How Much Does It Cost for Flat Roof Cleaning?

24th November 2021 General

How Much Does It Cost for Flat Roof Cleaning?

Flat roof cleaning, rubber type, fiber glass and EPDM roofs often become covered in black or dark green slime, which is very slippery, especially when it’s raining.

Often overlooked flat roofs require annual or bi-annual maintenance plans to ensure no organic matter grows.

Building managers and building owners only think about cleaning these flat industrial roofs when an accident has occurred. Prevention is cheaper than the cure.

So how much does it cost to clean a flat roof on a data centre or other commercial building.

There are a number of factors to consider when thinking about flat roof cleaning.

1. How high is the building, and how can we get onto the roof?
2. Is there rubbish and growing plants and saplings evident?
3. Is there a water supply on the roof, or on the ground or non-available?
4. Where does the waste wash water go and is it legal?
5. Do you need the work done out of normal working hours?

Once these questions are considered and answered, then the correct cleaning treatment must be applied.

 Pressure Washing V Soft Washing

Pressure washing may cause damage to the membrane and will cause dead organic matter to splash up against walls and air conditioning units. Often the air con will suck in micro-organisms which will then go inside the building. Pressure washing uses between 15 litres and 21 litres per minute continually throughout the cleaning process, which is a lot of water over an eight-hour period. 7,200 litres to 10,080 litres!

The end result will initially look good, however because micro-organic matter has been left behind, it will rapidly bloom and grow, thicker than before any pressure washing was undertaken.

Soft Washing

Low pressure environmentally friendly chemical treatment which will kill off all organic matter spores, and re growth would in fact be NEW GROWTH. Soft Washing flat roofs clean uses 1/3 the amount of water compared to a pressure washer about 2000 litres per 8-hour day.

Because Soft Washing uses NO HIGH-PRESSURE roofs will not be damaged. Wastewater will not splash up onto walls and into air conditioning units.

Because the chemical process kills the organic matter, the surface will stay slip free 4-6 times longer when compared to pressure washing.

No heavy equipment needs to be taken through the building and up onto the roof.

A soft wash van can be parked close to the building and the low-pressure hoses can be pulled up onto the roof. No need to disturb your internal environment, whilst having your flat roof cleaning service.

Once the initial clean has been undertaken which you should have someone come out and survey then an annual maintenance cost for flat roof cleaning should be between £4.10 and £6.50 per square metre depending on height and size of flat roof.

Why do you need an annual or bi-annual maintenance plan for your flat roof cleaning?

Because roofs are flat and when it rains, water pools on the surface, the sun comes out and nature begins its process known as photosynthesis. Soon organic matter will start to appear, bloom and grow.

Other factors you should consider which will be of great benefit should you have air conditioning units cooling your data centre or offices. Membrane roofs are often lighter shades of grey or white, as you know white surfaces reflect heat better than dark surfaces do. Roofs covered in dark black or green moulds attract heat which causes the building to get hotter inside. The air conditioning units need to work harder to keep the building cooler, using more electricity which costs you more money.

Air conditioning maintenance crews working on flat roofs which have not been cleaned can slip very easily. Just go take a look at your flat roof on a rainy day, walking on it will be like walking on an ice-skating rink. The potential for insurance claims is huge and can be easily avoided by having a regular scheduled maintenance plan in place.

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