Gransnet forums

House and home

Roof cleaning

(43 Posts)
Alima Fri 07-Sept-18 12:53:33

Has anyone been unlucky enough to live next door to someone who is having their roof cleaned? Next door is having theirs done right now. Blokey standing atop the roof, jet washer going haywire. The bloody mess around our house. He said he will clean up. He will need to clean all my windows, clear every gutter, wash the car and generally clear up. Incandescent doesn’t cover it. And breathe. Sorry.

Katie59 Sun 07-Jan-24 12:48:46

OH did the moss on ours last year he borrowed a cherry picker and raked the moss off then sprayed it to stop it regrowing, no mess other than sweeping up.

Juliet27 Sun 07-Jan-24 12:36:16

Reported

NorthernL Sun 07-Jan-24 12:27:08

britishroofcleaning.co.uk/

NorthernL Sun 07-Jan-24 12:18:25

This article on a gentler way or soft washing might be useful? theroofing.club/best-time-of-year-to-remove-moss-from-roof/

NorthernL Sun 07-Jan-24 12:17:08

Yes however ours was soft washed which is manually scraping - no noise or jet wash mess. We used the Roofing Club if helpful to anybody. theroofing.club/roof-cleaning-moss-removal/

SmasLeeviy Mon 21-Nov-22 10:09:40

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

biglouis Thu 10-Nov-22 21:51:18

The workman was acting as your neighbour's agent so the neighbour is legally responsible to make good for any mess or damage. Get an estimate for repairs/cleaning and then send bill with a strongly worded letter to your neighbour. If not paid send "letter before action" to your neighbour and take them to small claims court! They in turn can sue the workmen for negligence.

lixy Thu 10-Nov-22 21:35:03

Our North facing roof had a lot of moss. Last year we had it cleaned because our downpipes go straight underground. Birds and heavy rain both dislodge the moss. It goes into the gutter and then gets washed into the downpipe, and can block them up.
We had the whole roof cleaned and treated with moss preventer.
Our cleaners were very careful to disconnect the downpipes while they were working. They collected up all the moss which is now quietly decomposing in a corner of the garden and left everything neat and tidy.

M0nica Thu 10-Nov-22 21:02:56

People keep asking, why clean a roof? The main reason is because moss is growing on it and as WWM1 says moss must always be removed because it can lead to tiles laminating and breaking up, the moss working its way under the tiles and the roof timbers getting soaked and rotting.

We had the moss cleared off our roof 5 years ago and inhibitor sprayed on it and there is still no sign of the moss returning.

Whitewavemark2 Thu 10-Nov-22 13:50:57

Coincidentally, we have a hole developed in our roof, and water penetration, coming through the bedroom ceiling.

We had the insurance assessor visit yesterday, and he advised that moss must always be removed and inhibitor used. So that is what will be done - using a brush - softish.

The other piece of bad news however, is that our house, being the age it is, may have asbestos mixed with the ceiling plaster😮 which means that it will have to be sealed off and ceiling completely removed and replaced.

The good news is that it will be payed by the house insurance.

But I hate this sort of disruption.

Katie59 Thu 10-Nov-22 13:37:44

We have a lot of moss on our roof and it’s going to need doing soon, OH will just rake it off, maybe spray moss killer afterwards.
Pressure Washer sounds a nightmare and completely unnecessary, what a mess

tanith Thu 10-Nov-22 11:58:13

I’m not sure why you’d need to clean the roof either. Mines never been cleaned and it’s perfectly ok and looks fine. The gutters were cleaned when the house was last painted. I agree about damage possibly being caused by a jet washer on the roof.

Grantanow Thu 10-Nov-22 11:34:56

I doubt roof cleaning is generally necessary. It might result in tile or slate damage unless carefully done.

Oldbat1 Thu 10-Nov-22 10:39:22

Seems to be popular where I live. Our houses are 1930s and many considerably older. I don’t see the point except the roofs look cleaner. Everyone has different viewpoints I guess but not for this house.

Georgesgran Thu 10-Nov-22 09:37:43

Reported.

MaceDocea Thu 10-Nov-22 09:24:02

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

MaceDocea Thu 10-Nov-22 09:22:30

ывыв

chyaust Tue 22-Jun-21 19:18:37

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Shandy57 Thu 29-Apr-21 10:54:20

I've just realised how old this is!

Shandy57 Thu 29-Apr-21 10:51:24

Sorry you have had such an upset.

I think a lot of 'new' businesses have sprung up with people losing their jobs to try and survive this crisis, it sounds as though your neighbour's workers weren't very experienced. No excuse for no notice considering the impact it had on you.

I had a sofa collected yesterday by a 'man with a van', lovely young man who had lost his job as a bar manager during Covid. He has teamed up with a friend with a van and has gone into removals.

WillThomas Thu 29-Apr-21 10:34:51

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Mapleleaf Fri 28-Sept-18 20:44:43

I’ve never heard of house roofs being cleaned, either. Guttering, yes and also conservatory roofs, but that’s all.

jeanie99 Fri 28-Sept-18 02:08:53

We were told by our builder that moss is a healthy sign on a roof so we just leave it.

M0nica Sat 08-Sept-18 16:40:33

If you have a lot of moss on your roof, you should have it cleaned of. Moss holds water and in winter the water will freeze and unfreeze and this can cause clay tiles to spall and slates can laminate leading to damp getting through and rotting roof timbers. Weeds can also root if the moss is thick enough and the roots penetrate between the tiles, also leading to damp problems.

Our house is listed and clay tiles were relatively soft. Pressure washing could have damaged them irreparably. Our roofing co said that they always cleared moss from roofs by hand and would never use a pressure washer, not even on concrete tiles.

Alima Sat 08-Sept-18 15:58:08

We have nearly finished cleaning up. Apparently our neighbor did not know they were going to clean the roof yesterday. The clean roof looks bloody awful, all pink and bare like a gaping wound. At least one broken tile and damage to a ridge tile. Smirk. (Oh dear, did I just say that?)