Cleaning your Colorbond roof
Metal roofing is very popular in Australia for good reason, as it checks a lot of important boxes like durability, low maintenance, easy and fast installation, longevity. Since the roof is one of the most important parts of a house, the one that practically makes it habitable, maintaining it properly ensures the comfort of your home for decades to come. (Sydney Colorbond Roofing Installation Service)
About the Colorbond Roof
Of all metal roofing brands, Colorbond is one of the most popular for both businesses and homeowners. This brand, manufactured by Bluescope, appeals to a wide range of customers due to its lightweight, longevity and affordability. It also has a sleek appearance with a large variety of colours.
The Colorbond roof is greatly appreciated for its smooth surface that allows weather elements like water and snow to slide right off the roof even when the roof’s pitch is low or not at all. This quality allows easier cleaning too, which saves a lot of time and effort.
Apart from the fact that there are many roof colours to choose from, the colour on the Colorbond roof is bonded to the metal, which means that you won’t have to paint the Colorbond roof as often as you would do other roof metal types.
As with any other metal roof however, you need to install an acoustic barrier under the metal sheath to make sure that the noise is muted as much as possible, as it could be a problem during heavy rains and hail.
Why cleaning your roof is important
Periodical cleaning of the roof is really important in order to maintain its integrity by removing dirt and any particles from the surface of the roof that could compromise it. While the painting system used for Colorbond roof is long-lasting and designed to withstand harsh elements, it should still be maintained to ensure that the resin and the coating remain intact over time.
Among the particles that can land on your roof outside of your control there could be dust and airborne dirt, pollen that can be very sticky, plant spores building up in deposits, pollution residues, rust from water and acid rain, and mould and mildew as a direct result.
Keeping your roof clean is keeping your investment in the best condition to give the expected return.
Check out the Bluescope Steel website for more detailed information on the process of cleaning and maintaining Colorbond Roof in Australia.
How to clean your roof
There are a number of ways to clean your roof depending of the type of dirt you need to clean:
- You could use a sponge, washcloth or a soft brush, with water and a non-abrasive detergent
- You could use water alone with a power jet
- You might need to use a high-power cleaning agent
If your roof is affected by algae, which result in dark or black patches on your roof, you would have 2 methods to clean those up:
- Chemical Washing: you can use your roof using chemicals specially designed for roofs, among which chlorine and sodium solutions are the most common used for the Colorband roof.
- Pressure Washing: this can be a very effective method if done properly. It’s better to start at the top and move down to get good use of gravity for the water splashing around. The wand should be at 30 cm for the roof for an efficient result and the pressure should be better at medium, at least at the beginning. Do pay attention at your step as algae are slippery, try to stand on a dry area and then on a cleaned one.
Colorbond roofs are made for Australian conditions. (Image credit: colorbond.com)
Products for roof cleaning
For normal dirt, dust and other non-abrasive elements you can simply use water, hosing down your roof thoroughly until they are completely removed. If there are patches that need more applied cleaning, you can use a sponge or a soft brush with laundry detergent, or mild dish soap, or car washing soap and water. Industrial or commercial detergents can also be used with hot or cold water, just let the mixture act on the more difficult dirt for 10 minutes before removing it.
Other products that can be used for roof cleaning are the solvents, which are useful for stains of tar, graffitti, grease oil and paint. Solvents can be petroleum or non-petroleum based. For Colorbond roofs you should use alcohol, mineral spirits and VM&P Naphtha.
While using solvents make sure that you use protective equipment and goggles and the area is well ventilated. You should also keep them away from flames or sparkles as they are often flammable.
Who should do the roof cleaning
While many homeowners might be inclined to do the cleaning themselves, it would be recommended that this activity is left to professionals, for at least two reasons. On one hand, working on the roof might be dangerous due to the roof pitch and its height (even if it’s flat), and on the other hand, a professional team would provide a professional result, making sure that the roof is thoroughly cleaned with the most suitable methods and products. All Beaches Roofing company in Sydney is ready to help in this respect, please contact us if you need help or just want to know more.