We’ve all tried to save money where we can, so it’s no surprise that many homeowners try to cut down on home maintenance and repair costs by rolling up their sleeves and getting down to business themselves. It’s no different when it comes to roof cleaning, with many believing it just takes a ladder, sponge and some soapy water.
In truth, it takes a lot more, but even if it didn’t, DIY roof cleaning is extremely risky for both you and your property. If you own a home in London, Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, or Brighton, the safer and more effective solution is to call in a professional roof cleaning service.
The Safety Risks of Working at Height
The safety risk is fairly obvious. Repairing a roof means climbing to high heights and traversing different angles on top of the roof. Factor in the dodgy English weather, especially in South East England, and you have a recipe that has disaster written all over it. For the sake of saving some money, you could end up with a serious injury.
Statistics already show that falls from ladders and roofs are among the most common causes of serious household injuries in the UK, so that alone should hopefully persuade you to call in an experienced roof cleaning company.
They’ll have the experience, training and know-how to circumvent any roof and deal with any cleaning needs. They’ll also have safety harnesses in place, just in case something does go wrong.
The Risk of Roof Damage
Even if you manage to safely clean your roof, there’s a good chance you’ll damage it in the process. That simply comes down to a lack of knowledge and experience in roof cleaning. Most DIYers assume that high-pressure washing is the way to go, as it’s used to clean other areas of their home’s exterior. That’s a big mistake, as the pressure can do more harm than good. It can knock tiles out, remove the protective coatingon your tiles and, essentially, make matters worse.
Clearly, while good intentions were had to save money by doing it yourself, you now have additional costs to deal with, as repair work will be necessary.
Chemical Handling and Environmental Concerns
As we touched on earlier, some soapy water is not going to cut it for cleaning your property’s roof. You’ll need specialist cleaning solutions that aren’t as readily available as washing-up liquid or bleach.
Furthermore, while regular store-bought cleaning products will never be as effective, they can also cause damage. Incorrect dilution or application can damage tiles, harm surrounding plants or contaminate drainage systems.
Insurance and Liability Issues
Another consideration is insurance, which is often overlooked by home DIYers. Many home insurance policies do not cover damage caused by improper maintenance or unsafe DIY work. If you crack some tiles, wreck your guttering or cause any other damage, you may find you’ll have to foot the repair bills yourself.
There is also the issue of personal liability. If an accident occurs while cleaning your own roof. Medical costs and recovery time can be significant. Professional roof cleaning services carry their own insurance, meaning no risk on your part.
Why Professional Services Are a Smarter Option
Understandably, people want to save money, especially in today’s climate. However, if you needed surgery, would you trust somebody who had read a couple of medical books to do it? Sure, it’s an exaggerated metaphor, but the logic is the same. Cleaning your roofyourself is only going to lead to more problems 99% of the time.
It’s far more logical, easier and sensible to trust professionals, such as Aaron’s Roof Cleaning, to come in and get your roof functioning as it should. They focus on safe and effective methods, solutions and equipment and can call on their many years worth of experience.
Trust us, if there is any home maintenance job you should never try doing yourself, it’s roof cleaning. Save yourself the potential injury, further damage or additional costs by calling in a reputable roof cleaning company.