Design

How to clean roofs from snow: all methods of cleaning snow, ice and icicles from the roof in various conditions. Tiled roof cleaning, water jet tile cleaning How to clean soot from metal tiles

Often the installation of the roof does not mean the complete completion of the construction: you have to work directly on the soft roof, which is prone to damage and pollution. The best remedy keeping the roof clean is the use of decking.

Ways to remove adhesive from roofing and shingles

If construction works performed on the roof without its protection, stains cannot be avoided. Each contaminant is cleaned by certain means, for example, glue stains are cleaned by the following substances.

Solution citric acid. The secret is that the adhesive is destroyed by acid, and the surface soft roof she doesn't react at all. A solution of citric acid should be applied to the stain and left for a day. If stains remain, repeat the same procedure the next day and do not stop until the marks are completely gone. Even the strongest and old spots disappear after 4-5 days of such treatment. Of course, the glue must be removed immediately after the stain appears, so that it does not have time to soak into the surface. Then it will be much easier to clean the soft roof.

Many people refuse shingles because they are afraid that such a coating will quickly lose its attractiveness. However, algae, mosses and pollution are not evil. They can be easily avoided, and when they appear - effectively removed.

How to get rid of moss on ceramic tiles

Like others Construction Materials , getting old. Pollution appears on it, mosses and algae grow. The blame for this is borne by "harmful" environmental factors (sun, rain, snow, frost, and to some extent also the location of the building).

The most difficult to maintain is ceramic tiles. Its porous surface easily absorbs dirt and is a good base for mosses, lichens and algae. Brings less problems cement-sand tiles. It is significantly more resistant to algae and dirt, but the paint needs to be refreshed from time to time.

Ideal in this sense engobed and glazed ceramic tiles. Their surface is smooth and shiny. As a result, it is much more resistant to “overgrowth” and easier to clean.

How to remove mosses and lichens from shingles

Mosses and lichens most often attack tiles located on the shaded slopes of a house or in a place protected by tree branches.

To protect against algae and mold, it is necessary paint a new coating with impregnation. It will protect not only from mosses, but also from algae and mold, which also like to populate roof slopes. However, the roof must first be thoroughly cleaned. Then it is covered silicone impregnation designed for concrete surfaces. It will not only protect the shingles from overgrowth, but also prevent engobed shingles from fading from UV rays. The impregnation also protects against the penetration of water and carbon dioxide.

If the roof is already covered in unsightly greenery, you need to get rid of it. The easiest way is to order a team that, using professional washing equipment, will remove unwanted “patina”. High-pressure water and detergent removes deposits and any other impurities.

Raw cement-sand tiles can be cleaned with water and detergent by scraping its surface with a wire brush. Engobe and glazed tiles should not be treated so cruelly, because their coating is afraid of scratches.

In untreated tiles, fungi, algae, mosses and lichens penetrate very deeply. Washing will only remove outer part. At first glance, the roof will look good, but the mycelium or roots inside the tile will sooner or later make themselves felt. Therefore, the roof is necessary coat with biocidal primer using a brush, roller or sponge.

The spread of moss on soft tiles is one of the most common problems with this type of coating. The debate about whether the moss is so harmful to the tiles and whether it must be removed is still ongoing. And the arguments on both sides are very substantial. But even if you like the look of moss on the roof of the house, sooner or later you will have to think about limiting its distribution, since the area of \u200b\u200bgreen growth on the roof will only increase with time. Methods for dealing with mosses are very different, but labor-intensive work is indispensable.

Moss-covered tiled roof. © sigroofing

Despite the fact that moss often annoys other types of roofing, it is on soft tiles that it is one of the main problems that manifest itself in almost any location of the house on the north side of the slope. And for houses located in the forest, among trees, structures with insufficient insulation or incorrect calculation of the slope, moss is completely inevitable a few years after laying over the entire roof area.

What harms moss tiles and the factors of its appearance

The destructive effect of moss on the roof is controversial: to some extent, such a coating plays the role of additional protection and protects the tiles from destruction. But the concomitant effects of moss and lichens on roofing materials and construction are negative, and all tile manufacturers, without exception, argue that such an aesthetic decoration should be disposed of as quickly as possible. And there are a number of reasons for this:

Moss retains moisture.
The growth affects the impact of negative temperatures and the transition from positive to negative indicators, which are very poorly tolerated by all types of tiles, especially soft roofs.
Moss and lichens provide an ideal environment for bacteria, dust, and other plants to thrive, as well as for beetles, ants, and other insects.
Moss has almost no effect on the coating itself and the structure of the tiles, which cannot be said about the reliability of fastening. Most tile firms claim that moss increases the gap between roofing elements.

