Concrete tiles
Scraped and brushed, then treated; a worn face cannot be restored.
Roof cleaning and moss removal in Taunton
Moss lifted by hand, never blasted off with a jet.
We scrape the moss off by hand, treat the slopes with a biocide, clear the gutters and check every tile and slate while we are up there.
- Survey photos of
your own roof - One written price
- Repairs, re-roofs
and emergencies - 10-year workmanship
guarantee
Signs your roof is ready for a clean
- Thick green moss along the tile joints
- Moss clumps landing on the patio
- Gutters spilling over in heavy rain
- Dark streaks running down the slopes
- Tile edges lifted by moss cushions
Three coverings, three ways of cleaning
Clay tiles
Old handmade clay cleaned lightly, stubborn lichen left to the treatment.
Natural slate
Moss picked out of the joints from ladders that spread the load.
What a roof clean can include
Moss removal by handScraped from the joints, bagged as we go
Biocide treatmentA low-pressure spray to slow regrowth
Gutter cleaningScooped, flushed and downpipes run clear
Fascias and soffitsWashed down once the gutters drain
Roof health checkTiles, ridges and flashings photographed
Small repairsSlipped tiles refixed while access is up
Treat it, clean it or repair it first?
Treat only
Light lichen and algae on a sound roof, with little moss to lift off.
Full clean
Thick moss packed in the joints, gutters filling and tile edges starting to rise.
Repair first
Slipped tiles, a loose ridge or failed flashing hiding under the moss need fixing first.
The roof clean walk
Seven checks before a mossy roof is cleaned
How we read a roof covered in moss before we put a price on cleaning it, and which parts you can look at from the garden first.
Check 1 of 7Moss, lichen and algae compared
Moss and lichen on old tilesThree growths, three different answers.
Three different growths turn up on roofs around Taunton, and they do not all call for the same response. Moss is the soft green cushion that builds up in the joints between tiles, along the bottom edges and around the ridge. Lichen is the flat, crusty patch, grey, yellow or pale green, that grips the face of a tile or slate like a stain. Algae is the dark streaking that runs down a slope, often below the ridge or beneath a chimney. All three like shade, damp and a rough surface to hold on to. That is why a north-facing slope, or one under a row of trees, can carry a heavy coat while the sunny side of the same house stays fairly clear.
Look for
- Green cushions between the tiles
- Grey or yellow crusty patches
- Dark streaks below the ridge
- Moss clumps on paths
From the ground
- Note which slopes carry growth
- Look for moss in the gutters
- Spot branches hanging over the roof
Leave to a roofer
- Lifting moss out of tile joints
- Checking tile edges for lift
Moss is the growth to lift off first; lichen and algae can usually wait for a treatment.
Does moss actually damage a roof?
Moss does not eat through a tile. The harm comes slowly, from what it does to water. A thick cushion holds rain against the covering like a sponge, so the tile underneath stays wet for days after a shower, and a tile that is still wet when a hard frost arrives is the one that flakes. Moss that grows into the joints of interlocking concrete tiles can prop up the lower edge of the tile above, opening a path for wind-driven rain. Loose clumps also wash down in every storm and end up in the gutters, the valleys and the downpipes, where they dam the flow until water spills over the edge and down the wall. Our guide to what moss actually does to a roof takes each of these in turn.
Is lichen or algae worth removing?
Often less than people expect. Algae streaks are mainly a matter of looks. Lichen binds tightly to the surface, so prising it off can take the face of an old tile with it; on many slate and clay roofs we would rather kill it with a treatment and let the weather loosen it over the following months. Moss is the growth we lift off by hand, because it is the one that blocks gutters and keeps the covering soaked. If you are not sure which you have, a clear picture taken from the garden is usually enough for us to tell you.
Check 2 of 7The damage a jet wash does
High pressure wears the tile face away.
Roof cleaning adverts love a dramatic before and after, and the roof pays for it later. A jet wash, power wash or pressure wash does damage because it drives a narrow stream of water hard enough to strip moss in seconds, and it strips the surface of the tile at the same time. Concrete tiles carry a thin coloured face over a sandy body. Once that face is blasted off, the tile is rougher and soaks up more water than before, which gives the next crop of moss an easier foothold. Old clay tiles and natural slate can chip, flake or split in layers, and brittle pieces crack under the force of the water or under the boots of whoever is holding the lance.
