Ordering plant wash next week.....but - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Jason Temple · Freshmen Member

Ordering plant wash next week.....but

Matt Lancaster · SoftWash Systems Pro Staff

How long ago did you do this roof ? What is the time frame we are looking at between cleaning and this picture? PLANT WASH is awesome but its not a substitute for education, Your helper needs to be "up to speed" as well.

Did he pre- wet the plants? I remember some one telling me the 3 D's of roof cleaning=Dilute Divert Dilute.

In this situation you said a couple of things that make me say hmmm. You think it was a 3% solution? you need to know the strength of your mix, and in this picture I see an area that I personally would have used a augmented mix . SH and CH. I cannot see the roof so Im guessing that it was pretty bad. How are you spraying? is this a situation where you accessed the roof ? What type of tips are you using?

Not gonna say Ive never done this because that would be a lie , This is learning the hard way!. We use tips that allow for great control and minimal run off and we use plant wash to a excess! after were done. I do NOT have many tile roofs in my area but have done some slate.

Start asking your customer to water the night before you arrive and remind them to water after you leave, for the next week or two in the mornings. I notice your in FLA so im assuming its not going to FREEZE.

Im not a plant specialist like AC but depending on time frame I still see green leaves that havent dropped or fallen off. Continue to water often and ask the customer to do it as well get some miracle grow in that soil. Im not sure if that type of plant can be pruned at this time of year but that may help. Spring is coming and new growth should occur.

Order plant wash this week

Module = plant and property care.

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

For that particular job it would have been best to tarp those shrubs while spraying there and then remove the tarp and continue to flood the area. Then follow the cleaning with a rinse of about 4 ft up from the gutter line.

Jason Temple · Freshmen Member

Said about 3% cause I know it was slightly less than that I use the dual pump system and used the 4gpm tips that came with it. I talked to Doug a couple weeks ago and he suggested I use a 2515 which I have since switched to. This roof was done last Thursday and we had a good rain on Tuesday here and he called me today. So a little over a week later. I have some pics of the roof before and after and it was one of the dirtiest I have seen. I cant seem to upload them from my ipad. I think I might have over applied in this area due to in experience.

I hate learning on the job but I guess it happens.

Gordon Caldwell · Freshmen Member

Michael Derose wrote:
For that particular job it would have been best to tarp those shrubs while spraying there and then remove the tarp and continue to flood the area. Then follow the cleaning with a rinse of about 4 ft up from the gutter line.

Good Call Michael,Same here if your going to have the run off come directly on to any type shrub,I like to Rinse & flood then tarp,Then rinse & flood again!Better safe than sorry ,as long as you learn from your mistakes,And always remember water is your best friend!

Zach Maynard · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

That's pretty bad, I agree with mike on this. If there is no gutter I would tarp for sure. I would have done a partial rinse also to control wash off in case it rains.

Danny Cronauer · SoftWash Systems Certified

Michael Derose wrote:
For that particular job it would have been best to tarp those shrubs while spraying there and then remove the tarp and continue to flood the area. Then follow the cleaning with a rinse of about 4 ft up from the gutter line.

Right on Mike! Right On!

Doug Rucker · UAMCC Officer

Jason, don't feel bad man. I have had the same thing happen. Mine happened a day or two after the job though, and was caused by a light drizzle rain that cause just enough run off to re activate the SH and cause the burn line. Another thing that will cause this is a heavy morning dew that causes just enough dew to run off the roof. If your ground man kept the plants watered before during and after then my guess is this was caused by some sort of light run off AFTER the job was done.

Your landscaper is correct, the foliage will return within a couple months, and Plant Wash will definitely help speed this up. Once you get your Plant Wash, go by there and feed them a couple times a month until they have filled back in.

Matt Lancaster · SoftWash Systems Pro Staff

Word of caution with the tarps, you can do as much damage cooking the plants if its hot! I know its winter so not as much concern. The way I was taught is plastic / tarps are the "old" method before plant wash. Just another thought would be to secure the tarp to the fascia and divert to a collection drum/ trash can, this allows for suficent airflow and reduces the heat to the plants. It is however a more time consuming way. You will notice in many of the modules the pictures of Mallard they had skids of rolls of plastic, when I questioned this I was told that was before plant wash so I have to practice the NEW method. I did do a job where I diverted all the runoff to a baby pool and then collected it. wish I had pics but I do not that was an august day and we did not burn any plants. After I disassembled it I rinsed everything well and added a through coat of plant wash. side note I also soaked the area before assembling my collection system.

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Those are viburnum. They get whacked. This was most likely caused by dew or light rain the next day. If it was from day one exposure the whole bush would be effected not a pin stripe so to speak.

AC