Construction Contractors Community

Barry M · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 86 Location: Indiana

Are bleach based cleaners safe to use on asphalt shingles? If you have done any research about roof cleaning chances are you are more confused than before. You may have read that bleach dries out the shingles or discolors your roof. So, is this true?

Let's break this down. First of all did you happen to notice that most of the companies claiming these allocations happen to also be selling non bleach based roof cleaners? Companies like Roof Be Clean, Roof a Cide, and Roof Restore are just a few. Their one and only defense in selling their inferior roof cleaners is to scare consumers with myths and lies about bleach. Truth be told these lye and sodium hydroxide based cleaners that they are selling appeared on the market a few years ago and have turned out to be very dangerous. Even at low concentrations, permanent damage could be done to the roof and there have been report of them dissolving the roof nails!

The bleach vs. non bleach discussion has been going back and forth for years and will continue far into the future. As an exterior cleaning contractor I researched and talked to many other contractors in the industry searching for a solution to my customer’s black roof stains. What I learned is that most of the major shingle manufacturers realize roof algae is a growing problem, so they have their own recommendations on cleaning roof algae off of their shingles. Yes that's right, they recommend cleaners and methods for cleaning their own shingles! I knew at this point that no matter what their recommendations were, that’s what I was going to use on my customer’s roofs because I knew I couldn’t go wrong.

Companies like GAF, Owens Corning, and the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association all recommend using a mix of bleach and trisodium phosphate (TSP) applied with low pressure. They also warn against using a pressure washer on asphalt shingles. This is just one avenue where the other so called roof cleaners did not impress me. The other cleaners do not work as well so they have to be used in conjunction with a pressure washer to peel the algae off the shingles. No thanks!

Most people naturally form their own opinion after reading information on any topic whether it’s right or wrong, it's just human nature. Due to the Internet there is so much information out there that it can be extremely mind boggling. As soon as I found out that the major shingle producers suggest using bleach on their own shingles it made my decision very easy in knowing what to use to clean my customer’s roofs. We have cleaned numerous roofs over the past few years and I must say when its done like suggested, it is very effective. We will continue using the cleaners and methods that are recommended by the shingle producers no matter what other companies out there are saying about it.

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Pressure Washing Company Providing Deck Cleaning, Concrete Cleaning, Roof Cleaning and Other Power Washing Services

Bryan C · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 13

Good information Barry. Nice post.

Barry M · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 86 Location: Indiana

Thanks Bryan. We've got to combat these companies that are putting out false information and misinforming home owners about roof cleaning.

The best way to do that, in my opinion, is to start threads, write blog posts, and articles about the truth of roof cleaning.

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Pressure Washing Company Providing Deck Cleaning, Concrete Cleaning, Roof Cleaning and Other Power Washing Services