Pressure washing shingles is a rookie mistake I made once—never again. Lost a bunch of granules and the roof looked patchy after just one go. I’ve found that using a garden sprayer with a mild cleaner and a soft brush gets most moss off, but it’s slow going. If the pitch is steep or there’s any doubt about footing, I’m with you—call in the pros. Hospital bills are no joke, and neither is a busted hip... learned that lesson helping my neighbor last year.
I hear you on the hospital bills—my neighbor slipped off his garage roof last fall and it was a mess, both for him and his wallet. I’ve always wondered if those roof cleaning “treatments” you see at hardware stores are worth it, or just a waste of money. Anyone tried those on older shingles?
I’ve always wondered if those roof cleaning “treatments” you see at hardware stores are worth it, or just a waste of money. Anyone tried those on older shingles?
Tried one of those spray-on treatments from the big box store last summer on my 18-year-old asphalt shingles. Honestly, it did help with the moss and black streaks, but I wouldn’t call it a miracle cure. The stuff worked better after a few good rains, but I had to be careful not to blast the shingles with too much pressure when rinsing—older shingles get brittle and you can end up doing more harm than good.
One thing I learned: read the label twice. Some of those cleaners have bleach or harsh chemicals that can mess with your landscaping if you’re not careful. I laid down tarps over my wife’s flower beds after she caught me spraying too close... lesson learned.
If you’re dealing with really old or curling shingles, I’d be cautious. Sometimes it’s just not worth risking more damage or a fall trying to get every spot clean. For me, it was a decent short-term fix, but I’m probably looking at a new roof in a couple years anyway.
I get the appeal of those DIY cleaners, but I’m not totally convinced they’re worth the hassle or the risk, especially on older shingles. I tried one a couple years back (asphalt, about 16 years old at the time), and while it made things look a bit better, it didn’t really solve anything long-term. The moss came back after a season, and I started worrying more about damaging the roof than saving money.
Honestly, by the time you buy the cleaner, tarps, and spend half a Saturday up there being careful not to slip or mess up your shingles, I wonder if it’s actually cheaper or safer than just having someone come out once every few years. Around here (Pacific Northwest), pros aren’t as expensive as I expected—especially when you factor in not risking an ER visit.
I’m all for saving money, but sometimes I think these treatments are just kicking the can down the road. If your shingles are curling or getting brittle, maybe it’s better to put that cash toward a replacement fund instead. Just my two cents...
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with DIY cleaning—at least on my 12-year-old roof. Here’s what worked for me: I picked a cool, dry day, used a garden sprayer with a mild cleaner (nothing harsh), and made sure to rinse gently. The key was being super careful not to scrub or blast the shingles. Yeah, it took a few hours, but I saved a couple hundred bucks and didn’t notice any extra wear. For me, as long as the roof isn’t already falling apart, DIY can stretch things out a bit before replacement becomes urgent. Just gotta weigh your comfort level with heights and how much time you want to spend up there...