# how to clean pitch and asphalt scuffs on a pvc roof?



## Grumpy

Recently installed a PVC roof. The guys didn't protect as well as they should have, in the traffic areas there are scuffs from foot traffic from chunks of asphalt and pitch tear off stuck in their shoes. I instructed them to clean but the weathered membrane cleaner only served to yellow the membrane. 





Coating it with a PVC compatible coating is an alternative. Any other suggestions? 




FYI, this is versiflex pvc.


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## Pie in the Sky

Xylene works the best!!! Course itll take a few mils of the sheet off so.. yea.. dont use that.. Good for patches though...


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## Grumpy

LOL. We use Xylene to clean our tools after a coating job. Works really well. Didn't think it would take mills off the roof, as I was considering it. Phew. 

Considering just painting on a white coating product that is PVC compatible. Looking at http://www.roofing.com/forum/roof-certification-letters-t6756.html manufacturer says is pvc compatible. 

Then again I don't want to void the warranty from Versico so I am waiting to hear back from them with their suggestion.


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## LCG

Simple Green

Scrape off the big chunks. Soak the areas for a few minutes with simple green. Wipe clean with terry cloth towels.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.

GOO GONE works wonders on stubborn tar. I couldn't be more serious!:thumbup:

If you want to coat it you can always use water or latex based elastomeric roof coating. I belive all latex paints are compatible with the PVC's that we use.


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## Grumpy

There's no chunks so that's good. Simple green is a good idea, someone else suggested a citrus cleaner. May buy a few gallons of each and test them both out. Either way it's going to be a full day for one guy scrubbing and mopping the roof  

I should make my foreman do it so he learns his lesson.


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## 1985gt

Huh on TPO it would have came right off, not yellowed or anything with cleaner. 


Also hit your foreman a few times for me. I hate that chit such an easy way to blow profit. We always add in a little extra just for this reason. I don't care how careful you are there is always some marks. Sounds like this was over a few/normal stuff.


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## Grumpy

GT, A few marks is acceptable, I don't expect the roof to be perfectly white, even on new construction that just isn't possible. But, I put in a post a few days ago I was proud of the job but embarrassed to show any pictures of it because of the scuffs. That should tell you something. 

It's days like today I start talking about selling the business again. I just don't need this kind of avoidable shit in my life. I can think of a half dozen ways we could have protected and would have protected had I been on the job a little more, so I accept some blame, but I shouldn't have to be on the job all the time, if that's the case I have the wrong guys. Overall they are pretty good, but this was just completely an epic fail in my opinion.


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## 1985gt

Grumpy said:


> GT, A few marks is acceptable, I don't expect the roof to be perfectly white, even on new construction that just isn't possible. But, I put in a post a few days ago I was proud of the job but embarrassed to show any pictures of it because of the scuffs. That should tell you something.
> 
> It's days like today I start talking about selling the business again. I just don't need this kind of avoidable shit in my life. I can think of a half dozen ways we could have protected and would have protected had I been on the job a little more, so I accept some blame, but I shouldn't have to be on the job all the time, if that's the case I have the wrong guys. Overall they are pretty good, but this was just completely an epic fail in my opinion.


No you can never keep them perfectly clean, but you also shouldn't have to stand over your guys the whole job either. One of the things we do if we have to walk through the customers building is make the guys bring two pairs of shoes, or wear the little booties. not 100% foolproof but it helps, same could be done in this application, tear off in boots and wear shoes once the insulation is down. Make them take some responsibility for it, they get to clean up their mess and all that. Anyway you look at it, it still comes out of your pocket.


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## Grumpy

Yep, it comes out of my pocket either way but I am having them out there with mops, scrub brushes and gallons of cleaner this Friday or Saturday. 

The idea of switching shoes is a good idea, but wouldn't have helped much in this case because the areas affected weren't the areas worked on in the same day. The areas affected were the traffic areas, the paths to the door. Today's tear off caked boots tracked across yesterday's new roof. Make sense? 

Normally they tarp the new roof areas to prevent this. I don't know why they didn't. maybe because they knew a deck was going to be built on the roof. But not the whole roof, only half of it. I don't know.


