Time for a house washing?

Your probably reading this article because your house has some form of algae or moss growing on it and you said to yourself “YES its time for a house washing!!”

Don’t you miss the days when you could stand back and gleam with pride about how fresh and clean your homes exterior was? Life’s busy sometimes washing the house is too big of a task and gets pushed down further and further on the “hunny do” list, or have you been caught looking at the exterior and ask yourself where do I start?

First lets start with the unwelcome guests that have shacked up on your homes exterior. In Vancouver we are lucky to have very mild winters, as I am writing this folks of Chicago are cursing us, since we are bragging about blooming flowers and they are fighting -60 degrees F wind chill factors, I wonder if they have forgotten about Cody Parkey yet…

Anyways with our mild weather and heavy rains this climate is perfect for algae, moss and lichen to set up shop and leave your exterior looking drab. The green slime that grows on your siding is a mix of algae and dirt, it first starts growing in shady areas and mostly the north side of your home but will eventually make its way everywhere. The only thing the algae and dirt is hurting is your curb appeal and pride however, that pesky moss on your roof could be leading to the deterioration of your shingle warranty and lifespan of roof.

Untreated moss can lead to shingle deterioration and voided warranties.

Is my warranty being voided?

This may not be something that you are thinking about when looking at your roof, the common thought is moss and those nasty black streaks are just an aesthetics or curb appeal concern. Have a look at your standard warranty for your asphalt shingles there is likely a clause that states “We do not cover the effects of other growth, such as moss, lichen and green algae.” Ok so what are some of the effects of other growths? Since moss acts as a sponge it does not allow your roof to dry out fully, and since moss tends to grow in the edges and gaps of the shingles it can lead to the seals being pushed up and increasing the chance of wind damage, and in severe cases can end up allowing water to wick up to the underlayment eventually leading to mold growth and decay of the sheathing.

Insurance companies have recognized this concern as well and may start asking for a certificate of a clean roof from a certified contractor.

How do I properly clean my roof?

Roof cleaning is something that needs to be left to the pros, it can be very dangerous and requires specialized equipment to ensure the shingles are not damaged during the cleaning process! And no a pressure washer is not that specialized equipment!

When hiring a contractor to clean your roof ensure they use a softwash method that adheres to the guidelines laid out by ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association) and always follow WorkSafeBC guidelines when working on roofs as well carry the proper insurance associated with working at heights.

Lyonridge Property Services can rescue your roof and siding we specialize in exterior Softwashing including house washing and roof cleaning so give us a call today 778 772 5432 for a free “Home Exterior Health Report” or visit our website www.lyonridgeservices.com to learn more about our Softwashing Service.