Maintaining a building involves many tasks to be accomplished on a regular basis, inside and outside, however, it is the roof that should get centre stage attention. Unfortunately, many property owners and managers focus on aspects of their buildings that can readily be seen, such as walls, flooring and fixtures, and the roof regularly gets overlooked.
There are many types of roofing materials, and all have their advantages and disadvantages, although, for many New Zealanders, a steel roof is preferred because it is affordable, hardy, and easily installed. However, like any part of a home, commercial building or structure, steel roof cleaning and maintenance is vital for ensuring the maximum life expectancy of one’s roof. Otherwise, even the finest steel roof can become damaged or eroded well before it’s time.
Do to their hardy nature, steel roofs are being installed more often, and when cleaned and maintained on a regular basis these can last more than 30 years. Metal roofing is designed to be lightweight, energy efficient, withstand severe weather and is naturally fire resistant, all great qualities, and, it only needs periodic cleaning when needed.
Metal roof inspection is recommended for homes that have not received maintenance of cleaning for years. In this way, home owners can know the health condition of their roof, so that they can clean it, or make repairs if needed. Basically, steel roof cleaning and maintenance is the best way to prolong the life of your metal roof.
Best Practices in Steel Roof Cleaning and Maintenance
If you have a steel roof, you should have it inspected at least every four or five years, or sooner if you’re living very near the coast, as corrosion could set in if left unchecked and unmaintained. Fortunately, metal roof cleaning and maintenance is very common and professionals like Johnson Roofing can help to keep your roof in good shape for many years to come.
The best practises for cleaning and maintaining your metal roof, besides removing any debris that could damage your roof or obstruct gutters and downspouts, is by using a light pressure water stream and a solution mix of a mild amount of surfactant and sodium hypochlorite – a mixture recommended by steel roof manufacturers.
In some cases, a pressure washer is used, however, care is needed as to prevent high pressure stream of water from penetrating under your roof panels via flashing, J-channel or roof vents. This is why professional metal roof cleaners are recommended to maintain steel roofing.
The frequency of steel roof cleaning varies from home to home, mostly determined by the geographical location, but a roof inspection by professionals from Johnson Roofing can advise a maintenance and cleaning program that is right for you.
