Why roof clean
What builds up on Gold Coast roofs
Coastal roofs take more biological growth than roofs almost anywhere else in the country. Warm, humid air, heavy summer rainfall and salt-laden coastal wind create close to ideal conditions for moss, lichen and algae. Add the leaf litter that comes with established suburbs and mature trees, and a roof that looked clean five years ago will be visibly discoloured.
Although the appearance is what homeowners typically notice, what actually matters most is what the biological growth does while it sits there. Moss and lichen hold moisture against the roof surface instead of letting it run off, and lichen roots into the surface of a concrete tile and draws that moisture in. Over enough seasons that accelerates the breakdown of the tile itself and the mortar around the ridge caps.
This also compounds with blocked valleys, as debris that washes down the roof collects in the valley irons, water backs up under the surrounding tiles, and what began as a cosmetic problem becomes a leak requiring a potentially expensive roof repair.
Techniques
Two ways we clean a roof
High pressure clean
We high-pressure clean when we are preparing a roof for restoration or painting.
All roof restoration work calls for a high-pressure wash before any primer goes on, as old coatings, residues and biological growths need to be stripped off entirely for new coatings to bond effectively.
Soft wash
For roof cleaning that won’t involve a full restoration, our team soft wash using a low pressure treatment.
After inspecting the roof and removing debris physically, the treatment breaks down moss, lichen and algae chemically and rinses it away without abrading what is underneath.
Our process
What is involved in a roof clean
STEP 1
We inspect the roof
Before anything else, we get on the roof and assess what we are dealing with, including the extent of the growth and the condition of the surface. This is where we determine whether the roof needs a soft wash or full restoration, and whether anything needs attention before we start.
STEP 2
We prep the site
Landscaping around the house is covered and rinsed down before we begin, and we clear the valley irons of leaf litter and debris.
STEP 3
We clean the roof
Using the method matched to the roof and the purpose of the clean. Soft washing for maintenance and for roofs that have been coated in the last few years. High pressure where the roof is being prepared for restoration.
STEP 4
We clean solar panels & gutters
We clean around panels and remove debris from underneath and between them where we can reach, and we wash the panels themselves while we are up there. Everything that came off the roof during the clean then comes out of the gutters and downpipes.
STEP 5
We check the roof over
While we have the access, we look at the condition of the tiles, the ridge pointing and the fixings. If something needs attention we photograph it and tell you, whether or not it is work we would be quoting on.
Roof restoration
Cleaning as the first stage of a restoration
A roof clean and a roof restoration are not two ends of a scale. They are different jobs, and a restoration happens to begin with the same work.
If you already know the roof needs more than a clean, scoping the whole job at once is better value than paying for the cleaning stage twice. A standalone clean and the preparation stage of a restoration are the same work, so having it done separately means paying for it once now and again later.
If you are genuinely unsure, having the roof cleaned first is a reasonable way to find out. It reveals what is underneath, and we will tell you honestly what we think once we can see it. Just know that if a restoration follows, the roof will need cleaning again before coating.
No deposit needed
Book a free roof inspection
Tell us your suburb and roof type, and we will arrange a time to come and look. You will get the method, the scope and the price in writing, at no cost and with no obligation.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to clean a roof on the Gold Coast?
There is no single honest figure, because roof cleaning is quoted per roof. Square metreage and pitch determine the labour and equipment required. Be cautious of a firm price quoted over the phone by someone who has not seen the roof, since that figure tends to change on arrival. We inspect first, then quote in writing, and we do not take a deposit on standard jobs.
Do you also do exterior cleaning?
We do. Alongside roof cleaning we take on house washing, driveways, paths, patios and fences, and it is usually more economical to do them at the same time as the roof while the equipment and access are already on site. The method changes with the surface, since render, painted weatherboard and concrete each need a different approach, and a driveway will take pressure that a house exterior will not. Tell us what you are thinking about at the inspection and we will quote it together.
Will cleaning damage my roof?
Not when the method is matched to the roof and the technique is right. The damage people have heard about comes from high pressure applied carelessly to a tile roof, which strips the tile surface, erodes ridge pointing and drives water up under the tiles into the roof cavity. That is a technique failure. We inspect the roof first, deal with anything that needs attention before we start, and perform only a soft wash using low pressure treatments for maintenance cleans.
Will the cleaning solution harm my garden?
We protect and rinse the landscaping around the house before, during and after the clean. If you have anything particularly sensitive, or a vegetable garden or pond close to the house, tell us at the inspection and we will take extra care around it.
How long before the moss and lichen come back?
On a roof that has been cleaned and then coated as part of a restoration, new growth typically takes two to five years to reappear. On a clean alone, without a coating, expect it back sooner, because there is nothing sealing the surface against moisture. In both cases it depends on where the property sits, how much shade and tree cover the roof gets, the weather, and whether the roof is maintained in the meantime. South-facing and shaded planes will always go first.
What time of year is best to clean a roof?
Any time, though there is a practical case for doing it before storm season rather than after. Clear valleys and gutters going into summer means the roof drains properly when heavy rain arrives, which is when blocked drainage causes leaks. If the clean is preparation for a restoration, timing matters more, because coatings need dry conditions to cure and we will schedule around the weather rather than rush that stage.
Can you clean around my solar panels?
Yes. We clean around the panels, remove debris from underneath and between them where we can reach, and give the panels themselves a wash while we are up there. Where an array blocks access to a section of roof entirely, we will flag it at the inspection and talk through the options.
Does my roof need cleaning or restoring?
A clean will bring back a roof whose tiles and pointing are still sound and whose coating has not failed. If the pointing has cracked, tiles are broken or the coating is flaking, cleaning alone will not fix any of that and the growth will return faster because the surface is no longer sealed. We will tell you which one you are looking at after the inspection, including if the honest answer is that a clean is all it needs.