Roof Cleaning Shellharbour
Moss, lichen and years of grime come off well when the method matches the roof. Get that wrong and you break tiles, strip coatings or drive water where it should not go. We match the method to what you actually have.
- Tile and metal roofs
- 10+ years experience, fully insured
- Free written quotes
Not all build-up is the same problem
Dark staining, moss, lichen, leaf litter and wind-blown grit all behave differently and need different handling. Where it collects matters too: build-up sitting in valleys and around outlets is a drainage problem waiting to happen, while surface staining is mostly cosmetic.
That distinction decides whether you need a clean at all. If build-up is only affecting how the roof looks, it is your call. If it is collecting where water is meant to travel, it is worth dealing with before it backs up under a tile.
The method has to suit the roof
Pressure, chemistry, dwell time and rinsing are not interchangeable. This is where cheap roof cleaning does expensive damage.
Concrete tiles
Handle controlled pressure well, which is why they clean up so dramatically. Still not a licence to blast them, particularly around the ridges and cut tiles.
Terracotta and fragile surfaces
Soft washing rather than high pressure. Glazed terracotta especially, where aggressive cleaning damages the surface you are trying to improve.
Metal roofs
Gentler again, with attention to coating condition, fasteners and laps. Driving water up under a lap is an easy way to create a leak that was not there.
Moss and lichen
Treated at the root with a biocide rather than just blasted off. Remove what you can see without killing what is growing and it comes straight back.
What comes off the roof has to go somewhere
A roof sits above your gutters, downpipes, walls, garden, tanks and the neighbours. Everything we wash down ends up in one of those, which is why runoff planning is part of the job rather than an afterthought.
So before we start we manage the downpipes, protect gardens and outdoor areas, and think about where the water and debris will travel. We also clear the gutters of what we washed into them at the end. A roof clean that leaves your gutters packed has just moved the problem.
Want the roof cleaned properly rather than blasted?
Tell us the roof material and what is growing on it. We will tell you the right method and quote it in writing.
What happens on the day
Assess
Roof material, what is growing and the condition underneath decide the method.
Protect
Gardens, tanks and outdoor areas shielded, downpipes managed before any runoff.
Treat
Biocide applied to kill moss and lichen at the root, not just the visible growth.
Wash
The right pressure and method for your surface, across the whole roof.
Clear
Gutters and valleys cleared of everything we washed into them.
Report
We tell you what we found up there while we had eyes on every square metre.
What a clean will not do
A cleaner roof looks better and makes its real condition much easier to see. It does not repair anything, and we will not let a clean be sold to you as if it did.
It will not stop a leak
If water is getting in, something has failed. Cleaning may make it easier to find, but the repair is a separate job and a separate line on the quote.
It will not fix crumbling ridges
Cleaning can actually expose how far gone the pointing is. That is useful information, not a problem we created, and we will show you.
It will not restore faded colour
Cleaning removes what is sitting on the surface. If the colour itself has gone, you are looking at roof painting instead.
It will not stop moss returning
Shade and leaf drop are what bring it back. Treating at the root buys you far longer, but trimming overhanging branches does more than any clean.
Tell us what is growing and where it collects
We clean tile and metal roofs for homes and commercial properties across Shellharbour and the surrounding suburbs, within about 20 km. Tell us the roof material, what you can see from the ground and whether it is worst on the shaded side, which it usually is.
Mention if you have noticed gutters or valleys packing up, or water overflowing in heavy rain, because that changes the priority. And a clean puts us on every square metre of your roof, so you will get an honest rundown of anything we spot up there, with no obligation attached.
What roof cleaning costs
Every roof is quoted in writing after we have looked at it. The ranges below are a guide only and cover most Shellharbour homes; size, pitch, access and the condition we find can move a job outside them either way.
Standalone roof clean, most homes
$600 – $1,500
Clean as part of a restoration
Included in the restoration price
Gutter clean, single storey
$200 – $450
Assessment and written quote
Free
Size, pitch and how much moss and lichen has taken hold are what move the price. A clean also puts eyes on every part of the roof, so you get a condition rundown either way.
Roof cleaning questions
Straight answers to what people actually ask us. If yours is not here, just call and ask.
Will pressure cleaning damage my tiles?
Not when the method matches the roof. Concrete tile takes controlled pressure well, while terracotta and fragile surfaces need soft washing. Knowing which is which is exactly what you are hiring, and getting it wrong is how tiles and coatings get wrecked.
What does roof cleaning cost?
A standalone clean runs $600 to $1,500 for most homes, depending on size, pitch and how much growth has taken hold. A single-storey gutter clean is $200 to $450. If cleaning is part of a restoration it is included in that price.
Will cleaning fix my leak?
No. Cleaning can make a fault easier to find, but a leak means something has failed and needs repairing. We quote any repairs separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
How long before the moss comes back?
Depends mostly on shade and trees. Treating at the root rather than blasting off the visible growth buys you far longer, but if branches overhang the roof, trimming them does more good than any clean.
Will my roof look new again?
If the colour is still there under the grime, the change can be dramatic. If the colour itself has faded away, cleaning will not bring it back and you want roof painting instead. We will tell you honestly which one yours is.
Do you clean the gutters too?
We clear the gutters of whatever we washed into them, yes. Leaving your gutters packed after cleaning the roof would just move the problem, and a standalone gutter clean can be quoted separately if that is all you need.
What about my garden and water tank?
We protect gardens and outdoor areas and manage the downpipes before any runoff starts. If you are on tank water, tell us when you call so we can plan for it properly.
Do I get told what you found up there?
Yes. Cleaning puts us on every part of your roof, so you get an honest rundown of anything we notice, with photos where it matters and no obligation to act on it.
Get a free roof cleaning quote
Tell us the roof material, what is growing on it and what you want the result to be. We will match the method to the roof and quote it in writing, with any repairs listed separately rather than folded in.
If the colour has gone rather than just the grime, compare roof restoration, which includes cleaning as one stage.
Prefer to talk? Call (02) 4215 8188.