Non-Painted, Galvanized Metal Roofing... Need Help! - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Jason Heath · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Non-Painted, Galvanized Metal Roofing... Need Help!

Chris Madden · Lead Tech Certified

Jason,

I have not cleaned any metal roofs, as we do not have any around my service area. so what I am going to say is my opinion on this job, and how I would takle it. Maybe some others with Metal Roof experience can chime in.

Because it is metal Galv. I would not use a full strength roof mix. I would go to a 2% mix, let it dwell and clean the surface. This will take longer to come clean because of the milder mix but it will clean. If the roof did not clean up to my satisfaction, I would spray a second coat. After I was happy with the results, I would rinse with BLEACH WASH to neutralize the effect of the SH on the metal via One Batch or injection.

Good luck on securing this job, if you need help with it I can come up there one day, your about 2.5hrs from here.

Chris

Doug Rucker · UAMCC Officer

I ahve cleaned a few metal roofs here in Houston. Do it exactly as Chris said. They clean up real easy.

Greg Nash · Freshmen Member

Spray it from a ladder metal roofs can get slippery

Paul Freeman · Junior Member

I've always used soap, hot water, and a brush to clean galvanized painted or unpainted roofs, including the roof on my own place. I've never used a SH solution because very screw has a rubber gasket and I've been afraid that SH could contribute to deteriorating the gaskets. The sun is hard enough on those gaskets as it is, causing them to get brittle over time. I just recently learned about Green/Bleach Wash so the next time I need to wash my roof I'm going to try a 1% mix solution (because I never let my roof get that dirty). That will probably make brushing it a bit easier (and reduce the overall time it takes to get the job done), rinse with clean water, and then hit it with a bleach wash solution.

Unless the roof is fairly new, I think brushing produces a better result, mainly because the metal pits over time.

I've never completely soft washed a metal roof, so I'm speaking of my old approach which included the use of a pressure washer and no more than 800psi, because my burner won't kick in until 800psi or better. Even then, I throttle the pressure down when going rinsing along those screw rows. Next time I do mine, I going to try soft wash with no pw.

I'd be interested to hear how others approach metal roofs because we have A LOT of them down here.

Jason Heath · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Palmetto Power Wash wrote:
Jason,
I have not cleaned any metal roofs, as we do not have any around my service area. so what I am going to say is my opinion on this job, and how I would takle it. Maybe some others with Metal Roof experience can chime in.
Because it is metal Galv. I would not use a full strength roof mix. I would go to a 2% mix, let it dwell and clean the surface. This will take longer to come clean because of the milder mix but it will clean. If the roof did not clean up to my satisfaction, I would spray a second coat. After I was happy with the results, I would rinse with BLEACH WASH to neutralize the effect of the SH on the metal via One Batch or injection.
Good luck on securing this job, if you need help with it I can come up there one day, your about 2.5hrs from here.

Chris

Thanks for the suggestion Chris! That's really awesome of you to offer to help a brother out like that!

Jason Heath · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

splash wrote:
Spray it from a ladder metal roofs can get slippery

Thanks for the advice, Greg!

Ray Burke · Community Member

What ever you do, don't step on a soapy metal roof!!!!!!! I clean them pretty frequently here in Tallahassee, but most are painted/coated. I typically use a 10-15% SH mix. It will need to be rinsed!!!! They clean up beautifully, though.

Ray Burke · Community Member

Here are a few metal roofs that Spray Wash has cleaned over the past year...

SoftWash Greenville · Freshmen Member

If you need help Jason, just call me. I'm in Greenville on a daily basis.

Jason Heath · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

Thanks AC and everybody for all of the great help and advice! It's nice to be a part of a group of folks helping each other out.

Laurie Benjamin · Lead Tech Certified

A queston for Spray Wash....after you apply the sh, do you just wait or do you use some manual method to remove the mold, then rince with the bleach wash?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

All Aspects Ltd wrote:
A queston for Spray Wash....after you apply the sh, do you just wait or do you use some manual method to remove the mold, then rince with the bleach wash?

Laurie,

The bleach in the soft washing solution will clean off the mold. Then to neutralize the bleach I would use a solution of Bleach Wash (neutralizing soap) to neutralize the bleach and wax the roof. Once the Bleach Wash soap is applied let it sit 5 min than rinse away with clear cool water.

AC

Laurie Benjamin · Lead Tech Certified

Aye....thanks ac....I made my order my shipment so I am getting anxious .going to start the module tonight .

Ron Musgraves · Junior Member

Nice Job Fella's

Laurie Benjamin · Lead Tech Certified

Hey Spray wash, seems like you have the most experience in metal roof cleaning.. Do you mind posting your steps..I cant seem to get it right and allways have to get my surface cleaner..Do you use softwach chemicals?

Laurie Benjamin · Lead Tech Certified

When you say " 10- 15%" do you mean the sh strength...?

Reason for asking is that all i get is 8.5%, so how is a 15% possible..

Another question is, how much surface do you cover on a mettal roof with a 55gal or 100gal mix?

Paul Freeman · Junior Member

All Aspects Ltd wrote:
When you say " 10- 15%" do you mean the sh strength...?
Reason for asking is that all i get is 8.5%, so how is a 15% possible..
Another question is, how much surface do you cover on a mettal roof with a 55gal or 100gal mix?

When referring to a 15, 20, 25, 30, etc, percent mix, the reference is to the number of gallons of SH at a given SH ratio being applied to a number of gallons of water, not the volume of SH per gallon. IE: 1 gallon of 10% SH applied to 9 gallons of water gives you a 10% mix by volume which equates to 1% per gallon of mix. Now, ask yourself, would you rather tell a concerned customer that you're using 15% SH or 1.5% SH to clean - whatever? Their both exactly the same, but the perception of 15% sounds alarming to most people (including me, lol!).

If you want to achieve a 1.5% mix using liquid SH, just refer to the spreadsheet I posted here, but I don't remember the name of the thread (use the search button).

If you're using powered SH, determine how much powered weight you'd need to make 1 gallon of 1.5% SH. Then compute how much powder weight you'd need to make X gallons at the same ratio.

As far as determining how much mix to use to clean a roof, there are too many variable involved to say, IMO. I try to stick with a 1% mix on metal roofs, but if a roof is heavily infested, I bump the mix as necessary.

BTW, just an update on my prior post in this thread: I soft washed the unpainted metal roof on my own place this year using 1% SH. It took less than an hour, because I didn't have to brush it, and cost me under $10, SH, Green Wash and Bleach Wash included. The roof is fairly new (about 5yrs old), approx 1600sq ft, and it wasn't very dirty.