How To Pressure Wash Your Roof, Gutter and Soffits
Every year, I see my neighbors hiring professional cleaning services to clean their roof. Personally I don’t call on experts to have my house cleaned dry. For the roof, gutters and soffits I prefer cleaning them personally at a fraction of the cost using a pressure washer. In fact, a pressure washer can help in removing lichens, ugly moss and other deposits from the roof.
Just ensure that you take the necessary precautions and are careful as cleaning the roof needs some sort of elevation.
Pressure Washing The Roof
Before starting, let me point out that a pressure washer has enough force to damage shingles of your roof. Hence, it is vital that you select an appropriate spray tip. My recommendation is to start with a medium spray pattern and adjust accordingly based on how much force you are exerting on the shingles. To start off with, stand on any dry portion of the roof and wet shingles away from you. Begin from one corner moving away towards the other end as standing on wet shingles can be a disaster in the waiting.
Always aim the pressure washer downwards so that water flows away from you and keep the wand tip elevated at least one foot over the surface. Also, pointing the pressure washer upwards can push the shingles upwards leaking water into your home.
Slowly move across the room covering a few shingles at once and change the power as required. It is necessary that you assess roof damage before pressure washing so that you know which areas to avoid cleaning. Broken shingles should be washed by hand or else a pressure washer can further damage them.
How to Pressure Wash Your Roof
Pressure Washing Gutters And Soffits
Unlike the roof, gutters and soffits require more care and attention. Moreover, they are tough to keep clean. When you use a pressure washer to clean soffits and gutters, you need to be careful not to damage the roof.
Follow these steps and things should be alright:
- Rinse At First – Start by rinsing the gutters and soffits using plain water. This is essential to wash away unwanted dirt and loose debris. Plus it reduces dripping waste water and decreases the chances of spotting or streaks. Moreover, the gutters and soffits may contain detergent used in other parts of the house so it is essential to remove them before applying detergent.
- Spray – Pressure washing soffits and gutters requires a high pressure spray pattern. Plus you have to be consistent and thorough so as not to leave any dirty water in the gutters.
- Keep Dry – One of the last things you want after rinsing and spraying is to leave the soffits wet. It is critical to the integrity of the house, soffits and gutters that you dry the entire work area after cleaning. The best way to ensure this is to aim the pressure washer stream ahead and away to one side. This also keeps you dry while cleaning avoiding contact with dripping water.