For a homeowner or business owner, timing your roof cleaning right is more about temperature than season. Depending on where you live, you may be able to clean your roof in the winter – if weather permits.
In a warm, sunny state like Florida, it can make more sense to clean roof shingles in winter months when temperatures are lower. Many homeowners prefer cleaning shingles in the winter in a warm state for comfort as opposed to climbing on top of a roof in hundred degree temperatures in the summer.
For roof cleaning, one guideline holds true: Cleaning is only recommended when temperatures have been above freezing for more than four hours.
Only you can determine what season best meets this criteria. In many states throughout the US, the best time of year to clean a roof may be in the early spring as the weather gets warmer. Other states with hotter climates may favor cleaning a roof in the late fall or winter, depending on seasonal temperatures.
The reason for this strict temperature guideline is twofold:
- Prevent ice buildup on roof shingles.
- Promote roof cleaner safety and comfort.
Firstly, when using the chemical roof cleaning solution listed in the previous section, it will be difficult to clean a roof effectively if it is covered in ice or frost.
In order for a roof cleaning product to remove roof stains, it would first have to melt through ice to get the job done. When temperatures have been above freezing for at least four hours, ice is likely melt off completely.
Secondly, if you plan to clean your roof in freezing temperatures, you may have to deal with wet clothes and work gloves, a frozen garden hose, and a serious risk of slipping on an icy roof surface.
Working atop a roof on a cold day in frigid temperatures is not anyone’s idea of fun. Save yourself the trouble and clean your roof on a mild to warm day where temperatures are above 32°F.
