

---

 Wow you guys respond quick, thanks. Chris, I'm using a 12v Delavan 5850 pump shot through 200' 1/2" poly hose.

I have had Algea that was a blackish almost burgandy redish color an as I was cleaning it it turned a yelowish orange. I let it sit on the roof for awhile and then did a second coat. I alway tell customers that it will come completly clean over time and a few rain storms. How hot is your mix.

Mr Maintenance wrote:

---

I have had Algea that was a blackish almost burgandy redish color an as I was cleaning it it turned a yelowish orange. I let it sit on the roof for awhile and then did a second coat. I alway tell customers that it will come completly clean over time and a few rain storms. How hot is your mix.

---

 Thanks, I'll try a second coat next time before the final rinse. Two coats means double the chemicals and cost though. But it can be hard to tell customers its only half clean and that they have to wait for rain storms. Im in s. FL (palm beach county) so its the dry season here. No rain in weeks. If one coat and rain storms work then they will have to wait it out. 

I'll ask my supplier but I think the SH is 10.5%. I mix 1 part SH, 2 part water, thats 3.5% SH. Sometimes a 50/50 mix on tile but I rarely need it that strong.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:

---

Stay Clean Im glad you got your situation under control. Whats your name? Where you from? You got a website, phone number, etc? Theres a section to fill out a bio and signature. Welcome!

---

 No guys I'm not a Jersey boy, I'm another Florida boy (Palm Beach County). My name is Kevin (24). I'm just a small time guy that does pressure cleaning as a side job and started roof washing in 2012 summer. Read alot of forums and seen countless videos about the subject before I decided to buy the right equipment and take the plunge into roofs. That investement has paid off. I get an average of 5-10 roofs a month. Word of mouth keeps me busy. If business keeps up, who knows, maybe I will turn this into a business like all of you one day. Still learning every day. I only do things one time and one way, thats the right way. If people want to pay the premium for a chemical cleaning thats great for me. If not, then they can get a non-american worker to blast away their shingles for half the price but they will pay for it with a new roof. Or the guys that take driveway surface cleaners up on a tile roof, I think thats a joke, its harder and more dangerous to do it that way and the roof is black again in about a year. I tell my people their roofs will stay clean 2-4 years. Anyway, just wanted to make sure I was on the right track. Sounds like a second coat and/or mother nature will take care of my yellow/orange/brown problem.

Stay Clean wrote:

---

Roof Cleaning Palm Harbor FL 727 543 3276 wrote:

---

  So you rinsed it and it was still orange / nasty??? We don't rinse any of our roofs.Also most of the roofs we clean take at least 2 coats. Remember, most customers will only call when their roof gets nasty. Worried about cost? Charge for what the job requires to cover your cost.

---

 Yes sir, I rinse with the garden hose and it takes some of the orange dead algae off but some of it remains inbeded in the shingle and leaves behind an orange tint, especially with grey shingles that were black. Rinsing takes more time but gets a good amount of the chemical off the roof so that if a light rain comes the next day the chems dont run off the roof and kill plants. Some rinse, some dont, either way works. Yes most customers only call when the roof is black or the HOA gives them the letter. If I need 2 coats I will start charging for 2 coats.

---

 Grey Shingles are always a challenge !!!!! Remember, the Mix itself is Yellow ?  Sometimes, it takes a couple of coats to clean a Grey roof. When bidding a roof always ask what COLOR the shingles are, if you can't see the roof.  We always try to get a little extra for grey or white shingles, since they seem to always want 2 or 3 coats to clean up nice.

Stay Clean wrote:

---

Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa FL (813) 655-8777 wrote:

---

 Grey Shingles are always a challenge !!!!! Remember, the Mix itself is Yellow ?  Sometimes, it takes a couple of coats to clean a Grey roof. When bidding a roof always ask what COLOR the shingles are, if you can't see the roof.  We always try to get a little extra for grey or white shingles, since they seem to always want 2 or 3 coats to clean up nice.

---

 Thanks to all for helping. Yes, grey shingle and white barrel tile are a challenge, brown shingle and red barrel tile not as challenging as these roofs blend the color well after spraying. I will keep using the same mix but start using 2 coats (and up the price for cleaning) and let the rain hopefully wash the rest away over time.

---

 When using TSP, it is always best to allow it to soak overnight in water. You can mix the Borax and TSP in the water you plan to use, and let both soak overnight, then add chlorine just before you clean.

Makes a difference!