(501) 550-8465
Clean, bright white metal roof with a red building behind it.

Roof Cleaning in Fairfield Bay, AR

501 Soft Washing, in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas, cleans asphalt shingle and metal roofs at low pressure for homes and businesses around Greers Ferry Lake. The owner comes out and washes the roof.

Call (501) 550-8465 Free remote estimates
Insured. The work is guaranteed. 5.0 on Google
Gray-brown shingle roof over a brick garage wing, dull and streaked.
Gray-brown shingle roof over a brick garage wing, dull and streaked.

Black roof streaks, moss, and what high pressure does to shingles

The dark streaks on a shingle roof are most often algae, mainly a kind called Gloeocapsa magma, says the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA). It travels through the air and grows on the roof. Warm, humid weather and shaded, north-facing slopes suit it, and those are common around Greers Ferry Lake.

Moss does more harm. ARMA says there’s no scientific evidence that algae damages asphalt shingles, but moss can lift or curl their leading edges. In severe cases, it can move water sideways and cause a leak.

A pressure washer can do worse than either one. It can strip granules, the gritty top layer of a shingle. It can also break shingle seals and force water underneath. 501 Soft Washing soft washes roofs instead, with low pressure and a cleaning solution.

DO NOT use a power washer or any type of brush or broom to clean algae from the roof surface
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, on roof algae
Pressure washing “will cause granule loss and very likely premature failure of the roof system.”
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers AssociationOn pressure washing shingles

What people ask about roof cleaning

Is roof cleaning necessary?

It is for moss. For algae, it’s mostly about looks.

ARMA says moss can lift shingle edges and cause leaks, while algae mainly hurts how a standard shingle roof looks. 501 Soft Washing cleans roofs with either one.

What chemical is used to soft wash a roof?

ARMA recommends diluted household bleach.

Household bleach is sodium hypochlorite. ARMA says to leave it on 15 to 20 minutes, rinse gently, and skip the scrubbing. Ask 501 Soft Washing what goes on your roof when you call.

Will cleaning my roof void the shingle warranty?

Your shingle manufacturer can answer that for your roof.

ARMA sends questions about a manufacturer’s requirements to that manufacturer. GAF’s bulletin TAB-R-102 advises against pressure washing shingles, and 501 Soft Washing washes them at low pressure.

How long does a roof cleaning last?

There’s no set number of years.

ARMA says the stain may return, and algae and moss like damp shade. It points to pruning trees for sun and keeping gutters clear. 501 Soft Washing can clean the roof again if it does.

How much does roof cleaning cost?

Each roof is quoted on its own.

501 Soft Washing has no published roof price. Remote estimates are free, and so are in-person estimates around Fairfield Bay, Clinton, and Shirley.

The roofs we clean, and the house below them

Shingles and metal panels both get a soft wash. Their makers publish different cleaning limits, so the roof you have matters.

Brown shingle roof over a brick garage wing.

Asphalt shingle roofs

Black streaks on asphalt shingles get a low-pressure wash. ARMA says algae also cuts into how well a reflective cool roof works over time.

See soft washing
Clean white metal roof with a red cupola.

Metal roofs

A pressure washer can force water under standing seams and lap joints, so panels get low pressure too.

Call about your metal roof
Open pavilion with a bright white roof and picnic tables.

Pavilions

Gray streaks wash off the metal roof of an open pavilion the same way.

Call about your pavilion
Evenly brown shingle roof on a brick and stone house.

Siding, trim, and brick below the roof

House washing cleans the walls on the same call.

See house washing

How a roof cleaning goes

  1. 1. Call (501) 550-8465

    Tell us what you need done and where it is.

  2. 2. Get your free estimate

    Remote estimates are free everywhere. In-person estimates are free in the Fairfield Bay, Clinton, and Shirley area.

  3. 3. The owner shows up and does the job

    501 Soft Washing’s owner comes to your home or business and does the work.

Dull tan metal roof with a small gray shed and a ladder.
Dull tan metal roof with a small gray shed and a ladder.

Roof cleaning before and after

Drag across any photo, or use the arrow keys.

White metal roof after cleaning, clean with a red cupola. After
The same white metal roof before cleaning, streaked, with a hose on it and a red cupola at left. Before
White metal roof with a red cupola, streaked before and clean after.
Shingle roof on a brick and stone house after cleaning, evenly brown. After
The same shingle roof before cleaning, dark and streaked. Before
Shingle roof on a brick and stone house, dark streaks before and an even brown after.
Red open pavilion after cleaning, with a bright white metal roof and a red cupola. After
The same pavilion before cleaning, with a dull metal roof and a ladder. Before
Red open pavilion, a dull metal roof before and a bright white one after.

What a customer says about roof soft washing

5.0 on Google
“If you are looking for the best roof soft washing around the Greers Ferry Lake Area, call 501 Pressure Washing!”
Reza ChuaRoof, on 501 Pressure Washing, our sister company

What’s guaranteed and what an estimate costs

501 Soft Washing is insured. The work is guaranteed.

Some things get talked through before the work starts, so you know what to expect. Oxidized siding needs a restoration process, and that isn’t guaranteed. Removing non-organic stains isn’t guaranteed either, though the success rate is high.

Close view of clean, smooth beige ribbed metal roof panels.
Close view of clean, smooth beige ribbed metal roof panels.

  1. Free remote estimates

    Everywhere we work. We need pictures of the job: email them to info@501softwashing.com with the address, what you want cleaned, and a note on any vegetation or surfaces a cleaner could damage. It gets you a faster, more accurate quote.

  2. Free in-person estimates

    In the Fairfield Bay, Clinton, and Shirley area.

  3. Farther out

    We prefer remote, or you can pay $100 for an in-person estimate, deducted from your quote if you accept the job.

“We needed our office in Heber Springs washed before a meeting on Monday. They were able to quote remotely and come out on a moments notice. Thank you so much for the accommodation. We really should have done this in advance but thank you!”
Merry PopeOffice in Heber Springs, on 501 Soft Washing
Call (501) 550-8465

What else the same call covers

Where 501 Soft Washing works

The work also covers Van Buren, Stone, Searcy, Cleburne, and Faulkner counties.

Contact 501 Soft Washing

More roof cleaning questions

Can you clean a metal roof?

Yes, metal roofs get a low-pressure wash.

501 Soft Washing cleans them. For its stone-coated metal roofs, DECRA sets a 500 PSI limit and warns against copper- and iron-based cleaners. Your panel maker’s guide may differ.

Can I clean my roof myself?

You can, but ARMA recommends a professional.

Cleaning makes a roof slippery, ARMA says. 501 Soft Washing is insured, and the owner shows up and does the job.

Do zinc or copper strips keep algae off a roof?

ARMA doesn’t recommend adding them to an existing roof.

Installing them leaves nails exposed or breaks the sealant bond. Algae-resistant shingles are an option at replacement, and 501 Soft Washing can wash the roof you have now.

Stained deck with a stone fire pit and a bench.

Call (501) 550-8465

Free remote estimates everywhere, and free in-person estimates in the Fairfield Bay, Clinton, and Shirley area.

Call 501 Soft Washing

Free remote estimates everywhere

Call (501) 550-8465