22.01.2012

Barefoot roof washer

Spotted by a reader in Cambridge New Zealand at the end of December – over the Christmas break in fact - a man pressure washing the extensive roof of his house.

The man has the pressure washer balanced on the gutter and roof edge, steadied by his partner in crime, while he ranges across the wet pitched roof in bare feet.
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Barefoot roof washing in New Zealand

As if this was not enough he stands on the apex of one roof to reach a higher level and then later stretches out to reach a lower ledge. It is truly amazing that he did not slip or do himself a mischief.
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Up on the apex and surely some of that water is headed inside?

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Stretch.......... and hopefully not fall off and on to your head!

A definite Death Wish

Vertikal Comment

The practice of pressure washing roofs seems to be growing rapidly all over the western world, odd really as in the past moss and lichen added character just like ivy on the walls. The moss does clog gutters though.

Anyway the point is that while roof washing is turning into a big business, there appears to be little thought given to safe forms of access or it. We have at least three or four dreadful examples among our Death Wish series…..

Perhaps rental salesmen need to give this sector some thought – trailer lifts? Spider lifts? and target a few roof washers – some of them are now franchised and should be taking work at height very seriously. A decent machine could speed up the job and improve the quality of work by allowing the washing to be downwards… in some photos from New Zealand it looks as though the man is directing the water up under the tiles and we know where that will end up.