need alot of help getting started

D

donut

New member
Hello - We want to get into the roof cleaning business but we want to do it right and be the best. I currently have a roof that is striped like a zebra . Over the past 3 months I have been experimenting (on my roof) with differently cleaners, chemicals and techniques trying to perfect a method. I have a chemical background and my partner has a home building experience but we are totally confused and about to jump off the roof!! I tried sodium Hydroxide solids mixed with water and tsp. It seemed to work the best - I do not want to use high pressure. I was concerned that it might be too harsh so I tried tsp and sodium percarbonate - it did not do anything. Next I used the shingle manufacturers recommendation - household bleach and tsp - it did nothing. Today I read about Jomax and tsp. I need any help anyone is willing to give. Thank you very much! donut
 
donut said:
...... Next I used the shingle manufacturers recommendation - household bleach and tsp - it did nothing.
Click to expand...

Are your sure that what you were trying to get out wasn't the bare asphalt and not algae?

Reason being is that the above works on everything.
 
Yes - I am sure it is algae. When I used the Roof QSE from cleaner today(SODIUM HYDOXIDE] I could see the algae forming into little balls and rolling down the roof as I rinsed. Which one of the methods do you recommend, It is too expensive to buy these chemicals from the roof cleaning companies. Thank you
 
I have been in the purchasing dept of a chemical co for 25 years - I have access to all the chemicals. Yes there is several pool companies around - is it liquid chlorine that I need? I just do not know which chemicals to buy and at what concentrations do I mix them for best roof cleaning results. I have been trying this on my own for the last few months, studying the algae, reading all I can find on the roof cleaning business, etc - there is so much conflicting data out there that we feel we are back at square one ...again.
 
Sodium hypochlorite is what you need. Percentages hitting the shingles vary from 3% to 6%. Most common form is found at Pool Supply houses as Liquid Pool Shock. It is 12% Sodium Hypochlorite.

Chris Tucker at Apple Roof Cleaning will chime in here. As will the other roof cleaners. Just do a search here for the terms I have listed in this post and you will be flooded with info.
 
I dont like the sodium hydroxide at all , some swear by it , I use sodium hypochlorite ,tsp and borax aka "applesauce" here is the mixture for you to have enough to do a single roof

50 GALLONS OF MIX =
15 gallons of 12.5% sodium hypochlorite
30 gallons of water
6 pounds of TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE
6 POUNDS OF BORAX
 
Great! Thank you for the recipe... Wow thats alot of sodium hypochlorite. if you are doing a few houses a day you must go through a drum a day??? Do you buy it buy the drum?
 
i have a long black streak thats at the base of the chimmeny running down the shingles. tried to srub it with krud cutter, rust aid, wont come off. driving me nuts could it be soot? all the black alge is gone but this steak keeps comming back after the roof dries.
 
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