In this article, you will learn about the different kinds of roof cleaning that are available, help you determine the right kind of roof cleaning for you, and why you need to clean your roof. Quick Sidekick is a local roof cleaning company that specializes in getting rid of moss, algae, lichen, stains, and loose debris off roofs. We have experience and take pride in our work to make sure we do everything properly with good communication with the customer, roof cleaner, and office staff.
We have experience cleaning roofs on a variety of different kinds of roofs, including asphalt shingle, tile, metal, cedar, and flat roofs. Each kind of roof has its method of cleaning. The method of cleaning we choose depends on the type of roof, the type and extent of dirt, debris, or infestation on the roof, and the age of the roof.
Cleaning Your Roof Is An Investment:
Cleaning your roof is not a cheap fast service. If someone is promising you this, watch out. It could be a scam. When the roof cleaners are cleaning your roof, they need to make sure they are taking their time to clean your roof properly, with the right pressure to not move any shingle or tile or cause any damage. They also need to make sure they clean all of the moss, debris, and lichen off your roof.
When someone is on your roof you want to make sure they are experienced in walking and working on roofs with the right protective gear. Cleaning roofs is life-threatening, and if someone is not careful they could fall off your roof.
Roof cleaning is an investment and part of the maintenance of your home. Cleaning your roof will help increase the life span of your roof. You could spend $1200 on cleaning your roof today, but if ignored it could cost you $30,000 to replace your roof tomorrow.
Why Clean Your Roof?
If you have moss or other bacteria growing on your roof, it will eat away at your shingles and tile roof, softening them. Dirt and debris will attach, providing a good breeding environment for more bacteria and moss, accelerating rotting.
Moss from your roof will continually fall into your gutters which will clog your gutters and cause an overflowing of water. That water will get into your fascia, soffits, and siding, causing the wood to rot. A house with a roof full of moss looks dirty, decreasing your curb appeal.
Kinds Of Roof Cleaning Services:
There is a different kinds of roof cleaning services depending on the kind of roof you have, what is on your roof, and what your budget is for the job. Here are the different kinds of roof cleaning.
Blowing Debris Off Your Roof:
This kind of cleaning is good if you have the following on your roof.
Lose Debris:
If you have a lot of loose debris from neighboring trees or pine needles, you will need a roof blow. A roof blow is done with a high-powered leaf-blowing machine. The roof cleaning technician will anchor himself to the roof for safety reasons then start from the top of the roof and work their way down blowing off all of the loose debris. This kind of cleaning removes loose debris only. Anything that is stuck to the roof will not come off.
Pine Needles:
If you have a lot of pine needles on your roof or your cedar roof, which is common in Vancouver, you will need to do a mix of leaf blowing and roof brushing that is done with a soft roof brush.
Spraying The Roof With Roof Cleaning Chemicals:
This kind of cleaning is done by using roof-cleaning chemicals to spray your roof to kill the moss growing on your roof. This will kill the moss and over time with the weather, most of the moss will come off.
The Pros of roof cleaning service – This is a cheaper option to help you get rid of the moss growing on your roof. The Cons– Not all of the moss will come off, and it does take about 3 months to see the results.
Spot Brush Roof Cleaning Services:
You will get this kind of roof cleaning done if you have moss in 1 area and you just want the moss removed in that area. How it is done is we use one-time use roof cleaning brushes that are made for brushing moss off the roof. We gently brush clean the affected area and then spray it with roof eco-friendly cleaning chemicals.
After the roof cleaning, we clean inside the gutters. Any time we perform a roof cleaning service, we always have to clean inside the gutters because the moss that we clean off your roof goes into the gutters.
Pros – This will get rid of the most problem area that has the most amount of moss. It is also cheaper rather than doing a full cleaning. Cons – This kind of roof cleaning will only clean 1 area, moss is a bacteria that spreads from the wind blowing different pieces to other areas, and once that small piece is planted it starts to spread and grow.
When you clean only 1 area of the moss from the other areas even if it is a small amount, the wind will blow small amounts to the area that was just cleaned to make moss regrow much quicker other than cleaning the whole roof. To help prevent moss from growing back for a long time you need to clean off all of the moss all over your roof even if the other area only has a small amount of moss.
Full Brush Cleaning:
If you have moss spreading all over your roof, even if it is a little bit spread across your roof, you will still need to clean your whole roof. We use special roof-cleaning brushes that can only be used once. We start from the top of the roof and gently brush each shingle on your roof. While brush cleaning your roof we need to make sure we put the right pressure without moving a shingle. After we have cleaned all of the moss off we spray with special eco-friendly roof cleaning chemicals. After brush cleaning the roof we clean out all of the gutters and check the downpipes to make sure they are running smoothly.
