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Learn How to Clean Your Metal Roof with a Pressure Washer

Learn How to Clean Your Metal Roof with a Pressure Washer

Learn How to Clean Your Metal Roof with a Pressure Washer

In past months, we have given you advice on how to clean a tile roof and how to clean a shingle roof with a pressure washer. Today we are going to cover how to clean a metal roof with a pressure washer. While some of the steps will be the same, others are unique to a metal roof. If you are in the process of considering your pressure washer options, we highly recommend that you contact Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 before making a final decision.

Understanding the type of metal roof

Before we explain how to use a pressure washer to clean your metal roof, it is important to know what type of metal roof you have. There are two main options for the purposes of this tutorial. First there is the flat metal roof with a slight slope. This does not necessarily mean it is entirely flat but it is flat enough that it can be walked on. Just be sure that you are using extreme caution because this type of roof can be very slippery.

The second option is the moderate to high pitch metal roof. These are not at all safe to walk on. Instead, you will need accessories that allow you to spray the roof from a ladder. You can get said pressure washer accessories from Hydro Tek and we are happy to help you find the right choice.

You need the right safety equipment

Before you can get on a roof and clean it, you must be sure that you have the appropriate safety equipment. First, you need a hardness and fall safe. These should be used when getting on any roof but are especially important on metal roofs due to how slippery they are. Make sure that the ladder you have has padded stabilizers because metal roofs have coatings to protect them. You do not want to scratch or damage this coating, which is why the padded stabilizers are need.

You need the right equipment

Once you have the safety equipment you need, then it is time to make sure that you have the pressure washing equipment you need. Start off with a hot water pressure with a 40-degree tip. This is very effective at getting rid of algae and mildew, both of which often grow on metal roofs. You only need low pressure on metal roofs, as it is enough to disturb and clean them. We recommend hot water because metal roofs can handle it and hot water is more effective.

Then get a 12 volt or gas-powered detergent sprayer. This makes it easy for you to coat your metal roof with detergent while you are on the ladder. As mentioned above, even if you have a flat metal roof, it is still slippery when wet so the best option is a sprayer that can work from the ladder. If you need help finding the right equipment then we hope you will reach out to Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 .

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  • Hot Water Pressure Washers

    Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers are designed to tackle the toughest messes wherever they may occur. Our products feature high-quality stainless steel construction, simple controls, and an innovative Spiralast™ heating coil that improves efficiency and reduces your fuel costs. We manufacture the Spiralast™ coils right here in our facility using a proprietary cold rolled process and robotic welds for exceptional strength and unimpeded flow. Our Spiralast™ lifetime warranty is the ONLY lifetime heating coil warranty in the industry.

  • Advantages of a Hot Water Pressure Washer

    Simply by heating up the water, a hot water pressure washer delivers dramatically improved cleaning power compared to a cold water machine. Hot water pressure washers are especially useful for cleaning sticky, greasy, or oily surfaces, because they will loosen the dirt much faster without the large amounts of soap, detergent, or other cleaning chemicals that must be used with a cold water system.

  • Hot Water Pressure Washer Applications

    A hot water pressure washer is essential for any cleanup job involving a sticky, greasy, or oily mess, as well as for applications where a surface must be sanitized. With a variety of models available, including self-contained mobile units with gas, diesel, or electric power, Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers can go anywhere and clean anything. Some common applications include heavy equipment cleaning, vehicle cleaning, graffiti removal, restaurant hood vent cleaning, and livestock facility cleaning.

Quality & Innovation Since 1985

Hydro Tek

From simple beginnings in 1985, Hydro Tek has grown to become the most trusted name in the pressure washer manufacturing industry.

How did we do it? By continually focusing on quality and reliability as the key to customer satisfaction, and by incorporating the latest technologies into our design and manufacturing processes.

By 1991, we were using computer-aided drafting systems to refine our product designs and improve efficiency. In 1997, we brought the power of computers to the shop floor by incorporating laser-cutting and other CNC manufacturing machinery, and in 2001 we began focusing on improving efficiency through the latest manufacturing techniques. The end result has been superior products delivered at a superior value to our customers. Through the next decade, we look forward to fulfilling our vision of making our products the "obvious choice" for all your industrial and commercial cleaning needs.