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Customer claims the use of pesticides was used to clean her roof!

cleantheroof

New member
During a hot month in the summer I washed a roof for a customer and everything turned out great as always. I was called back a few days later claiming that the roof cleaning solution had spotted the windows, claiming after it rained it went off roof and all over windows. It was the well water that had spotted the windows from my ground guy spraying plants and the gutter facing. I was then called back 2 weeks later claiming my roof cleaning solution browned her pine tree and making the needles fall off mind you it had not rained in about a month and was in the 90's temp wise also everything was browning grass, plants etc. The client then called the state pesticide office claming I used pesticides. Told them its approved by shingle manuf and no pesticides were used. They emailed me back stating they would take samples of tree needles and soil. Any suggestions?
 

cleantheroof

New member
I contacted my insurance guy and he said nope we wont pay for it. A sample was sent off at first and the test came back inconclusive. The customer replied well who cares what it said just buy me a new tree. I take pride in my work as we all do and I wont let this customer convince others that pesticides were used. Ludacris!
 

welder

New member
Clean the roof, I think you need to fix your signature, people are a lot friendlier if they know who they are talking to. Besides, the signature police will give you a infraction and send you to the land of Infractionville.
 

Russ Spence

Active member
Signature police here, please fill out your signature and you will get many more replies.

And sorry for your troubles too by the way.
 

Scott Davis

New member
Is the tree in an spot that your chemss COULD have damaged it? Have a horticulturist come out to determine if the tree is dead. If it is then replace it. If not, Dont. Very simple.
 

Chris Tucker

New member
During a hot month in the summer I washed a roof for a customer and everything turned out great as always. I was called back a few days later claiming that the roof cleaning solution had spotted the windows, claiming after it rained it went off roof and all over windows. It was the well water that had spotted the windows from my ground guy spraying plants and the gutter facing. I was then called back 2 weeks later claiming my roof cleaning solution browned her pine tree and making the needles fall off mind you it had not rained in about a month and was in the 90's temp wise also everything was browning grass, plants etc. The client then called the state pesticide office claming I used pesticides. Told them its approved by shingle manuf and no pesticides were used. They emailed me back stating they would take samples of tree needles and soil. Any suggestions?
I would wait on the tree and soil samples, did you have a competitor in on this job ? Sounds to me like someone is geeking this customer up to find something wrong ? Next thing you know, she will blame you for her arthritis maybe ? Scott had a good suggestion too with a horticulturist. Many state universities have free of charge agricultural extension services offering soil samples. I would get them ASAP! Like they say, "If you want peace, prepare for war".
 

cleantheroof

New member
A sample of the branch was sent off to the local landscape company that got it tested. It came back inconclusive and they said they didnt know what it was. The client said i dont care what they say my tree is browning because of you and I will call the bbb on you and ruin your business. The client just wants me to blame and thats it final. This is during a time when it was in the middle of August and no rain for weeks everything killing off. And as to call the pesticide division is just fishing for answers. I will just have to stand my ground, pesticides are not used in roof cleaning and its obsurd, when you go to the point of just finding anything to bring blame watch out everybody those are the ones that cannot be reasoned with.
 

cleantheroof

New member
As to answer your question apple roof cleaning about a competitor being involved no there was not. This all happened in August and is now November. Never ever have i had any complaints I take pride in my work and bust my butt to do a great job. The landscape company even said to me, "Do they even water the tree it is hot and humid out and everything is dying" They didnt water the tree ever! Openly admitted this to me. The pesticide divison said for all roof cleaners to never say we kill algae it refers to pesticide use because pesticides kill things. Wasnt saying I was wrong he just said this is a message for all in the business, felt like a sheriff warning you in a small town LOL
 

Scott Davis

New member
Thats absurd. Always push the fact that you kill algae 100%. If a bunch of other stuff is dead that you couldnt have possibly killed then its probably not your fault. How long after the cleaning did they notify you that there was a problem?
 