Pros – You will have all of the moss cleaned off of your roof. Cons – If you have stains or white dots, or a lot of dirt built into your roof it will not get cleaned off with this kind of cleaning since it only cleans the surface of the roof. For deeper cleaning, you might want to look into a pressure washing of the roof if you have a tile roof or a soft wash cleaning if you have a shingle roof.
Power Washing of the Roof:
This kind of cleaning can only be done on tile roofs. If you have a build-up of lichen (white dots) or stains and your roof looks dirty, you might want to consider power washing the roof. This kind of roof cleaning is the most expensive, but the results are like night and day. You will get a brand-new-looking roof. Pressure washing the roof will clean everything off of your roof.
Pros – This will clean everything off of your roof so that will give you a new-looking roof. Cons – It only can be done on strong tile roofs. Your roof must be in good condition or you could get a roof leak. It is also much more expensive than other kinds of roof cleaning services and it takes longer to do on average 1 to 2 days.
Softwash Roof Cleaning:
There are 2 different kinds of softwash cleaning that are done; one for asphalt shingle roofs and another for cedar roofs. For both kinds of roofs, the method is very similar to each other. However, the safety precaution and how long it would take is different.
Cedar Roofs:
They are very slippery when it gets wet. So, the roof cleaning specialist has to wear special shoes that have spikes on them while walking on the roof. They will also have to wear anchors at all times. Because it is so slippery, the roof cleaner has to take his time more for safety reasons.
Also Read: What is the Average Cost of Cleaning Rainwater Drains?
For cedar roofs, roof cleaners use special roof cleaning chemicals made for cedar shake roofs. The chemicals are sprayed onto the cedar shake roof shingle one by one and then rinsed off with a light spray of water. Soft wash roof cleaning service for cedar shake roofs will brighten up the cedar shingles sort of the same way when you polish old wood furniture. This is a kind of polishing for your cedar roof. It will bring back the original color and wash away any moss you have growing on you. It is very common for cedar roofs to grow moss on the edges of the cedar shingles.
Pros – You will have a new-looking roof, and everything will be cleaned off your roof, such as moss. Cons – It is a very expensive service and time-consuming. On average, it takes 2 to 4 days, depending on the size of your house.
Asphalt Shingle Roofs:
For asphalt shingle soft wash roof cleaning method is done by spraying the roof with roof cleaning chemicals. That will get rid of any stains building up, unlike brush cleaning that only gets rid of the moss on the surface of the roof. Softwash roof cleaning will penetrate and clean deeper into the roof to wash away any stains. After we are done spraying the roof with roof cleaning chemicals we use a light pressure of water to rinse off the roof cleaning chemicals.
Pros – You will get rid of all of the stains on your roof and moss. Cons – Some stains might not get off.
Water-Fed Brush Roof Cleaning Service:
This kind of roof cleaning is done with a water-fed brush and is normally done when a person has a metal roof or a similar roof to metal. How it is done is with a water-fed brush called a tucker pole. It is a long pole with a brush attached to one side and on the other side a water hose that has water coming out of it. Then your roof is brushed and cleaned with the tucker pole.
Also Read: Is Using Chemicals Necessary When Cleaning a Roof?
Since the tucker pole is long, the roof cleaner can clean the roof from the ground without getting onto the roof if your house is not too tall. When cleaning metal roofs, chemicals are not used. When cleaning a metal roof, we do not use chemicals because we do not know how the metal roof will react to the chemicals.
Pros – It will clean off all the dirt and mud on your roof. Cons – This kind of cleaning can only be done on metal roofs. If you have rust or stains on your roof, this will not get rid of that.
Best kind of roof cleaning for your kind of roof:
The kind of cleaning that is best for you and your home will depend on 2 factors; the kind of roof you have and what you have on your roof.
Kind of roof: Asphalt Shingle roof
Issue: Have moss growing on the roof in one or 2 areas.
Solution: We would offer spot brush cleaning services. We would only brush the moss off the affected area and spray it with eco-friendly roof-cleaning solutions.
Issue: Moss All over the roof but do not want to pay the brush cleaning price.
Solution: Do a Roof Spray service where we spray the whole roof with eco-friendly roof cleaning chemicals.
Issue: Moss build-up all around the roof.
Solution: Full Roof Brush cleaning of the roof works. Our technicians use special bristle brushes to brush the moss first from the whole roof before spraying the roof with eco-friendly roof-cleaning solutions.