Does pressure washing damage roof tiles?
Marley, the tile maker, is plain about it: "The use of high powered jet washes is not recommended as it can damage the surface of the slate or tile, thus reducing its expected life considerably." That is the manufacturer warning against what is done to its own products, and it is the reason we keep high pressure away from pitched roof coverings. A clean roof that wears out sooner is a poor trade for a few weeks of looking smart.
Can jet wash damage reach inside the roof?
It can. Tiles and slates are laid to shed rain falling from above, never water fired at them from below or from the side. A lance pointed up the slope drives water back under the overlaps between courses, onto the underlay, which is the sheet laid beneath the battens to catch stray rain, or straight onto the battens themselves on older roofs that were built with none. Some older Somerset slate roofs have torching instead, lime mortar packed into the joints beneath the slates from the loft side, and a jet can wash that out from above. The damp may not show for weeks, and by then nobody links the ceiling stain to the day the roof was washed. There is the mess as well: a jet throws moss, grit and slurry over windows, render, cars and the neighbour's garden. Our guide to pressure washing a roof covers the damage in more detail, along with what to ask anyone who offers it.
What decides the price
- Roof area and number of slopes
- How thick the moss has grown
- Damage left by earlier washing
Check 3 of 7Hand removal, soft wash and biocide
Scrape, treat, then let rain finish.
Our roof cleaning in Taunton follows the same three stages on almost every house, with the balance changed to suit the covering. First comes hand removal. Working from roof ladders, a tower or scaffold, depending on the height and the pitch, we scrape the moss out of the joints and off each course with plastic scrapers and stiff brushes, starting at the ridge and working down. Loose moss is bagged as we go instead of being pushed into the gutter. Second comes the treatment. Once the bulk is off, a biocide is sprayed across the cleaned slopes at low pressure, wetting the surface the way a garden sprayer wets a lawn. Third comes time. The treatment keeps working after we leave, and over the following weeks and months what remains of the lichen, algae and spores dies back and the rain rinses it away.
The scraper does the heavy work; the treatment and the rain finish the job.
What is a biocide, and why use one?
A biocide is a product made to kill living growth: here, moss, lichen, algae and the spores they spread from. Scraping alone leaves roots and spores in the surface of the tile, so moss comes back sooner; the treatment slows that regrowth. These products are regulated. The retained Biocidal Products Regulation says "Biocidal products shall be used in compliance with the terms and conditions of the authorisation", so the label decides the dilution, the weather it can go on in and how it is applied. Soft wash is the name for putting a cleaning solution on at low pressure and leaving it to work, instead of blasting the dirt off. Our guide to soft washing and biocide treatments compares the products and methods.
Can I treat my own roof with moss killer?
Some products are sold for home and garden use, and the label tells you which those are. The stronger roof treatments are not among them. HSE puts it plainly: "Members of the general public should never use biocidal products that are only intended for professional users." Its page on COPR approval conditions adds: "It's an offence to advertise, sell, supply, store or use a non-approved product." Then there is the climb itself. A mossy slope is slippery underfoot and easy to crack, so the work belongs with someone who has roof ladders and safe access set up.
Look for
- Moss bagged, not swept down
- A low-pressure spray, no lance
- The product label on site
Check 4 of 7Concrete tiles, clay and slate
Each covering needs a different touch.
- Sound: clean slates lying flat
- Needs work: moss lifting the slate tails
Roof tiles and slates do not all take cleaning the same way, and the method follows what is on the roof. Concrete tiles are the easiest of the three to work on. They are thick, they interlock at the sides and they are held with clips or nails, so they cope well with firm scraping and brushing. What they show is age. The coloured face wears thin over the decades, so a concrete tile roof cleared of moss can look patchy rather than new, and no cleaning method puts back colour the weather has already taken. If the tiles are sound, that is a cosmetic point, and the roof is still doing its job.
What decides the price
- Which covering is on the roof
- How fragile the old tiles are
- Ladder, tower or scaffold access
Is roof cleaning safe for older clay tiles?