Of course, on the other hand, mosses absorb moisture that can penetrate the material and protect it from destruction by water. But this "plus" does not outweigh Negative influence mosses.

Moss and lichens are considered a particular problem in soft roofing. Despite all the beauty, this material requires a specific approach and special conditions. Roofing materials that have a porous, rough surface are most affected by mosses and lichens. This applies not only soft tiles, but also cement-sand, composite, ceramic, ordinary metal tiles with a matte finish, and even asbestos-cement sheets.

The factors leading to the spread of moss are the same for all types of roofs. Mosses and lichens threaten the roof when the laying is disturbed or the roof is excessively dirty, for example, in a forest or near large trees. The proximity of a swamp or pond increases the likelihood of their spread.

Moss usually appears on the north and northwest sides of the roof. You can notice the first traces of damage to the roof by lichens and moss not earlier than 3, and most often 5 years after laying the material.

Fighting moss is more difficult than preventing its appearance. Important preventive measures are to prevent the accumulation of dirt, dust, leaves, sand, stagnation of moisture, warming of materials on the roof, and compliance with the quality of work. Prevention is the best method of dealing with both in the case of building a house covered with soft tiles, and when you choose other materials.

Even at the planning stage, you should think about how to provide for measures to prevent the appearance of moss and lichen. Special rolled copper materials in the form of tapes and thin copper mesh are installed under the tiles and the ridge element even before laying, but such “linings” are still not very popular with us.

If you are faced with the problem of moss and lichens on tiles, then you should not despair: there are many methods of struggle, and everyone can choose their own option.

Mechanical or physical methods of moss control

To cope with moss with a simple treatment with magical miracle preparations without removing the already appeared moss and pollution from the roof will not work. Cleaning your shingles of dirt buildup can be seen as the primary method of dealing with the problem, or as the first step towards getting rid of moss for good. But in any case, such cleaning will have to be carried out.

Mechanical cleaning of tiles from moss. © cotswoldperiodroofing

There are two methods for mechanically removing moss from shingles:

The most reliable, productive and popular is cleaning with a powerful mini-sink, in which jets of water under pressure will completely rid you of moss on the surface of the tiles and other contaminants. At the same time, it must be remembered that for these purposes only high-power sinks are used and work must be carried out not from the bottom up, but from the top down, directing the jets along the tiles, from the ridge to the eaves so that the jet does not overlap or under the material.
Manual cleaning with brushes and water. This is a more time-consuming method, and less productive. Not only whether all formations can be removed, but also possible damage to the material itself depends on the thoroughness of the work. It is necessary to work with the roof very carefully, but at the same time as scrupulously as possible, removing all dirt and plant residues from the roof. For washing, use hard and medium-hard brushes only made of natural bristles. First, the moss is removed by dry processing, and then the entire roof is thoroughly washed, getting rid of the remnants of dirt and plants.

It should be borne in mind that manual or mechanical cleaning of the roof from moss is a temporary measure and will get rid of this problem for up to a maximum of 1 year. If you want to limit yourself to mechanical treatments, then get ready for the fact that the cleaning procedures for tiles will have to be repeated regularly. If you want to get rid of the need to carry out the complex procedure of washing the roof at a height associated with danger and considerable physical activity, then after cleaning it is necessary to take measures to prevent the appearance of moss and lichens in the future.

Copper "rescuers" from moss on the roof

In order to get rid of the problem of soft roof fouling without chemicals, you need to use copper-containing preparations or install a special device on the roof that enriches with copper ions. rain water and preventing the spread of moss. After all, it is copper that is the simplest and most reliable assistant among the natural enemies of moss.

Special copper-containing products can be found in hardware stores and specialized companies. Today, their range is expanding significantly, and despite the considerable cost, such drugs are highly effective in the fight against moss. Most often, such drugs are labeled precisely as means intended for the destruction of moss.

There are also so-called structural processing methods associated with the use of copper. The easiest method is to install a copper brush on the ridge, special boards or plates made of copper. They are mounted from above, cost a lot, require fastening with copper nails, but are very effective (this is how they deal with the problem in Scandinavia).

Another universal and more affordable method is the fight against mosses on tiles using copper sulphate treatment. This method works best after the moss has been removed by washing or by hand. Spraying tiles with mortar blue vitriol allows you to prevent the appearance of moss for many years.

