Why Smart Homeowners Prefer Soft Wash Roof Cleaning Over Pressure Washing?

Spending $7,600 on a new roof increases the value of your home by $7,980. Although a profit of merely $380 on a home remodeling project may not seem like much, it’s more than what homeowners recoup from most other projects.

In their first Remodeling Impact Report, published in 2015, the Realtor Magazine studied “the resale value and customer satisfaction of 12 interiors and eight exterior projects.” The results were unsurprising to anyone professionally involved with the selling and buying of property.

Property owners struggle to recover their cost, let alone make a profit, on most home remodeling projects, be it new hardwood floors, a hardwood refinish, or an insulation upgrade.

Surprising?

Yes!

Should you care if you are not planning to sell your home?

Certainly! Keeping your roof looking like new isn’t just about aesthetics. It has advantages other than convincing buyers to pay more for your property.

Benefits of Keeping Your Roof Clean

Four non-monetary reasons to keep your roof clean.

1. You Stay Healthy. Roofs provide the conditions mold, and fungi need for growth, namely heat from the sun, water from the atmosphere, and poor ventilation near the surface of the roof if it is covered with dirt and debris. Unchecked, mold and fungi can grow and release spores that can enter your house, populate your HVAC system, and present a health hazard for you and your family.
2. You Save on Energy Bills. A clean surface reflects a large portion of the light that falls on it. That means you can save money on air conditioning during the summer. In contrast, a dirty surface absorbs electromagnetic waves (light), heats up, forces your AC to work harder, and increases your energy bill.
3. Cleanliness Prolongs the Life of Your Roof. Moss, algae, bacteria, lichen, and mold grow at the cost of your roof. These infestations cause premature breakdown of most roofing systems. Especially asphalt shingles, the most common roof installed in the United States.
4. You Don’t Have to Worry about Pests. Pests, especially birds, vermin, and raccoons are attracted to roofs and building exteriors. When they find it covered with leaves, branches, and other debris, they often decide to make it their permanent home and location for breeding.

How Not to Clean Your Roof

Based on these facts, maintaining your roof should be a priority. It protects the property value, looks great, and even has health advantages. The next question that needs to be answered is: How should you go about that?

Before making a case for non-pressure cleaning services and soft-wash roof cleaning, let’s look at some of the alternatives.

1. Do Not Use Pressure. Cleaning contractors for years have depended on pressure washers to perform their work. While pressure washing machines will always have value for exterior cleaning, your roof is no place for cleaning with pressure. While they may have compelling arguments for their approach to cleaning roofs, the facts are that pressure washing causes irreversible damage to roofs. That’s why roofing manufacturers consistently warn against the use of pressure to clean their products.
2. Big box store chemicals. It sounds so easy; just ‘spray it on and forget about it.’ Consistent complaints and lack of results after repeated applications are the norms. The various products on the market suggest ‘rinsing’ the product off with a pressure washer… obviously what the homeowner is trying to avoid. One common product advises discontinuing use after a year if no results are achieved. The simple fact is that the various products sold to homeowners are not easy to use and are ineffective, even after months of applications.
3. Roofers, Window cleaners, and handymen. Roofers may be very qualified and experienced. A roofer knows as much about professional roof cleaning as a mechanic. Window cleaners and handymen may have years of experience and be very good at what they do. Professional roof cleaning, however, is a very specialized and dangerous job. It is not a simple add-on that can be completed by the inexperienced. They also most definitely do not have the proper insurance to clean roofs.

With three popular approaches for roof cleaning methods rejected for health risk, poor efficiency, and damage risk, is there an alternative left?

Yes, and that brings us to the safest, most efficient method to keep your roof looking and functioning awesome, non-pressure, soft-wash roof cleaning.

Manufacturers Approve of Soft-Wash Roof Cleaning

Soft wash roof cleaning does not use high pressure to apply the cleaning detergent or to rinse the roof. The chemicals used in soft-wash roof cleaning have and are highly effective and produce immediate results that last for years. To put the icing on the cake, soft-washing roof cleaning conforms to the manufacturer’s guidelines for proper cleaning procedures.

If you are considering having your roof cleaned and restored. Look for a professional non-pressure, soft wash roof cleaning contractor. Ask to see photos of the work he has completed as well as references of satisfied customers.

Pacific Exterior is Northern California’s original soft wash, roof & exterior cleaning professional. We consistently deliver amazing results with courteous, friendly, and professional customer service. We are an experienced building contractor that has installed all of the roofs that we clean and restored. Plus, we always strive to perform our duties with absolute minimal interruption to your daily routine.

An interview with Pacific Exterior owner Eric Schnaible
Bay Area Homes for Sale

Please Tell Us a Little Bit About Your Company and the Services You Offer.

We specialize in chemical soft wash cleaning of roofs and exterior surfaces.

What Are Some of the Biggest Benefits of Having Your Roof Cleaned?

Aesthetically it makes a major difference, and it is immediate. Most homeowners are shocked at the difference. This is especially valuable when trying to sell a home. Obviously, the first impression is important. When the first impression is, “I will need to replace the roof in a couple of years”, that has a big impact on the sale. After we clean a roof, the first impression will almost always be, “Great, it has a new roof.”

Also, roofs can have their service life shortened due to bacteria and algae growth. Composition asphalt shingles, the most common type of roof in this area, are susceptible to damage from algae, moss, and lichen, and it’s not just aesthetic. That is why insurance companies routinely threaten to cancel homeowners insurance if a roof is not clean.

How Often Should Roof Cleaning Be Done?

The truth is our method of roof cleaning lasts for years. We guarantee from 2 to 4 years, but 5 to 8 can be expected.

Can You Briefly Explain the Main Differences Between the Soft Wash Process and Pressure Washing?

Traditional exterior cleaning contractors use high pressure, which removes surface growths and biological contaminants with brute force. Unfortunately, this often causes damage, which we have seen countless times. This is the case even with well-meaning professional manufacturers of the most common roof and exterior building products consistently warn against using pressure to clean their products. Sometimes even voiding the warranty.

Chemical cleaning is a much gentler method that uses no more pressure than a garden hose. The results of soft washing, particularly on roofs and building exteriors, are by far superior – which is obvious in minutes. Having said that, pressure washing does have its place and is a time-tested and valuable tool for professional cleaning contractors.

Which Type of Cleaning Is More Effective for Long-Term Results? Why?

Chemical cleaning is far more effective and long-lasting. We guarantee it. Pressure washing does not kill the bacteria, it simply removes a portion of what is visible and waters it. Obviously, that is not the way to kill a plant. We have plenty of documented evidence to back up these statements. It is also noteworthy that the regrowth of the dark bacteria almost always shows the pattern of the pressure washer wand. Again, we have plenty of documented evidence of this.

Is There Something, Most People, Don’t Know About Roof and Exterior House Cleaning That They Should Know?

Yes, the cause of dirty and old-looking roofs and exteriors is almost always bacterial, it is not dirt. A proper chemical cleaning makes an amazing difference that lasts for years.

What’s the Best Way for People to Contact Your Company?

Filling out the contact form on our website or calling 831-275-1296.
Our website is www.pacificexterior.com.

First published on: 10/31/2017

Updated: 5/4/2022