[mark mann]

hi guys

i have been asked about roof cleaning and as im a window cleaner posted on the wc site and got a good response form one guy but obviously not many responses.

i was wondering if i get more replies on here for methods used and price range. my customer has been quoted 2000 quid which he isnt willing to pay that much.

any advice on this subject and price guide?

[Alan McTernan]

Hi Mark

Roof cleaning can be hard work. And the price depends on the height and size and what they require? Do they want it cleaned or just the moss scraped/brushed off?

When someone asks me about window cleaning i give them a window cleaners number, maybe you should see if there is someone in your area and get a finders fee!!! Just a thought

Regards
Alan

[jaespray]

Hi Mark

Roof cleaning can be hard work. And the price depends on the height and size and what they require? Do they want it cleaned or just the moss scraped/brushed off?

When someone asks me about window cleaning i give them a window cleaners number, maybe you should see if there is someone in your area and get a finders fee!!! Just a thought

Regards
Alan

i agree with alan   i dont pretend to be a window cleaner
regards john

[Blast Away]

Fancy cleaning one this steep?



This one here the chemical did most of the work and then pressure wash which is only needed lightly.

Then there's mossy which involves a more detailed clean up post clean. Only a loon would scrape moss off a roof like this;

[jaespray]

easy    steaper the better   check out   roof cleaner dr520
regards john

[mark mann]

thanks for replies all -

i like the idea of a finders fee - i shoulda taken pic and posted.

scrappin off for a loon is that coz it would still look poope or coz too labour intensive?

and are all roof cleaning jobs i take it a 2 man job?

 

[jaespray]

hi mark  when i do roof jobs  i work with my son (he is a roofer)
so the customer gets a very good job  with people who take pride in there work
regards john

[drive surgeon]

blast away, what did you use to pre spray the roof?   sodium hypochlorite?

[drive surgeon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WTgzN199X9k

i looked at the mosmatic roof cleaner but for most roofs i see it wud not work on. as the depth of tiles is to steep so the rotary bar wud catch the edge of tile when rolling down.

[Blast Away]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WTgzN199X9k

i looked at the mosmatic roof cleaner but for most roofs i see it wud not work on. as the depth of tiles is to steep so the rotary bar wud catch the edge of tile when rolling down.

Yeh they're overrated mate.

The roof in the above image was pre sprayed with hypo. Nice and easy then with a turbo nozzle.

[drive surgeon]

your work looks excellent lee. i wud be proud of that myself.  its all a bit daunting when im used to working on the ground. there must be so many issues with roof cleaning. also did you use the hypo straight or mixed with water? i always use a mask with hypo as it gets on my chest.

[Matt Gibson]

I'd be scared of the hypo getting on the lawn when you blast it all off.. i just blast f*** out of it..

[Blast Away]

your work looks excellent lee. i wud be proud of that myself.  its all a bit daunting when im used to working on the ground. there must be so many issues with roof cleaning. also did you use the hypo straight or mixed with water? i always use a mask with hypo as it gets on my chest.

Cheers mate. I am proud, that's why I come across a bit of a show off on here.  

Got a chem feed fitted after the pump. But in the past we have poured a full 25 litre drum into the tank with 100 litres water and sent it straight through the pump. Never had a problem with the seals by doing this but stopped just in case.

[Blast Away]

I'd be scared of the hypo getting on the lawn when you blast it all off.. i just blast f*** out of it..

Never had that problem mate but always have 2 machines running when doing roof jobs. Me on the roof and my brother on the ground.

[drive surgeon]

are things slowing down now winters here or are you busy doing gutters.

[Blast Away]

are things slowing down now winters here or are you busy doing gutters.

Accy brick clean today and a patio and 2 big residential block cleans starting tomorrow in the centre of Manchester. Still doing at least 1 Wetherspoons pub a week at night and got other jobs booked in. Not too bad. Will slow down end of November but always got Graffiti to do for Co-op.

[drive surgeon]

i hate the way it slows down in winter. i mean why does it get so slow? does no one need pressure washing in winter?  it seems like no one sprays graffiti in winter or the commercial clients dont want any work either. even the gutter cleaning is not busy. maybe its the recession?

