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Roof Cleaning & Coatings: Good or Bad Idea


Zak S

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Hi. My banglow was built in 1960 and now it has concrete roof tiles. It seems that at some stage it was roof was retiled (probably around 1997) but I am not totally sure - see the google street image from 2008 and 2022. There are lots of trees around and as a result roof tiles get a bit mossy. We have not yet moved in but the area where we are living all houses here were built 1970s and one of the house right behind my house had concrete tiles jet washed and sealed (not painted/coated). When I spoke with the guy he said he can do the roof coating as well on my banglow. He gave me a name (which I am not sure I am allowed to mention here - it rhymes with plymashield 🙂?) But I have tried to find video about this product as well as reviews but couldn't find any except on the company's own website. All reviews on Amazon are also disabled. Are you able to share your views with me if cleaning the roof, resealing and applying roof coatings are worth it. My roof seems a bit dirty but other than that seem solid. The cost is 550 cleaning and sealing and 550 roof coating. Thanks in advance.

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If moss is a problem fitting copper strips at the ridge is an option, but I've never needed to do that, or clean a roof or get one "coated".  

 

I do recall hearing of cowboys on consumer programs that cold call and pressure sell you cleaning and coating work you probably don't need. I recall seeing one outfit clambering about on a roof waving a pressure washer about damaging tiles. 

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save your money, fair chance they will wash upwards under the tiles, walk up the roof while doing so and break a good few tiles. you will also be removing the top layer of cement which will have the result of making the tiles even rougher and therefore gather moss more quickly. the sealant doesn't/can't sink into the tile and will sit on the surface and wear off relatively quickly.

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8 hours ago, Simplysimon said:

save your money, fair chance they will wash upwards under the tiles, walk up the roof while doing so and break a good few tiles. you will also be removing the top layer of cement which will have the result of making the tiles even rougher and therefore gather moss more quickly. the sealant doesn't/can't sink into the tile and will sit on the surface and wear off relatively quickly.

Thanks. I have dropped the idea of jet washing but had a quote for the steam cleaning which based on the videos seem quite satisfying. They use the extension pole rather than walking on the tiles and and gently wash with hot water and then apply biocide. The price is 1k and it does not include painting the roof tiles as the claim is that steam clean retun the tile to original colour. Given the tiles are only 25years old, this might be sensible thing to do. What do you think? Also any idea about render clean? 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Before and in progress view. My personal view us that  cleaned roof is not far-off from new roof though colour and design is not common these days. With windows, guttering facias and render clean it looks very good. I will post picture of completed view.

 

The work carried out:

Scrapped moss

Steam clean

Biocide treatment 

Facia, garage door, guttering Nd windows clean

Patio clean

Render cleaned (side only with soap, all with gental water and brush)

Cost: £1.8k

Number of man hours working: 72hrs (3days for two men working 12hr each day). It comes to c£23 per hour

 

Roof size is huge so though initially quote was 1.6k I paid 1.8 as the hard work was evident  

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On 17/09/2022 at 22:26, Simplysimon said:

looks good cleaned, however, with the moss covering i think roofs blend into the landscape a bit more especially in the country, home for bugs and food for birds but obviously gutters need cleaning.

With few properties dotted around with new roof, dirty roof of the nanglow felt a bit dated. The view from the rear. Property to left was an example how it was before.

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10 minutes ago, Simplysimon said:

yup, it does look good, almost like new, however, the roof on the left looks 'more settled in it's surroundings'

House on the left has planning permission to be rebuilt as two story house so it will be no more. To be honest I would have left it as is if their was not so much development happening on the road. There are the 8 properties out for 20 with new roof (having either rebuilt or renovated) and three are right opposite. Probably its the competition 😀. It would get weathered soon given lots of trees around.

Edited by Zak S
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  • 1 year later...

It's definitely worth it if you are starting to notice it from the ground looking up. My roofer told me that instead of seeing it as a way of making your roof look nice, it's better to think of it as a preventative measure. A full roofing replacement later down the line will be much more expensive than roof moss removal now.  There is no best time of year to remove moss from a roof either. 

rrwr.jpg

Edited by NorthernLiam
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5 hours ago, NorthernLiam said:

better to think of it as a preventative measure

Is there any evidence that moss causes damage?

 

I have concrete tiles, and lots of moss on the darker faces. In the summer it shrivels up and lots falls in the gutter.

So it is a chore to clear the gutter, but otoh I get a few bags of compost.

 

Moss gives insects a home, thence bird food too.

Collects rainwater and slightly reduces flooding.

Slows rainfall down the slope.

Some resistance to solar gain, especially when wet.

A free green roof.

Possibly reduces tile chatter, and risk of damage,  in high winds.

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  • 2 months later...
On 07/01/2024 at 12:07, NorthernLiam said:

It's definitely worth it if you are starting to notice it from the ground looking up. My roofer told me that instead of seeing it as a way of making your roof look nice, it's better to think of it as a preventative measure. A full roofing replacement later down the line will be much more expensive than roof moss removal now.  There is no best time of year to remove moss from a roof either. 

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Looks likes your clay tiles (if I am right) in pretty good condition so definitely worth keeping tidy. I am sure aesthetically looks much better.

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On 07/01/2024 at 13:07, NorthernLiam said:

full roofing replacement later down the line will be much more expensive than roof moss removal now.  

Of course it will. But they aren't linked. 'Down the line' might be 30 years.  Moss doesn't damage roofs. So I wouldn't trust anything else they say either.

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