Roofs here go green and black faster than most people expect. The warm, damp air grows mould and lichen on tiles and metal, and it shows from the street.
Why bother
It's partly looks. A clean roof makes a house look cared for, which matters before a sale. It's also practical. Moss holds moisture against tiles, and debris in roof valleys sends water where it shouldn't go. Cleaning the roof and clearing the gutters together tends to make sense, because everything washed off the roof ends up in the gutter.
Tile and metal are different
Concrete and terracotta tiles can be washed, but too much pressure can lift or crack them, and forcing water up under the tiles does no good. Metal roofs are easier but can be slippery and dent under a careless boot. The method depends on the roof, so tell us the material and send a photo of the roof from the ground.
Working at height
This is the part we're careful about. Single-storey roofs with reasonable pitch are the usual. Steep, high or fragile roofs, and anything with brittle sheets or old skylights, are a specialist's job and we'll say so before taking it on. A roof that's leaking, has cracked tiles or needs repointing needs a roofer, not a wash.
After the clean
The roof will look blotchy while it dries, and the full result shows in a day or two. Moss and mould return more slowly on sunny roofs than on shaded ones under trees. Some people follow with a roof coating or sealer. That's a separate job for a roof painter. See gutter cleaning and pressure cleaning for the rest of the exterior.
Ring 02 6626 3819 or email sales@lincolnchen.net with the roof type, a photo and your suburb.
What to send
A photo from the ground showing the whole roof, the roof material if you know it, and the number of storeys. Mention overhanging trees and anything you know is loose or cracked.