[Matt Gibson]

your work looks excellent lee. i wud be proud of that myself.  its all a bit daunting when im used to working on the ground. there must be so many issues with roof cleaning. also did you use the hypo straight or mixed with water? i always use a mask with hypo as it gets on my chest.

Cheers mate. I am proud, that's why I come across a bit of a show off on here.  

Got a chem feed fitted after the pump. But in the past we have poured a full 25 litre drum into the tank with 100 litres water and sent it straight through the pump. Never had a problem with the seals by doing this but stopped just in case.

What mix do you use for the feed mate? im assuming you need a fair bit of chem if its running after the pump, or is it like a sealed unit that you fill up with chem?

Any links to what feed you use? i figured that if you had the machine running all day, and the feed was after the pump, it would use a hell of alot of chem.

[Blast Away]

Don't know the exact ratio mate but from it suck from a 14% drum of hypo continuous the drum would be empty after 10 minutes.

Wouldn't use the feed on decking though as I've found it needs to be stronger or even on black spots too.

[Matt Gibson]

so you just have a mix in a 25l drum and suck from that just to put the chems down fast, then rinse off?

How do you feed it after the pump? doesnt that mean you have to tap into the high pressure hose?

i was thinking more of something like the wet blast nozzle, and stick the pickup hose in a drum of premix hypo?

yeah, i found its easier to use a sprayer on decks/patios then you can use a good strong mix

[Blast Away]

so you just have a mix in a 25l drum and suck from that just to put the chems down fast, then rinse off?

How do you feed it after the pump? doesnt that mean you have to tap into the high pressure hose?

i was thinking more of something like the wet blast nozzle, and stick the pickup hose in a drum of premix hypo?

yeah, i found its easier to use a sprayer on decks/patios then you can use a good strong mix

The drum is 14% neat.

The feed is like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRESSURE-WASHER-CHEMICAL-SOAP-VENTURE-KARCHER-L-K-/180411899312?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2a01631db0#ht_1137wt_1163

It goes between your unloader and hose.

A wet blasting nozzle would suck more chem through the line.

[Matt Gibson]

Yeah, its the same principle as the wetblast nozzle.

So you reckon you go through a 25L drum in 10 mins? thats alot of chems...

[Blast Away]

Yeah, its the same principle as the wetblast nozzle.

So you reckon you go through a 25L drum in 10 mins? thats alot of chems...

Don't use it for 10 mins, just giving an example of how fast it would go if you were to feed it all through.
Most jobs take a minute or so to spray on. Patio's and flags etc.

[Matt Gibson]

yeah, i was just thinking for a roof...cheers mate, very helpfull...

Can you turn off the chem feed off when your not using it or do you have to remove it from the system altogether?

[Blast Away]

yeah, i was just thinking for a roof...cheers mate, very helpfull...

Can you turn off the chem feed off when your not using it or do you have to remove it from the system altogether?

Can turn off or adjust the valve to allow less through.

[mike roberts]

blast ... Pics look nice 

What fall protection do you use on the roof ? Insurance ?

[Blast Away]

blast ... Pics look nice 

What fall protection do you use on the roof ? Insurance ?

Harness, tower scaff up to gutter if accessible. Insurance covers up to work at 20 meters(I think or maybe 15.)

[Matt Gibson]

Cheers mate, appreciate the info!

I think ill get myself one of those chem feeds, will save me a load of time...

Yeah i think Gleaming is cover up to 15m..

[drive surgeon]

why not just dump suction hose in pre mixed hypo/water and use adjusi fan nozzle to low pressure spray it on? then put turbo on!

[mike roberts]

hi guys

i have been asked about roof cleaning and as im a window cleaner posted on the wc site and got a good response form one guy but obviously not many responses.

i was wondering if i get more replies on here for methods used and price range. my customer has been quoted 2000 quid which he isnt willing to pay that much.

any advice on this subject and price guide?

Hi mark,
If you are interested depending on location / size we could do the job for you

Pay an agreed finders fee ... email me if you are interested ...we would then provide aprox cost via google, then arrange visit to meet custy and provide fixed quotation.

