For many years, pressure washing in the Pacific Northwest and across the world has been done with high pressure alone and without using detergents to lift organics.
Recently in the last 10 to 15 years, soft watching and the use of soaps and detergents to lift organics prior to using pressure has become an industry standard.
Living in Vancouver, Washington, and the surrounding area, we have a tremendous amount of moss, mold, mildew, and lichens that grow on the exterior of roofs, homes, patios, fences, and awnings of both residential and commercial establishments.
These organics, when growing on exterior surfaces of buildings and homes, can and will eventually cause damage. For example, if moss is left on a roof surface to grow without treatment, eventually, it will end up growing underneath the shingle and lifting the shingle. After the shingle is lifted, then water can penetrate underneath the shingle, eventually causing water damage to the wood or surface below the shingles.
Soft washing Is a low-pressure application of a soap solution that kills organic growth. Technicians that specialize in softwashing can mix the soap detergent specifically to the surface desired to be clean.
For example- whether cleaning concrete or a fence, there is a different amount of soap solution that should be applied to the surface in order to get the achieved result.
This addition of soft washing as a tool for a pressure washing company is remarkably useful. If a pressure washing company in the Vancouver and surrounding area does not have experience using soft washing, then inevitably there will be damage done.
Soft washing is a technique that can be applied to just about most surfaces, exterior, commercial, and residential.
Soft washing is the only roof cleaning method certified by the national homeowners association as well as the American roofing manufacturer association.
When working with realtors, property management companies, and real estate brokers, it is imperative to specialize in soft washing.
When cleaning asphalt shingle roofs, using a wire brush or a pressure washer will cause damage. The shingle. An asphalt shingle is simply a piece of tar with granules on top. If you use a wire brush or pressure washer, it will remove granules from a shingle.
Removing granules from the shingle. Inevitably will reduce the overall lifespan of the shingle and expose the roof to damage.
This is why soft washing is preferred. When soft washing an asphalt shingle roof first step is the removal of all large debris with a leaf blower or push broom. After that, the roof technician continues to clean the roof by using a light brush to push away any large chunks of moss.
It is important to use a brush that is not a wire brush so as not to remove granules from the shingle.
There are many types of brush that can be used, but the most important thing is that the brush does not damage the shingle because it is too stiff when the technician is brushing the organics from the surface of the roof.
The next step of the roof cleaning process when soft washing a roof is to apply a soap detergent at low pressure pretty good on you upon the whole surface of the roof.
Usually, the roof cleaning technicians will apply multiple applications to ensure that the entire roof service is applied and treated.
Once this soap solution is applied to the roof, all organic growth is instantly turning white and dead.
These soaps and detergents harm and kill all moss, molds, mildew, algae and lichens that are stuck to the roof surface.
After the moss and organic growth is treated, a simple weathering process will occur in which the rains, wins and natural elements end up drying up and beating up the organics to come down off the roof. Roof. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks all the way up to 6 months.
Power washing professionals specialize in soft washing and have cleaned over 300 roofs in less than two years in business.
We have hundreds of reviews from our soft washing process and enjoy providing our customers with results!
