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Roof Medic Specializes in Cleaning Cedar Shake Shingles
It is always best to select a company that specializes in what they do. We at Roof Medic take
great pride in cleaning cedar shake shingles. They are much more delicate than asphalt fiberglass
shingles. As a result, they require more specialized equipment and care while performing our task.
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As cedar shingles age, their need for cleaning and oiling increases.
Cedar is the wood of choice when installing wood roofs because its oils are resistant to drying out. It is the
oils, contained within the cellulose material, which protects the wood, and prevents water absorption. As long as
these oils are present, the cedar provides a beautiful effective means for roofing material.
The term aging of cedar shingles is defined almost entirely by the loss of its oils. This occurs by two means.
First, minute amounts are washed away each time it rains. Second, the oils actually biodegrade over time on
their own, and even faster when exposed to ultra violet rays of the sun.
The denser the wood of a shingle, the slower it will lose its oils. Fast growth tree farms have led to wood
shingles with reduced density. As a result, cedar shingles are more vulnerable to rapid ageing now then they
were a generation ago.
Oil loss begins at the outer layers of the shingle, and works its way towards the center. As the oils are lost,
there becomes a layer of unprotected cellulose. It begins to absorb and hold moisture. This moisture makes the
shingle vulnerable to freeze damage in the winter, enables wood destroying fungi to form, and ultimately rots the
remaining material.
To prevent damage from occurring after oil loss has begun, it is best to clean and then coat the roof with a
linseed oil based protectant. This is referred to as a drying oil. A good product will have stabilizers and ultra
violet ray protectants added for increased longevity.
It is recommended this product be applied after cedar shingles begin showing signs of oil loss, and then once
every 5 to 7 years afterwards for continued protection.
Cedar roofs are expensive. Their cost usually starts at around 30 thousand, and climbs based on the size
and complexity of the roof. A neglected roof can be ruined in as little as 20 years, where as a maintained roof
can last 40 years and beyond.
Good maintenance will help preserve cedar roofs well into the future.
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copyright 2005-2011 roof medic roof cleaning of michigan. Updated 03-25-2011. Here are just a
few of the areas we serve detroit, ann arbor, and kalamazoo.
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