It is when it is done gently. Handmade clay plain tiles, pantiles and Double Romans on older Somerset cottages and farm buildings are softer than concrete, and many have been on the roof a very long time. A pantile has a wide S-shaped wave; the Double Roman has two rounded rolls with a flat pan between them. Old clay often hangs on small nibs hooked over the battens with few nails, so a scraper pushed too hard can knock a tile out of its course. On these roofs we lift the moss with a lighter hand, leave firmly bonded lichen to the treatment and keep foot traffic to a minimum, working from ladders or scaffold where we can.
How is a slate roof cleaned without breaking it?
Natural slate is dense and sheds water well, so moss tends to gather in the joints and along the tails, the bottom edges of each slate, rather than across the face. Slate is also brittle, and a slate roof is never walked on the way a concrete one can be. We work from roof ladders that spread the load, pick the moss out joint by joint and treat the slopes afterwards. With the moss gone, slipped slates and rusted nails are easy to spot, so each one goes in the notes for you. On a listed home or in a conservation area, any repair we suggest afterwards uses matching slate or clay, never a modern substitute.
Check 5 of 7Gutters, fascias, soffits and downpipes
Moss gathered in an eaves gutterWhere the loose moss always ends up.
Every roof clean finishes at the gutters, because that is where the moss ends up. Even with careful bagging, grit and small clumps wash down in the first heavy rain, so gutter cleaning is part of the job, never an extra we add on at the end. We scoop the gutters out by hand, flush each run with water to prove it drains to its outlet, and clear any downpipes that have choked at the swan neck, the bend that carries water from the gutter back to the wall. A blocked gutter spills water down the wall in every downpour, and the damp patch it leaves indoors can look exactly like a roof leak.
From the ground
- Watch the gutters in heavy rain
- Look for green streaks on walls
- Check downpipe shoes for overflow
Leave to a roofer
- Scooping and flushing each gutter run
- Clearing a choked swan neck
- Resetting brackets on a sagging run
Why do blocked gutters cause damp?
Water overflowing from a gutter runs down the face of the wall and soaks the brick or render, and it soaks the fascia on its way. The gutter brackets screw to the fascia, a long board fixed to the rafter ends at the eaves, and the soffit runs beneath it, sealing off the underside of the overhang. A gutter that stays full for months rots a timber fascia from behind, and a run that sags in the middle holds a puddle and grows moss of its own. Gutters need a slight fall towards the outlet to drain, so a run that has dropped needs its brackets reset as well as a clean. Clearing them once a year is simple maintenance that saves a lot of redecorating indoors.
If the gutter overflows in a downpour, look there before you blame the roof.
Are fascias and soffits cleaned as well?
Yes, if you would like them done. White uPVC fascias and soffits stain green and black under a dirty gutter, and once the gutters drain properly they wash down with a soft brush and a mild cleaner. Painted timber boards get a close look rather than a scrub, because flaking paint and soft spots are worth reporting. On older houses the soffit board can contain asbestos, so we check what it is made of before anyone touches it. If the gutters themselves are cracked, sagging or dripping at the joints, our gutters, soffits and fascias service covers repairs and new runs, and both jobs can be priced together.
Check 6 of 7Repairs found while we are up there
A clean roof shows every fault.
Moss hides faults. A slipped tile, a cracked slate or a gap under the ridge can sit beneath a cushion of moss for years, and the first anyone hears of it is a brown ring on a bedroom ceiling. Once the slopes are clear, the whole roof is on show, and because we are roofers rather than a cleaning firm, we read it as we work. Anything that needs attention is photographed, and you see those pictures of your own roof before we pack up, so you can judge the fault for yourself.
What decides the price
- Number of faults found
- Whether repairs share the cleaning access
- Finding tiles or slates to match
Look for
- Slipped or cracked tiles
- Gaps in the ridge mortar
- Lead lifting at the chimney
- Daylight from inside the loft
What gets checked during a roof clean?
The same things we look at on any roof inspection. Slipped, cracked or missing tiles and slates. The ridge, the capped peak of the roof, and whether the mortar holding each capping piece is still firm. The verges, where a slope ends at a gable wall. The flashings, the strips of lead dressed over the joints at chimneys and walls, and the valleys, the inside corners where two slopes meet and share one channel. Small faults such as a single slipped tile can often be put right during the visit, with your agreement, because the access is already in place. Anything bigger is written up and priced as a separate job. If you would like the condition of the whole roof set down in a report, our roof inspections service does exactly that.
Should a roof be coated after cleaning?
