Care and Maintenance of Rubber Roof

Nowadays, the use of rubber roofs has become very popular. Constant roof repairing and roof damage due to poor materials have led to an increased demand for the use of rubber roofs. In most cases rubber roofs are made of recycled material and hence they are economical as well as eco-friendly than wood or asphalt roofs. Rubber roofing is a perfect alternative to the exhausting process of repair and maintenance of roofs made of other materials. Rubber roofs can be purchased as rolls, which can be rolled out onto your roof. They can also be purchased as pieces or as rubber shingles. Although rubber roofing is tough, for durability and proper functioning, regular care and maintenance is required. Presenting below few tips on how to maintain rubber roofs.

Cleaning Your Rubber Roof

One of the easiest method to maintain your rubber roof is to keep it clean. For this, make sure to seal the roof 3 to 4 times a year. Use a rubber cleaner which helps to to prevent and clean mildew. Using rubber cleaner also prevent chalk like spotting on the roof and keeping things from sticking to it. Once or twice a month, go out onto your roof, sweep any materials that have settled onto the roof using a strong brush. Sweeping will prevent mildew spots. This has to be done regularly if you live in wet climate as wet conditions cause spots on roofs.

Removing Spots on Rubber Roof

It is a very common thing to see the growth of mild dew and mold on roof, which further leads to gray and black spots on your roof. At times, the color changes to pink, yellow, white. The light colored rubber roofs do not get hot enough to kill fungus, and mildew grows more on the roof. It is very necessary to get rid of fungus as fast as possible as it spreads rapidly. For this, use a strong cleaner with oxidation components to clean the mildew off the roof. You then also have to use a solution of bleach and water to remove the mildew stain. You can also use petroleum distillates to clean mildew.

Removing Chalking on Rubber Roof

The rubber materials like EPDM rubber or FKM rubber which are used to make rubber roofs are subject to a problem called chalking. In the EPDM or synthetic rubber manufacturing process, pigments are added to give the desired color. With time and due to exposure to heat, moisture, sunlight, harsh weather conditions, the roof's surface begins to lose this pigment. These come to the surface and appear as white or gray powdery residue. The process of chalking actually begins when the roof is about 12 to 18 months old and this is a natural process, which is not harmful to the material. As such it is necessary to remove the white streaks using a good cleaning solution, like strong soap and water. If the white coloring has fall onto windows or fiberglass, the color can be removed by applying a oxidation solution or a polishing compound.