If you use this method of struggle as the main one without mechanical cleaning, then in order to cope with the problem, you will have to resort to several treatments and continue to carry them out regularly. Traditionally, the same concentration of the solution is recommended as when working with fruit trees- from 350 to 500 ml per 10 liters of water.

Chemicals and herbicides against moss on the roof

Soft tile manufacturers recommend using a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach mixed with 10 parts water to control moss on the north side of the roof. Such a solution is applied to the surface of the roof with a sponge, always in the direction from the ridge to the eaves.

If necessary, large growths from lichen are first removed with soft brushes, and then the roof is treated with a solution. But the use of such a solution cannot but affect the plants growing near the house and can harm the ecology of the garden. In order for this method to be effective and not harm your site, all liquid must be collected, drains should be monitored and the solution should not be splashed into the surrounding area during operation.

In addition, bleach can also damage facade materials, windows, wooden structures. Yes, and the processing will have to be carried out regularly, 2 times a year, in spring and autumn, on calm days with an air temperature of 5 to 15 degrees Celsius.

It is much easier to use special products designed to combat mosses and lichens on the roof, many of which are biologics. Basically, such specialized formulations are produced by Scandinavian countries. They are applied with a sponge or a spray gun, they last up to 4 years and, if you choose the right product, are absolutely safe for the garden. True, it is still difficult to find them here, and the price makes one think about the feasibility of such a method.

Roof moss can be controlled with any systemic herbicide designed for garden plants. Treatment with a solution of the drug allows you to completely destroy the colony of moss and lichens. The treatment method - spraying or hand washing - requires taking into account possible harm to the body, taking protective measures and affects the surrounding areas (for example, you will not be able to use the terrace for several weeks).

You can deal with mosses and algae cleaners, but their impact on the ecology of the garden is even more devastating.

To protect a manually cleaned or washed roof, special antiseptics for ceramics, concrete and stone and various protective impregnations are suitable, but when using them, the type of roof must be taken into account. Yes, and there is always a risk of whitening the roof and violating the aesthetics of materials.

It is possible to prevent the spread of moss by increasing the smoothness of the surface and improving the rolling of water by additionally coating the tiles with a special protective varnish or silicone impregnation (if the roofing material allows).

The happy owners of which you have recently become, were installed correctly, that is, the installation was carried out by exceptional professionals whom you completely trust, then such a roof can last more than thirty years. The same can be said about installing siding, wall panels and other elements, both interior and exterior. If knowledgeable people take up the work, then it will always last a long time and at the same time its quality will not suffer at all.

But, if you have chosen for your country house, which is located in the suburbs or within Russian Federation, then you need to be prepared for the fact that throughout the entire period of its existence it will have to deal with bad weather and aggressive environment. She can't handle this on her own. Your help is needed here. There are a few simple tricks that everyone can follow to keep their roof in proper and decent condition.

To start, each metal roofing must be subjected to an inspection of its general condition. Each sheet of corrugated board is covered with a protective polymer layer. This layer contains zinc. But over time, even such a durable material as galvanized steel collapses under the influence of constant moisture, which falls on it in the form of snow or rain. And on the territory of Russia, both abound. In addition, if you live in an industrial area, then pollution can be more serious. And getting rid of them is not so easy, and they destroy that same protective coating much more intensively. In this case, you are required to simply regularly monitor the condition of the roof. Especially intense attention should be paid to the roof in spring and autumn.

Whereas, it is in your personal interest to ensure that it lasts as long as possible without losing its attractive and luxurious appearance. So foliage and other pollution inevitably settle on the roof. Leaves need to be removed regularly, as well as snow, because it begins to rot. This creates excess moisture on the roof surface. And we all know that excess moisture is the formation of corrosion, which brings nothing but destruction.

In order to remove dirt from the roof, you can use plain water and arm yourself with an additional soft brush. Remember that you can only clean the roof of snow with a plastic shovel or other device made of plastic. If you take the same metal shovel, it will scratch the surface of the metal tile and can simply scrape off the protective polymer layer, which then will be quite difficult and expensive to restore. If even water does not help in the fight for a clean roof, then we recommend that you seek the help of cleaning agents that will help to clean the tiles much more effectively. But detergents that are not intended for such use can only harm the roof, again corroding protective layer. After you have used the appropriate detergent don't forget to wash it off. It is necessary to wash off only in the direction from the ridge to the eaves.

For our part, we offer not only the installation of a roofing system, but also its repair, as well as facade cladding with profile basement siding viola. So you do not have to deal with the search for a work team that could do one of the above jobs.