Some firms follow a clean with a sprayed coating and sell it as protection. We are cautious about that. A coating changes the colour of the roof for a while, but it does not refix a slipped tile, renew a split valley or replace tired underlay, and on a roof with real faults it can hide them from the next person who looks. If the clean shows the tiles are sound, the roof rarely needs anything more than the treatment. If it shows they are failing, the money is better spent on repairs. Our guide to roof coatings sets out when one might earn its place and when it will not.
Check 7 of 7Commercial roofs, timing and access
Planning the clean around the building.
Commercial roof cleaning follows the same rules on a bigger scale. Shops, offices, industrial units and farm buildings around Taunton gather the same moss, lichen and algae as houses, and a valley gutter choked with moss on a large roof can send a great deal of water where it should not go. Many of these roofs are profiled metal or fibre cement sheet rather than tiles. Older corrugated sheets on barns, units and garages may be asbestos cement, so we find out what the sheet is before any work starts, and it is never scraped hard or pressure washed. For landlords we can plan the clean around opening hours, just as we would around a homeowner's week on a domestic job.
What decides the price
- Height and pitch of the building
- Sheet, tile or slate covering
- Scaffold and any highway licence
From the ground
- Picture each slope from the street
- Note trees overhanging the roof
- Watch for birds using the eaves
Leave to a roofer
- Working on fragile or sheet roofs
- Setting up towers or scaffold
What time of year is best to remove moss from a roof?
There is no single right month. The work goes best in mild, settled weather, when the moss is damp enough to lift cleanly and the biocide gets the dry hours its label asks for; hard frost, strong wind and heavy rain all stop the job. Wildlife matters as much as weather. GOV.UK lists "repairing or replacing a roof" among the activities that can affect bats. Under WCA 1981 s9(4) it is an offence "if intentionally or recklessly" a person disturbs a bat while it occupies a place it uses for shelter, or blocks access to one, and the Habitats Regulations 2017 reg 43 protects their breeding sites and resting places. If we find signs of either, we stop and replan. Our guide to roof cleaning around nesting birds and bats explains how.
How much does roof cleaning cost, and is scaffolding needed?
The price depends on the size and pitch of the roof, the covering, how thick the moss is, how we reach it and whether gutters, fascias or repairs are included. A bungalow can often be cleaned from roof ladders and a tower, while a tall town house may need scaffolding. Scaffold standing on the highway must have a scaffold licence from the highway authority. In Somerset Council's area, only accredited contractors are issued permits for scaffold on the highway, and the appointed contractor fills in the form, at £124.60 for each 28-day period (April 2026). Our guide to roof cleaning cost goes further. Our patch runs from Taunton's suburbs to Wellington and Bridgwater, up into the Quantock and Blackdown Hills, across the Levels and over the border to Tiverton and Cullompton.
To book a look at your moss, send us a picture of each slope from the garden and the street, and tell us when the gutters last ran clear.
Walked the roof?
- 1 read
- 2 read
- 3 not read yet
- 4 not read yet
- 5 not read yet
- 6 not read yet
- 7 not read yet
Look at what you can from the garden and the street, send us the pictures, and leave the slopes themselves to us.
Typical UK costs for roof cleaning and related work
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Roof pressure wash on a semi, not advised (Sep 2026) | around £475 |
| Roof survey (Oct 2026) | around £300 |
| Replacing five roof tiles (Oct 2026) | £150 to £200 |
| Ridge tile replacement (Oct 2026) | £225 to £550 |
These are typical UK ranges from MyJobQuote, never our own prices, and the cleaning figure is for pressure washing, which Marley advises against. Your written price follows the survey. Ask, too, whether VAT and scaffolding sit inside any total you are given.
MyJobQuote cost guides, Sep and Oct 2026
Roof cleaning guides and answers
Single-topic reads from this service: what moss does to a roof, soft washing, the damage pressure washing does, coatings, cleaning older clay and slate, and working around nesting birds and bats.
How Much Does Roof Cleaning Cost?Roof cleaning prices vary more than most home jobs, because the technique, the reach and the roof covering each alter the work. Here is a published...
Is Roof Cleaning Worth It? A Roofer's Honest ViewCleaning a roof can save a repair bill or waste a few hundred pounds, depending on the roof. Here is how a roofer decides which one applies to your...
