Roof Cleaning

Roof cleaning and moss removal aim for the same end result but the methods of how that result is achieved is very different. Firstly, roof cleaning will utilise a pressure washer set to a lower level of pressure suitable for the roof tiles to avoid damage. We can utilise our on board boiler unit to warm the water up to steam clean the roof too if needed, this is typically useful where there is heavy lichen build up where cold water alone wont shift it. The roof will be dosed with a post biocide treatment too to ensure all moss and lichen has been dosed to die. This is a good option for your roof if you desire an instant clean look compared to the gradual clean look that the other method offers. The downside to this option is if there is damage present to the roof already or a leak already exists then when we come to clean the roof although the pressure has been dialed down, the water from the pressure washer is still effectively heavy rainfall on your roof so water ingress is likely. A healthy roof without preexisting damage or leaks will have no trouble at all.

The other method of cleaning a roof is moss removal using a manual scraping method followed by a biocide treatment. Essentially, we use tile scraping blades that match the profile of your tile, this is attached to our long reach extension poles. We will scrape the bulk of the moss off your tiles, our aim is not to achieve 100% removal rate with the scraping, instead the post biocide treatment that is applied will then kill in remaining moss that is left on the surface or between the joints of the tiles. Any organics left on the roof such as lichen, moss and algae will die the same day the biocide is applied; however it will take time for these to weather away. Typically any remaining moss will be gone within 1-2 months, surface organic staining and algae will be gone within 6-12 months and lichens including yellow and white will take the longest, typically 18-24 months to fully disappear. These are all estimates and is incredibly weather dependent but the important thing to remember is all of it will be dead from the biocide treatment within 24 hours upon contact. This method is cleaning is great for when there is an existing leak which you do not want to directly contribute to too, it is also effective for more fragile tile types. This is also a cheaper option for your roof to be cleaned.

With both methods of cleaning we will not cause direct damage to your roof, we follow strict methods and procedures to ensure this. However, if there are any compromised tiles i.e. spooled tiles, cracked or missing tiles, weak or loose flashing and mortar etc then these will be exaggerated in the clean. It is very common on a moss-covered roof to have some sort of damage caused by the moss build up which then becomes evident once the clean is occurring because up until then the moss was acting like “glue” holding the tiles in position.

This is a great question and often debated whether a roof should be cleaned or not. In our opinion, which may be obvious, yes you should have your roof cleaned. The reason to get your roof cleaned is to protect your home long term without the huge layout expense of a new roof. The main reason to get a roof cleaned is moss buildup. We hear all too often “the moss is what’s holding the roof together!”, this is simply not true. A buildup of moss is one of the leading causes of damp in a home along with damage to your roof. The moss acts as a wet carpet trapping moisture on the roof, ultimately in your loft leading to damp in the upper floors of your home. This moisture can also lead to rot in your roof rafters affecting their structural integrity. Along with this moss can retain up to 20 times its dry weight, now imagine a full bed on your roof, a roof when build not accounting for this extra weight leading to damage to your roof rafters. Another key point to note is that when the winter time comes the moss between the tiles will freeze and expand causing the tiles to crack and chip if they have nowhere to go.

Unfortunately, this is not a straightforward question as there are so many factors in play that affects the speed of the regrowth of the moss. The likes of lichens take quite some time to grow back so you should not see regrowth for at least a couple of years. However, with moss it depends a lot on the weather in the years following the treatment, the more rainfall we have, the more sun we have then the faster the regrowth. Along with this, environmental factors such as local trees dropping their leaves and even birds dropping moss from other roofs onto yours. With this being said you should see a minimum of 1 year before regrowth and in most cases 2-3 years can pass before you see regrowth. Once you see regrowth we can schedule a maintenance dose to “reset” the clock before the moss takes hold. This can prevent the need for the whole cleaning process to be done again which can be costly.

A clean roof will not only keep your roof healthier and ultimately your home along with this a clean roof boosts curb appeal which is very important in the event you are selling your home, a clean roof is a sign of good overall home maintenance.

No scaffolding will not need to be put up for a roof clean. We are PASMA certified to use mobile access towers which we own. Along with this we can use various types of MEWP’s to access more difficult places or too high to reach areas where mobile towers cannot reach. With this we can promise no feet will touch your roof.

Yes a clean roof massively boosts curb appeal. Firstly it’s one of the first things someone will notice on your home as it typically accounts for up to 25-40% of what they see as they approach your house. A clean roof signals overall good home health and maintenance compared to a dirty, moss-covered roof indicates lack of maintenance and potential underlying issues. And most importantly a clean roof can help increase the perceived value of your home leading to an increase in sale price, studies found that good curb appeal can increase the asking price of a home by 5-10%.

Technically yes you can clean your own roof however there are many factors to consider. First and foremost safety, working at heights is a serious concern for your health and safety and if you do not have experience in it then you will be likely to make mistakes which can lead to a fall. This can be from incorrect use of a ladder or incorrect use and build of a mobile access tower. Also do you have the correct equipment or knowledge on how to use the equipment. The equipment we use either for roof cleaning with water or moss removal is not cheap as they are specialist tools design for this exact job so it can be a false economy thinking it will be more cost-effective to buy the equipment and do it yourself. “All the gear but no idea” is a common saying and this can certainly apply to a DIY person trying to clean their roof. Even with all the right equipment do you know how to use it safely and effectively to not only hurt yourself but also your roof and home. Lastly one of the most important key factors to achieve a well cleaned roof is the post biocide treatment which is a controlled substances sold strictly to professionals only.

Typically most roofs can be cleaned in 1-2 days however it does depend on the size of the property along with ease of access around the property. A driving factor that will affect how long the roof clean will take is the weather. In windy conditions above 17mph we cannot use our mobile access towers to abide by PASMA regulations, if it is raining or below 5c then we cannot apply the biocide treatment so we will have to reschedule to another day and lastly if there is forecasted lightening we must cease cleaning and reschedule as our poles are made of carbon fibre, this being a very good conductor of electricity.

At the end of a clean your property and surrounding areas will be thoroughly rinsed down and tided up as if we were never there. All the moss will be bagged up and taken away to be disposed appropriate, licensed facilities. We are licensed upper tier waste carriers with the Environment Agency.