NO GUTTERS ON HOUSE! should I attempt the roof?

[newbie pete]

I always have a groundman with me at $10 per hour. Every job, no matter how small I always bring him. This house is different because there are no gutters and even with a groundman, I'm worried about the plants. Some are telling me not to rinse but my job is to get the algae off the roof not kill it and turn it white and let it stay there so, I'm trying to find out if anyone has worked on a roof like this.

[carla]

Originally Posted by Don Phelps

That's how All Seasons Exteriors, Inc. rolls in Orlando too, Schwartsky!

hi don,
I like the look of that roof. I looked at a roof today simular to that roof in the picture and I'm not sure if I should attempt it, I'm supposed to give the home owner an estimate tomorrow. The roof is very steep, too steep to walk.. My question is, how did you clean this roof? I really would like to do the job but I don't have the answers.

[newbie pete]

Hi,
Im not Don but Ill answer you anyways. If the mold is just black, all you have to do is spray it from the gutter and let it sit then rinse from the gutters. Theres really no need to get on the roof as long as your chem pump can reach the top of the roof. that stuff just disappears after you spray it a couple of times and let it sit. Hope this helps.

[carla]

Originally Posted by newbie pete

Hi,
Im not Don but Ill answer you anyways. If the mold is just black, all you have to do is spray it from the gutter and let it sit then rinse from the gutters. Theres really no need to get on the roof as long as your chem pump can reach the top of the roof. that stuff just disappears after you spray it a couple of times and let it sit. Hope this helps.

Thanks newbie pete, that's exactly what I did. The house did not have any gutters, but I was the grounds woman with the hose. The roof came out really good.
Thanks again
Carla

[roof cleaning]

Originally Posted by carla

hi don,
I like the look of that roof. I looked at a roof today simular to that roof in the picture and I'm not sure if I should attempt it, I'm supposed to give the home owner an estimate tomorrow. The roof is very steep, too steep to walk.. My question is, how did you clean this roof? I really would like to do the job but I don't have the answers.

Steep Roofs are a day in our life, and not to be feared, as long as your pump is up to the task .
Nothing worse then to be on a 40 foot ladder, and have a wimpy pump.
Perhaps this picture of a roof we did some time ago might give you a visual idea ?
That is 5/8 diameter hose and a 3/4 inch ball valve with a 0 degree 1.5 GPM nozzle.
The pump is 15 GPM.
It will shoot even further, but ufortunately the 0 degree plastic quick change nozzles we use only come in 1.5 GPM as the biggest size.

Here is our pump shooting clear across a roof with the 1.5 GPM nozzle.

I put a 2.5 GPM 0 degree nozzle on it once, and it was shooting over trees!

[simon]

Originally Posted by newbie pete

Hello everyone,
I got a call today for an estimate on a house with no gutters. Not just that but, the roof is really steep, pretty dirty, and surrounded by plants. I use a 4% sodium hypo mix with some TSP. Now, I know this will kill the plants or at least do them some damage if I just let it sit in the plant bed. I told the customer that there is a good chance that the plants will be affected but, he still seemed interested (or at least he wants to check if they will really die before attempting). So, I told him I would do a little research but that he would have to sign a disclaimer making me not responsible for any damage before performing the work.
So, this is my research. Has anyone ever attempted this before and if so, what were the results? If I do take the job I'll make sure I have someone hosing the $hit out of the flower bed but, it's really got nowhere to go but in the soil. The bad part of the roof has a lot of thick algae on it so it will definitely take a lot of chemical to kill it and the plants are right below. So, if anyone has any input or any experience with good or bad results, I would definitely appreciate it. No matter what I'm going to tell him that he's taking a chance and put that in writing but, I figured I'd see if I can get some feedback to share with him first. Thanks

I've done this before no gutters. no problem What you have to do is pour about 3 quarts of vinegar & soda water to every 4 feet of vegitation in the area where the plants are, this will nutralize the clorine & tsp thus having no afect on the plants.

[simon]

Originally Posted by newbie pete

Hello everyone,
I got a call today for an estimate on a house with no gutters. Not just that but, the roof is really steep, pretty dirty, and surrounded by plants. I use a 4% sodium hypo mix with some TSP. Now, I know this will kill the plants or at least do them some damage if I just let it sit in the plant bed. I told the customer that there is a good chance that the plants will be affected but, he still seemed interested (or at least he wants to check if they will really die before attempting). So, I told him I would do a little research but that he would have to sign a disclaimer making me not responsible for any damage before performing the work.
So, this is my research. Has anyone ever attempted this before and if so, what were the results? If I do take the job I'll make sure I have someone hosing the $hit out of the flower bed but, it's really got nowhere to go but in the soil. The bad part of the roof has a lot of thick algae on it so it will definitely take a lot of chemical to kill it and the plants are right below. So, if anyone has any input or any experience with good or bad results, I would definitely appreciate it. No matter what I'm going to tell him that he's taking a chance and put that in writing but, I figured I'd see if I can get some feedback to share with him first. Thanks

I've done this before no gutters. no problem What you have to do is pour about 3 quarts of vinegar & soda water to every 4 feet of vegetation in the area where the plants are, this will nueralize the chlorine & tsp thus having no affect on the plants.

[simon]

Originally Posted by simon

I've done this before no gutters. no problem What you have to do is pour about 3 quarts of vinegar & soda water to every 4 feet of vegetation in the area where the plants are, this will neutralize the chlorine & tsp thus having no affect on the plants.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[newbie pete]

that is good to know. I ended up passing on that job and I just read the post( i havent been on here in a while) but that is interesting. Ill have to run a test on some of my own plants. But thats valuable info if it works. thanks for the reply

[roof cleaning]

Originally Posted by simon

I've done this before no gutters. no problem What you have to do is pour about 3 quarts of vinegar & soda water to every 4 feet of vegetation in the area where the plants are, this will neutralize the chlorine & tsp thus having no affect on the plants.

Unfortunately, Chlorine is harmful at BOTH ends of the PH scale.
So, if you take a MILD acid link vinegar{acetic acid}, you will slightly LOWER the PH of the chlorine run off.
This can burn plants too.
There are TWO killing mechanisms in chlorine run off.'
The powerful oxidizer in the forms of both the hypochlorite Ion, and the hyperchlorous acid formed when chlorine contacts Organic Matter.

Then, there is the SALT, or the SODIUM that can NOT be "neutralized" any practical way BUT by dilution.

The best way to clean a roof is to first pre wet all plants and building surfaces, and Grass IS a plant too.
Then, as you clean the roof, your GROUNDMAN follows you around the house, keeping run off on the plants promptly diluted.
You cant just wet the plants, spray the roof, and get down and water.
You CAN tarp the plants, just be careful for run off splashing on the walls, and out in the grass as it hits the tarps.
OR, you can simply take a garden hose WITH you on the roof, and water from up top.
We feel a groundman is the best option, and safer too.

These are roofs cleaned in tampa were done with Apple Sauce, w/o using any pressure.