Roof Coatings: The Honest Case Against Most of ThemA sprayed or painted coating promises a renewed roof for less money. Here is what a coating can and cannot do to slate and tile, and the questions to...
Pressure Washing a Roof: Why It Damages TilesA pressure washer can damage a roof as fast as it cleans one. It strips the tile face and drives water under the covering, which is why roofers avoid...
Soft Washing and Biocide Roof Treatments ExplainedSoft washing sprays a cleaning treatment on gently instead of blasting growth off. Here is what is in that treatment, why the rules on it matter and...
Does Moss Damage a Roof? What It Actually DoesA green roof looks neglected, but looks are not the same as damage. This guide separates what moss really does to slates and tiles from what it only...- Cleaning Clay Tiles and Slate on Older Somerset HomesGuide
- Lichen on Roof Tiles: Should It Be Removed?Guide
- Moss in Gutters: Clearing It and Stopping It ReturningGuide
- Roof Cleaning, Nesting Birds and Bats: Timing It RightGuide
- How to Stop Moss Growing on Roof TilesBlog
- When Is the Best Time to Remove Roof Moss in Somerset?Blog
Short answers
- How Often Should a Roof Be Cleaned?
- Will Moss Grow Back After Roof Cleaning?
- Is Roof Cleaning Safe for Your Tiles?
- Can You Use Moss Killer on Your Own Roof?
- Does Roof Cleaning Need Scaffolding?
- How Long Does Roof Cleaning Take?
- Does Insurance Cover Moss Damage to a Roof?
- Will Roof Cleaning Damage Your Garden?
- Should You Clean Your Roof Before Selling?
- Do Zinc or Copper Strips Stop Roof Moss?
- What Are the Black Streaks on My Roof?
- How Do You Remove Moss From a Flat Roof?
- Why Does Moss Grow on the North Side of a Roof?
- Will Cleaning Restore Faded Concrete Tiles?
- Is Hand-Scraping Moss Better Than Washing?
- Is Moss Bad for a Slate Roof?
- Is Roof Moss Treatment Safe for Pets?
- Can Repairs Be Done During a Roof Clean?
- Moss Blocking Roof Valleys: Why It Matters
- Is Roof Cleaning Safe for Water Butts and Ponds?
Services that pair with a roof clean
How a roof clean runs
- Send pictures of each slope
- We look at the roof
- We agree the price and day
- Clean, treat, clear, photograph
Before you book a roof clean
How much should I pay to have my roof cleaned?
MyJobQuote gives a typical UK average of around £475 to clean the roof of a semi-detached house (Sep 2026), but that figure is for pressure washing, which Marley does not recommend. Hand removal with a biocide treatment is priced on the size, pitch and covering of the roof, the depth of moss, the access and whether gutters are included.
Is cleaning your roof worth it?
It is when moss is thick enough to block gutters, lift tile edges or keep the covering wet, and the clean also lets us spot faults early. For light lichen or algae on a sound roof, a treatment alone may do, and some owners choose to leave it altogether. We will tell you which applies to yours.
How often should a house roof be cleaned?
There is no fixed timetable. A shaded slope under trees grows moss back far sooner than an open, sunny one, and the biocide slows regrowth without stopping it for good. Look at the joints and gutters from the ground each autumn, and book a clean when moss starts to build up again, not to a calendar.
Will moss come back after the roof is cleaned?
In time, yes, because spores blow in from trees, walls and neighbouring roofs. The treatment kills what is left in the tile surface and slows the return, and keeping gutters clear and branches cut back helps too. A shaded north slope usually greens up again well before a sunny south one.
Is the moss treatment safe for plants, ponds and pets?
We apply every product within the terms on its label, which set out how it is used around plants, water and animals. Before we start, we cover ponds and water butts, move anything delicate from beneath the eaves where we can, and ask you to keep pets indoors while the slopes are sprayed and drying.
Can a bungalow roof be cleaned without scaffolding?
Often, yes. A bungalow or a single-storey extension can usually be reached from roof ladders and a tower, which keeps the access simple. Taller houses, steep pitches and roofs above conservatories may need scaffolding so the work is safe. We settle the access when we look at the roof, and it is part of the one price.
Book a roof clean in Taunton
Send a picture of each mossy slope, and we will book a visit to see your roof up close.