As a company we are SAFEcontractor approved and use rope access for safety combined with roof ladders - Do not use any chemicals  .. washing is via suitable pressure / water flow. Once cleaned we apply wide spectrum moss killer to eliminate any remaining spores via chem feed can also provide costs for re coating if required.

Mike

[mike roberts]

blast ... Pics look nice 

What fall protection do you use on the roof ? Insurance ?

Harness, tower scaff up to gutter if accessible. Insurance covers up to work at 20 meters(I think or maybe 15.)

With harness is that to ground anchorage or scaff / roof lad ?
Reason for q lots of guys around my neck of woods using no protection what so ever  would like to see how they do hip roofs - without ropes  recently cleaned steep roof similar to your pic with hip at both ends - ropes only safe answer / method...  .. no access for ground ladder on to hip tiles etc

[mike roberts]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WTgzN199X9k

i looked at the mosmatic roof cleaner but for most roofs i see it wud not work on. as the depth of tiles is to steep so the rotary bar wud catch the edge of tile when rolling down.

Drive - with mozy the wheels are height adjustable for different tiles ...
would work well on blasts 1st pic as tiles look clay and are only lightly soiled (easy to clean - apart from breakages!). On bad tiles 2nd pic mosy no good...
we find even on ground level ie blocks sometimes require turbo after whirlaway
or mozy.. you get same prob on roof-  hence turbo.

[Matt Gibson]

Mike,

When you say hip roof, do you mean the side of the roof, kinda hard to explain, the gable end but the roof goes up to a point, nowhere to hooke the cat ladder? is that what ya mean?

I havent had that problem yet, but im curious as to how its done with a roof ladder..looks abit iffy..

EDIT - Dont worry, i googled it  but i still wanna know how you can clean it..hopefully Lee will be along soon to give me yet more priceless advice...

[mike roberts]

Mike,

When you say hip roof, do you mean the side of the roof, kinda hard to explain, the gable end but the roof goes up to a point, nowhere to hooke the cat ladder? is that what ya mean?

I havent had that problem yet, but im curious as to how its done with a roof ladder..looks abit iffy..

EDIT - Dont worry, i googled it  but i still wanna know how you can clean it..hopefully Lee will be along soon to give me yet more priceless advice...

Hi Matt,

As you say no way to use roof ladder on hips! Sometimes there is enough room to have ladder ground level unto hip tiles which helps......
we use two ropes (positioning / fall) attached to anchorage points ie van, suitable tree or worst case chimney breast. This allows us to walk on the tiles fully supported. 

[Kev Martin]

No Good if you have vertigo then Mike

Kev

[mike roberts]

  u have to trust your gear..... and have tight pants

[Blast Away]

blast ... Pics look nice 

What fall protection do you use on the roof ? Insurance ?

Harness, tower scaff up to gutter if accessible. Insurance covers up to work at 20 meters(I think or maybe 15.)

With harness is that to ground anchorage or scaff / roof lad ?
Reason for q lots of guys around my neck of woods using no protection what so ever  would like to see how they do hip roofs - without ropes  recently cleaned steep roof similar to your pic with hip at both ends - ropes only safe answer / method...  .. no access for ground ladder on to hip tiles etc

To cat ladder mate. Should be to a rope really like you say.

Done a couple with a ladder up from tower platform but they'll be one's that come up where access is crap for a scaff to go.

Mike,

When you say hip roof, do you mean the side of the roof, kinda hard to explain, the gable end but the roof goes up to a point, nowhere to hooke the cat ladder? is that what ya mean?

I havent had that problem yet, but im curious as to how its done with a roof ladder..looks abit iffy..

EDIT - Dont worry, i googled it  but i still wanna know how you can clean it..hopefully Lee will be along soon to give me yet more priceless advice...

See here mate http://www.floridadisaster.org/hrg/images/roofs/hip_roof_definitions_large.jpg

[Matt Gibson]

So how do you clean a hiP roof though lee? Do you just use the ladder on the main part and lean over? Or is there a trick? No access for scaff tower.

[Blast Away]

As long as next door are ok mate this is what you can do...

The white lines represent a ladder so you'll need a few...






























Only joking mate, don't do this...

[Matt Gibson]

id already started tying my ladders together before i read the bottom of your post...