Smoke residue and corrosion have almost the same effect on the roof, especially aluminum roofing. They eat away your precious roofing and if left to continue, you might have to replace the whole roof. The good news is that smoke and corrosion can be easily cleared with a simple do it yourself roof cleaning exercise.
Manufacturers do coat aluminum roofs with a thin layer of zinc to prevent or slow down corrosion. However, unfortunately a thin zinc coating is barely enough to keep away corrosion. In fact, the zinc coating contributes to the corrosion if debris such as steel, cedar or grime is left to accumulate on the roof.
Steps to remove smoke stains and corrosion
For this DIY, you will need
- White vinegar
- Hot water
- Clean and dry dugs
- Outdoor Paint and paint brush
- Zinc-rich primer
Steps to follow
- Remove anything made of lead that is in contact with the roof. This may include copper pipes or coins or simply clear any debris on the roof first.
- Depending on the extent of corrosion or smoke stain, pour vinegar on and around the affected areas, allowing the vinegar to sit for five to ten minutes.
- Thoroughly wash and rinse the area with hot-warm water
- Using good quality sand paper, scrub away the remaining corrosion or smoke stain.
- Again use warm water to completely tidy up your work.
- Wipe off water from the area with a rug and leave it to dry naturally.
- Us industrial zinc-rich primer to coat the affected areas. Make sure you apply a generous amount if this is the first time you are conducting a do it yourself roof cleaning.
Long-term solution
If you are up for it, you might want to use oil-based paint (outdoor paint) to coat the whole roof. This will not only keep away corrosion, it will be easier in the future to wipe smoke and oil stains from the roof.
Remember to take caution while on the land up above and have fun!