Ron Musgraves

Past President
Staff member
I see oportunity for orgs to assist in these Battles. No get directly involved but helping the contractors with literature stating proper methods. Of course no one knows if they where followed but this could be a start in the correct advocacy of orgs.
 

cleantheroof

New member
I was originally called a few days later stating that the windows were spotted possibly from the roof cleaning solution, found it was the water that dried up from my ground guy water plants and gutter facings, they have hard well water. Proved it by cleaning a window and then watering it and watching it spot. But to answer your question 2 weeks later i was called about the tree. The tree was fine when i showed up to clean windows for them everything looked great roof looked amazing, it just went south after that the blaming game and assuming. But yea about the killing comment it is absurd, but the pesticide department said for your own sake dont say or use it on web site it links to killing pests, which i think is crazy.
 

Scott Davis

New member
I actually specifically compare the algae to a pest, not just a stain and that we achieve 100% kill ratio. Nobody else around you will do that and it will make you stand out.
 

Jim Cooney

New member
I always provide each and every customer a MSDS sheet of the solutions we will be using on their project with the bid package. Since we use environmentally safe, biodegradable solutions, we have never, ever had any issues.

The hard water spots on the glass is a lesson learned. We have very hard water here also, and unless you professionally clean the effected exterior glass immediately after the scope of work, the minerals can actually begin to etch the glass.

You insurance agent should be handling this for you. Since your insurance agent dumped on you, I'd suggest you find a better insurance agent.
 

William Page

New member
I still say, but the tree and move on. If you cleaned a roof with bleach and only one tree died, you killed it. If all the trees died, then blame it on the weather and dry season. Never turn any thing over to your insurance that is less than 10K.
 

cleantheroof

New member
William, it wasnt just that tree. In the front yard about 100 feet from house another trees leaves were dying off also the front lawn was brown and dead looking. MY point was the client went to the extreme of saying pesticides was used. Making false claims and assumptions. I am moving on about this topic and I thank everyone for hearing me out, if none of you have dealt with someone to this extreme measure watch out they are out there. I just didnt want one person to try and convince a department that we roof cleaners use pesticides to clean roofs, next it will be said toxins were used and the animals on the property have morphed into odd creatures LOL thanks everybody
 

Henry Bockman

New member
You shouldn't have anything to worry about unless your making your own chemical mixture to clean roofs. If your mixing up your own chemicals for it and you don't have an msds or insurance for manufacturing chemicals you could have one hell of a mess with this client.

If your buying your chems, just turn them over to the manufacturer and let them deal with it.
 

Henry Bockman

New member
You shouldn't have anything to worry about unless your making your own chemical mixture to clean roofs. If your mixing up your own chemicals for it and you don't have an msds or insurance for manufacturing chemicals you could have one hell of a mess with this client.

If your buying your chems, just turn them over to the manufacturer and let them deal with it.
 

Russ Spence

Active member
You shouldn't have anything to worry about unless your making your own chemical mixture to clean roofs. If your mixing up your own chemicals for it and you don't have an msds or insurance for manufacturing chemicals you could have one hell of a mess with this client.

If your buying your chems, just turn them over to the manufacturer and let them deal with it.
Henry, very good answer!

We cleaned many roofs in the past and this summer decided to stop. There was too much liability, first the added insurance cost to cover me or someone else on a roof made my head spin, second mixing chems, leaking pumps, leaking bulkheads thru the years are very frustrating as well.

Yes there is good money to be made but I started thinking the exact thing you just stated, unless I mix on site I am taking a huge risk, if we had an accident or a spill it would be aweful, could you see me trying to show the DOT an MSDS for some surfactant like Borax plus TSP and 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite? Oh my oh my, I bet the guys head would pop off when he found out I had all that mixed together and had no license to manufacture.

That being said I sort of like AC's new thing with the powered chems, I watched the video and it seems a safe alternative, he provides you with the formula to mix the chems and they are transported dry and not mixed. May be worth looking into. Plus he provides the MSDS and the instructions ect so I am assuming he has looked into the legal end of it as well. I will have to dig further on that one.

In closing, not to poke at Mark but Mark you have a serious issue on your hands, I spend a lot of time on our yard and my wife would throw a fit if that had happened here, another thing, I would look at the neighbors homes, if they still look good around there house you may be replacing more than a tree before its over. If the tree is found to be caused by you I am sure a judge will naturally assume that the rest was too.
 
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