Though a roof is a permanent structure that can last for 20 years or more, regular maintenance can help that roof last even longer. One part of a smart maintenance plan is routine cleaning. Homeowners will find hundreds of websites with dozens of recipes that writers claim they can use to clean their own roofs. These recipes often contain harmful and even toxic ingredients that can wreak havoc on a home and lawn. Professional cleaning has a number of benefits over DIY remedies. Charleston roofing companies can provide information to potential clients and often schedule an appointment to come out and clean the roof of a local home or commercial property.
One problem with DIY remedies is that many of those remedies require bleach. Bleach is so strong that it can strip long set stains from fabrics, but many don’t think about what that substance can do when used on their own roofs. Not only can the bleach strip color from shingles, but it can also remove the protective granules found on asphalt and composite shingles. Those granules protect against water and a host of other problems. Without granules, those shingles can crack or break when exposed to typical weather conditions. Bleach can also run off the roof and kill the lawn and any plants or trees planted nearby.