Issue: Black streaks on the roof
Solution: We would offer a soft wash of the roof where we would perform a chemical clean of the roof to get rid of the black stains.
Kind of Roof: Tile Roof
Issue: Have moss growing on the roof in one or 2 areas.
Solution: We would offer spot brush cleaning services. We would only brush the moss off the affected area and spray it with eco-friendly roof-cleaning chemicals.
Issue: Moss All over the roof but do not want to pay the brush cleaning price.
Solution: Do a Roof Spray service where we spray the whole roof with eco-friendly roof cleaning chemicals.
Issue: Moss build-up all around the roof.
Solution: Full Roof Brush cleaning of the roof is the best solution. We use special bristle brushes to brush the moss off the whole roof and then spray the roof with eco-friendly roof-cleaning chemicals.
Issue: White dots (lichen) growing on the roof.
Solution: Pressure washing of the roof with light pressure.
Kind of Roof: Metal Roof
Issue: Dirt build-up on the roof.
Solution: Cleaning the roof with a water-fed brush called a Tucker Pole.
Kind of Roof: Cedar
Issue: The color of the cedar roof has gone dull, and there is moss on the roof.
Solution: Use the soft wash method to brighten the cedar shingles before cleaning off all the moss.
On Average How Much is Roof Cleaning?
The price for your roof cleaning depends on the kind of roof and what you want to be cleaned off. The price is based on how dangerous your roof is to clean. The harder it is to clean, the longer it will take. We also need to consider the risk factor when cleaning your roof.
Asphalt shingle roof Cleaning:
Blowing debris can range from $50 to $150
Spraying the roof with roof cleaning is $200 to $400 depending on the size of the house. For a very large home, it can be $500 to $600.
Spot Cleaning is $150 to $400
Full Brush Cleaning of the Roof Prices
| Full Shingle Roof Brush Cleaning 1 to 1 1/2 Level – $450 to $600 and the average price is $483 |
| Full Shingle Roof Brush Cleaning 2 level -$450 to $850 and the average price is $568 |
| Full Shingle Roof Brush Cleaning 2 1/2 to 3 level – $600 to $1200 and the average price is $795 |
| Full Shingle Roof Brush Cleaning Large Home – $1300 to $2000 and the average price is $1650 |
Tile Roof:
Blowing debris off $75 to $150
Spraying the roof is $200 to $400
Spot Cleaning is $150 to $400
Full Brush Cleaning to Clean Off the Moss:
Wavy tile roofs are a little more than flat tile roofs or slate tile roofs in terms of surface cover. Because of the surface area increase, it takes more time to clean. Also, wavy or clay tile roof shingles do tend to move more easily when cleaning. So, the roof cleaner needs to put extra care into his roof cleaning.
| Full Wavy Tile Roof Brush Cleaning 2 Level $700 to $800 |
| Full Wavy Tile Roof Brush Cleaning 2 1/2 to 3 Level – $800 to $900 with the average price being $866 |
| Full Flat Tile Roof Brush Cleaning 2 level costs $700 to $800 |
| Full Flat Tile Roof Brush Cleaning 2 1/2 to 3 level – $700 to $1200 with an average price 937.50 |
Power Washing for Flat Tile Roof is $2500 to $4500 and the average price $3000.
Different Kinds Of Roof Cleaning Material:
When we brush clean a roof we use a special bristle brush made for cleaning roofs. It allows the roof cleaner to clean your roof without harming your roof but goes deep enough to brush the moss off your roof. These brushes are used once. So, every time we clean a roof, we need to purchase another brush.
When spraying a roof with roof cleaning chemicals, there is normally a handheld pump or a pump that fits on the roof cleaner back with a sprayer attached. The technician will take his time to make sure all areas are sprayed.
The chemicals used are the “30-second Spray” and “Roof Wash”. We purchase 30-second spray at any local Home Depot store. When cleaning a roof, you need to use 1 to 2 containers. Wash Safe Roof Wash is an eco-friendly roof cleaning product that is bleach free.
Both roof cleaning products remove stains from moss, mildew, lichen, or black algae on roofing shingles, including asphalt, metal, tile, wood shake, rubber, and new composite materials.
Inspecting the Roof Before Cleaning and How it is Done?
Before a roof cleaner cleans a roof, they will climb onto your roof and do a full walk around. They will see if they see any broken tiles, and soft spots on the roof and make sure the roof is in good shape to clean. The tech will examine the roof to see where the moss is and how long, they think the moss removal cleaning will take.
If you are interested in getting your roof cleaned call us or text Quick Sidekick at 604-343-5763. We are professional roof cleaners and we know how to clean roofs.