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## RooferJim

Thats a rookie mistake, roofers always need a change of shoes when going from the rip to the reroof on white membrane jobs. MEK is the best thing to clean PVC membrane .


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## Grumpy

Hey Jim, No doubt about the rookie mistake, I think the guys are getting burnt out and starting to take short cuts. I can either give them time off or crack the whip. 

The areas affected were the traffic areas, the paths to the door. Today's tear off caked boots tracked across yesterday's new roof. Make sense? So again changing shoes wouldn't have accomplished much. Protection was really what was needed.


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## 1985gt

Grumpy said:


> Yep, it comes out of my pocket either way but I am having them out there with mops, scrub brushes and gallons of cleaner this Friday or Saturday.
> 
> The idea of switching shoes is a good idea, but wouldn't have helped much in this case because the areas affected weren't the areas worked on in the same day. The areas affected were the traffic areas, the paths to the door. Today's tear off caked boots tracked across yesterday's new roof. Make sense?
> 
> Normally they tarp the new roof areas to prevent this. I don't know why they didn't. maybe because they knew a deck was going to be built on the roof. But not the whole roof, only half of it. I don't know.



Start at the far end away from the door during tear off :thumbup: Doesn't matter white or black membrane stay off your new roof as much as possible. I'm sure you probably do this though, some times its unavoidable.


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## Grumpy

In this situation we could not, Primarily due to the smallish size and U shape of the building, but most importantly because the crane could only be staged in one location which is what forced us to start near the door, rather than finish near the door  Don't ya think I thought of that!?  

This is the scenario. Let's say on day 3, for example, worker A is tearing off with everyone else on the opposite side of the building. Worker A realizes he forgot hsi prybar inside the door area where we were staging our tools, so he walks to the door to get his pry bar. Swaping shoes then swaping back would have helped but isn't really realisitic. 5 guys do this 5 times a day, for 10 days, and that's what stained up the roof. That's why protection was absolutely needed.


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## 1985gt

Well whip em for being lazy and not putting a tarp down. 

Has anyone ever tried the thin film carpet protector? We've used it inside of building on the carpet and linoleum but never tried it on a TPO or PVC roof. I think that it would work better then a regular tarp that is going to be shifting under your feet. Who knows if it would actually stay in place though.


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## LCG

Sometimes we use carpet runners like the ones you walk on when you enter into a starbucks, restraunt, etc. 

You can buy them in long rolls and sometimes find used ones in industrial cleaning stores. The guys who take the existing floor mats for cleaning and install fresh mats usually just throw their old mats away when they are done with them. Offer them a few bucks to take them off their hands. Usually these guys are happy to see them go to use elswhere.

You guys in the city may have good louck finding used mats for a pittance of the normal price, maybe free!:thumbup:

Plus they are slip resistant and non marking.

Problem solved!


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## Grumpy

LCG said:


> Sometimes we use carpet runners like the ones you walk on when you enter into a starbucks, restraunt, etc.
> 
> You can buy them in long rolls and sometimes find used ones in industrial cleaning stores. The guys who take the existing floor mats for cleaning and install fresh mats usually just throw their old mats away when they are done with them. Offer them a few bucks to take them off their hands. Usually these guys are happy to see them go to use elswhere.
> 
> You guys in the city may have good louck finding used mats for a pittance of the normal price, maybe free!:thumbup:
> 
> Plus they are slip resistant and non marking.
> 
> Problem solved!


 Sounds like a great idea. Gonna give that a shot next time. In the past we have also used old scrap EPDM. seems to work well, but tends to blow around alot.


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## joe-d-roofer

carpet tack will leave the glue behind when removed and you will hate life. it will be 10 times worse. some manufacturers sell the membrane with a uv stable tear away clean film that comes off without leaving any residue. it cost more but makes a perfect job at the end. try soaking it with simple green for at least 15 min then scrub it well with a stiff deck brush followed with hose down. do this at least two times until all the heavy black scuffs are mostly gone followed by a thorough hose down. let the roof dry and spray the entire membrane with "Clorox Clean-up" and let it stand for at least 15 min. spray a second coat, let stand and rinse. apply a third coat and leave. after several days of sun, the roof will whiten up. spend the extra $100+ a roll for the clean film next time, it is well worth it. good luck!


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