[Scott Dean]

I've picked up a garage roof clean (double garage with pitched roof about 20 years old) that needs the moss and general build up of crud taken off. As I currently don't own a jet wash or lance I'm going to hire them from my local tool shop but I was mainly wondering what biocide (if that's the right word) would I need to treat it with to stop the fungus and/or moss growing back??

I'm cleaning it this coming Friday so any suggestions would be great..,

[mike roberts]

Have you any pressure washing experience ? 

[Scott Dean]

Nope, but I've already priced it and it's an existing widow cleaning client.
Not much choice now but to do it

[Blast Away]

Hope you've put in your price to replace the tiles you're about to break then.

Hiring a pressure washer, you'll need more than the standard length of hose that they will be supplying you.

[mike roberts]

so you know all about turbo nozzles (surprised hire company supplies machine with turbos) actual machine should be fitted with bypass as there will be periods when m/c will be running 'hot' not in use - good bye pump. Youre fully insured in case of accidents ....atleast 2 people on the job for safety one on roof + ground operator ...  youre fully supported on roof via harness / ropes for safety....... and the list goes on.....   

[Blast Away]

so you know all about turbo nozzles (surprised hire company supplies machine with turbos) actual machine should be fitted with bypass as there will be periods when m/c will be running 'hot' not in use - good bye pump. Youre fully insured in case of accidents ....atleast 2 people on the job for safety one on roof + ground operator ...  youre fully supported on roof via harness / ropes for safety....... and the list goes on.....   

Well put. Never see a hired PW have a turbo.
All the Brendon bowsers you see Speedy Hire putting on sites have a smashed in fan lance with a damaged nozzle.
Bypassing round the pump head. I've seen some sights but in all it f**kin' annoys me that these get put on sites for labourers to use. 15 meters of hose average.

[drive surgeon]

was looking into roof cleaning, but i hate heights and the mess must be horrendous. was thinking it must be easier to use some sort of vacuum like a gutter vac to suck the moss off instead of creating a massive sludgy mess down below?

blast away-    any ideas? as there are loads of roofs everywhere that need washing off as full of moss. people dont really want the tiles clean they just want rid of the moss?  there is a market for some sort of suction kit to suck it all off!!  

[drive surgeon]

i dont fancy being at the top of a 3 bed semi on the peak blasting down moss everywhere? i know mosmatic do a rotary washer you can use on a rope but some roofs are to up and down with u shapes in the tiles so its useless/

[Blast Away]

i dont fancy being at the top of a 3 bed semi on the peak blasting down moss everywhere? i know mosmatic do a rotary washer you can use on a rope but some roofs are to up and down with u shapes in the tiles so its useless/

Them Mosmatic roof cleaners are a load of s****.

Got 2 roof cleans on next week. One of which is having their driveway cleaned too. It's not too bad. Average about 4 rubble sacks of moss. I go up on the roof to clean and have our kid on the ground brushing and bagging up. We take 2 machines and he'll have the back of the house cleaned before I've finished the front, then both jump on the front. Do a full 3 bed semi in 3-4 hours. Extent of moss depending.

[mike roberts]

you obviously clean ground level using the likes of mosmatic and bloody whirlaways, sure you will agree there are times when they do not remove all the algae and you have to revert to turbos same applies to the mosmatic roof cleaner ... works ok but does not remove all the algae as turbos do!   the results you achieve are not good enough especailly if you intend to coat or seal the tiles.

If anyone intends to carry out roof cleaning at least gain experience on the ground pressure washing : - some of the sites you see on the net with guys advertising roof cleaning are f##king crazy ... seen it all muppets using whirlaways on the roof!! sorry for rant but drives me nuts

[Scott Dean]

Thanks for the comments, but I appreciate that its not an easy job but what I'm after is what biocide should I use to treat against regrowth of the moss and fungus??

[mike roberts]

We use several products best one seems to be 'Iso A-Clean Fungicidal Wash''
we have to use this product if we are applying coatings for their manu guarantee.
Wear full ppe as can burn  nice eh

Easily applied thro washer using chem feed

Dont mean to have a go at u  but always surpised when customers dont check experience / back ground of people they allow to 'run over' their roofs!!

As previous posts have said u can cause servere damage to the roof and urself!

[drive surgeon]

sounds tricky 

[Scott Dean]

Hi again, I totally understand she came to me as she trusts my work. I did however explain to her that I hadn't don't it before but was willing to give it a shot. So thats what I've been doing today.
I ended up using a roofing ladder and Honda 6.5hp washer I'd both hired. Luckily the length of hose on the lance was more than adequate. It was hard work as I could have done with a bit more power and that flat spray nozel Just about did the job...
On a plus side I quite enjoyed it and I didn't break a single tile...

Hmmm this might be another angle for my business in the future, with the correct setup of course

[Rob_Mac]

Scott

Well done. Nothing complicated about roof cleaning (nothing complicated about any cleaning!!!). Apply common sense and you wont go far wrong.

Rob

[mike roberts]

Yer well done. Ur still alive

New to this site just believe in being honest ...  If someone is starting off roof cleaning realise the costs to do it properly and SAFE.
We are IPAF trained never been able to use boom (makes access far easier) for domestic situ due to the weight of the machines 2 ton + not many people would be happy for that to go on a drive let alone patio. - hence you have to go on roof - ladders or walk on tiles!!

If you are going to do it do it safely !! must be 2 people min safety! Use roof ladders + ropes for safety again! scafolding is crap because it only acts as a net to catch falling operatives! Proper m/c £1500 gutter vac £800 ladders £200 + insurance - do that and you will beat alot of the so called 'professional' roof cleaners