Tower Roof & Parapet Cleaning
Summit House Marco Island

On a 23-story Gulf-front tower, nothing blocks the wind at the top. Salt and sand settle on the roof and parapets every day and hold moisture there, and drains fill with grit after each storm.

A concrete tower that has stood on the beach since 1981 goes through rounds of patching, recoating and roof work. Every new coating and sealant joint calls for gentle cleaning, and we keep the nozzle well back from fresh patches so water isn’t driven behind them.

Under Florida’s milestone law, condo buildings that had passed 30 years before July 2022 faced an initial inspection deadline of December 31, 2024, and a 1981 building falls in that group. Inspections can lead to concrete restoration, and repair crews may leave dust and overspray on the roof, parapets and equipment areas.

Once repairs have cured, a careful low-pressure cleaning leaves the roof and parapets looking finished and lets the board see the completed work clearly before final sign-off.

Inspections every ten years. After the first milestone inspection, the law calls for another every 10 years, and condo buildings of three or more stories also need a Structural Integrity Reserve Study on the same 10-year cycle, with the roof among the items it covers. A clean roof before each visit helps the engineer see the real surface.

What the roof is made of. A 2025 listing for a unit here describes the roof as built-up. Roofs on a tower this age may have been redone, so we confirm the current system, its maker and any warranty with the manager and the association’s roofer before choosing a method.

If it is still built-up. We have no manufacturer’s cleaning bulletin on file for built-up roofing, so we follow the roofer’s guidance, test a small area first and stay with a mild solution at low pressure, keeping spray off seams and flashings.

Where GAF TPO is installed. GAF’s TAB-C-27 bulletin for EverGuard TPO calls for mild detergent and water, a soft-bristled brush and a low-pressure washer at no more than 2,000 psi, with curbs and base flashings kept out of the spray. It also asks that nearby facades be protected from runoff.

Where a Sika sheet is installed. Sika’s Technical Bulletin 17-03 says a lower psi is preferable, since too much can cut into the sheet. It specifies a wide nozzle held 16 to 24 inches above the surface, spraying over the seam lap rather than against it, and it rules out wire brushes.

Elastomeric and other coatings. Where the roof or parapets carry a coating, we ask the restoration contractor for its cure time and care instructions. On anything coated in the past year, we test a small patch before treating the rest.

How often? GAF says cleaning needs depend on contamination, rainfall, dirt and drainage, and some roofs need none on a routine basis. We suggest timing a clean around inspections and repairs rather than a fixed calendar.

Fall protection on a tower. GAF warns that wet single-ply roofing is slippery and that the work is for trained professionals with fall protection. Our crews tie off on the roof, keep clear of the parapet line and never walk through unrinsed solution.

Inspect after rinsing. GAF’s guidance ends with a check of the membrane after cleaning. We photograph seams, flashings, drains, ponding and any coating defects and send them to the manager for the roofer or restoration contractor.

Balconies and shutters below. Every condo has a balcony, and one listing on the 21st floor mentions impact sliders and accordion shutters. Clean parapets keep streaks off that glass, and owners can book balcony cleaning for the same window as the roof.

Amenities and the boardwalk. The pool, spa, clubhouse, fitness room, sauna and grill area sit below, and a private boardwalk leads to the beach. We keep rinse water on the roof drains and away from the pool deck and boardwalk.

Larger floor plans. Units range from about 1,733 to 2,497 square feet in two- and three-bedroom plans. Owners who are away for the season don’t need to be present; roof work is booked by the association through the manager.

Annual fees and planning. A 2025 listing shows substantial annual recurring fees for a single unit, a reminder of what it costs to keep up a Gulf-front tower of this age. Quoting roof cleaning as separate, clearly described lines helps the board fit it into the operating budget alongside inspections and reserves.

Southeast views and the bay side. Some units face southeast toward the bay and the city rather than the Gulf. Parapets on that side see less direct salt spray but still collect grit and droppings, so we treat the full perimeter rather than only the Gulf-facing edge.

Pricing. For the tower roof, the large or complex roof row from $499 is just the minimum. The roof and parapets are quoted per building, and a post-restoration cleanup can be its own line, booked once coatings have cured.