# mortar on shingles



## bountyhunter (Feb 9, 2005)

Just after finishing the chimney chase with cultured stone, a storm blew in and the hail and rain knocked off several stones and LOTS of mortar onto the new heritage shingles. Is there anything out there to remove this mortar or will we have to replace all the shingles which were under the chase?


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## AaronB. (Oct 6, 2004)

Methinks I would try a LIGHT pressure wash then a LIGHT acid bath and rinse. The acis will neutralize the corrosive effects of the caustic mortar. Remember...LIGHT...like a diluted muriatic.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Not sure about the acid, but if the mortar was mostly dry it should come off with a light pressure wash.

Aaron don't you think the acid would cause harm to the shingles?


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## bountyhunter (Feb 9, 2005)

I may try a light pressure wash. I did try dish soap and TSP with scrub brush and water. It helped some, but since the shingles were only 1 month old and green, you can really tell it is still on them.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Can you tell from the roof or from the ground? 

It might be cheaper and less time consuming for you to pay $150 to the roofer who put the roof on to replace the few shingles surrounding the roof and chalking it up to experience.


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## AaronB. (Oct 6, 2004)

A diluted and rinsed acid bath will react with the caustic mortar and neutralize both. A good rinse will rid the surface of either. Aphalt is inert. So are the cerammic granules. I would worry more about pressure washer damage.


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## bountyhunter (Feb 9, 2005)

You can see it pretty good as soon as you walk out onto the deck. It would be probably a square or two to replace them. This is my own house this time and I did the roof myself. Probably don't have much to loose by acid bathing them and if it does not work, go to the tear off and reshingle. It would have to be on the 12/12 part of the house too!!! Any good suggestions on a specific acid?


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

I dunno I'd still be scared of introducing the acid to the asphalt. You say it's inert but I gotta think it'd do some kind of damage. I know the granuals are fine from the acid being that theya re ceramic and ceramics are used in laboratory items daily... I'd just repalce the shingles now since I have the feeling that's what's going to end up happening anyways.


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

How about just 'mortaring' the rest of the roof!! :cheesygri


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Given the info, asphalt shingles, ceramic granules, acid should be fine. Muriatic (sulphuric) acid is perfect for dissolving the lime (basis of the stucco). I would use a 3-1 mix to start (the same for cleaning pool decks). Don't take your time, acids and bases tend to neutralize on contact as they react. Have a water hose on the job and use frequently, neutralized acid will have no affect on plants beneath, undiluted will. Dilute it as much as possible.


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## reveivl (May 29, 2005)

"Muriatic (sulphuric) acid is perfect for dissolving the lime"

Muriatic acid is Hydrochloric, not sulphuric. Rich.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I stand corrected. Rich is right.
Neither should attack asphalt, old battery cases were made of the stuff.
Muriatic Is the stuff to use as in the previous post.


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## bountyhunter (Feb 9, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> I stand corrected. Rich is right.
> Neither should attack asphalt, old battery cases were made of the stuff.
> Muriatic Is the stuff to use as in the previous post.



Great, now the tricky part. Will this Muriatic acid hurt the aluminum gutters and the log siding and stain which it will get onto also? It will also end up on the treated deck, but there is no seasler on it yet, so I assume it will be ok?


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Acid? Boo Hiss. 

Replace the damaged shingles. I _still_ think you are asking for trouble playing with the acid, regardless of the above posts... and rest assured I will be the jerk who says "I told you so." when you tell us the acid caused more harm than good.


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## minnesotaroofin (Nov 26, 2004)

Why not just wait 6-8 months for the stain to dissapear. Maybee not even that long. we cut reglet into alot of stucco walls and chimneys we normally cover shingles but sometimes things don't go real well and the dust then gets on the shingles gets wet and stains roof. normally 1-2 months go by and stain weathers out. I have also seen chimney builders leave stains and they normally weater out as well.


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## bountyhunter (Feb 9, 2005)

I am definately going to wait a couple of months until it cools down a bit to even try to reshingle, if necessary. Of course since the rain and hail which caused this problem it has not rained since then, almost a month ago.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

minnesota may have the best answer. Unless you really goobed the job, sun and rain should take care of it. How many people check out a roof anyway? They are generally trying not to get hit while looking for house numbers.


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## jerome8283 (May 21, 2006)

I know this was posted some time ago however I was wondering what the outcome was. I did a chimney job the other day and my costumer called me complaining of dried mortar on their asphalt shingles. Would the weather really take care of this after a couple of months?


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## stacker (Jan 31, 2006)

*acid and shingles*

the diluted muratic acid wont damage the shingles,if the shingles are wet down before the acid is applied.over the years i have never damaged shingles while acidizing chimmenys.
this should be the same procedure you would use while washing down a wall.also anytime there is concrete below where you are washing.


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## RooferJim (Mar 6, 2006)

I think its crazy to put any kind of acid on a composition shingle. it will dry it out and make it curl.
just flat bar it out and put some new ones in.

RooferJim
www.jbennetteroofing.com


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## 83brown (May 24, 2006)

would you hire a crew just to come in and tear shingles off, and if so what would you charge, thaks for you opinion


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## RooferJim (Mar 6, 2006)

65 dollars a man hour plus materials.


RooferJim


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

83brown said:


> would you hire a crew just to come in and tear shingles off, and if so what would you charge, thaks for you opinion


Do what you do best. If I were to damage a chimney, I would call a mason to fix it, because they are going to do a better job than I can and faster.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

RooferJim said:


> 65 dollars a man hour plus materials.
> 
> 
> RooferJim


I actually charge $75 but what's the matter... I know guys who charge $40. How they do it, I don't want to know.


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