Roof Cleaning Specialists
Roof Cleaning Edinburgh
Moss, algae, and lichen do more than make your roof look tired. They hold moisture against tiles and slates, accelerate weathering, and can block gutters with debris. Professional roof cleaning removes the problem and helps your roof last longer.
What We Cover
Our Roof Cleaning Services
Moss Removal
We manually remove moss from tiles, slates, and ridges without damaging the roof surface. Moss holds moisture and accelerates tile deterioration, especially on north-facing roofs in Edinburgh's damp climate.
Algae & Lichen Treatment
Green and black staining on your roof is usually algae or lichen. We clean it and apply a biocide treatment to slow regrowth, restoring the roof's appearance without pressure washing.
Gutter Clearing
Roof cleaning generates debris that ends up in your gutters. We always clear the gutters as part of a roof clean, ensuring proper drainage and preventing blockages.
Roof Inspection During Cleaning
While we are on the roof, we check for cracked tiles, slipped slates, damaged flashing, and other issues. If we spot a problem, we will let you know and can often fix it on the same visit.
Edinburgh’s damp climate creates ideal conditions for moss, algae, and lichen growth on roofs. Left unchecked, this is not just an appearance issue. Moss roots work their way between tiles and into mortar joints, holding moisture against the surface and speeding up deterioration. Over time, this leads to cracked tiles, failed pointing, and blocked gutters.
Professional roof cleaning in Edinburgh removes this buildup, extends your roof’s working life, and can often prevent the need for more expensive roof repairs down the line.
Why Edinburgh Roofs Need Regular Cleaning
Edinburgh gets more rainfall than most UK cities, and the combination of moisture, mild winters, and mature trees creates perfect moss growth conditions. North-facing and shaded roof slopes are worst affected, with some properties seeing significant moss buildup within 2 to 3 years of the last clean.
The problems moss causes are cumulative:
- Tile and slate damage - moss roots grow into the porous surface of concrete tiles and between natural slate, causing micro-cracks that worsen with each freeze-thaw cycle
- Blocked gutters - as moss dries and breaks away, it washes into gutters and downpipes, causing blockages and overflows
- Increased weight - a heavily mossed roof holds a surprising amount of water weight, putting additional stress on the timber structure
- Ridge and mortar erosion - moss growing along ridge lines and verges accelerates mortar breakdown, loosening ridge tiles
A professional roof clean every 3 to 5 years prevents these problems from developing and keeps your roof in good working condition between major repairs.
Our Roof Cleaning Process
We do not use high-pressure jet washing on roofs. Pressure washers can crack slates, strip the protective granular surface from concrete tiles, and force water under the covering where it causes damp. Instead, we use a combination of:
- Manual scraping and brushing to remove the bulk of the moss without damaging tiles or slates
- Low-pressure soft washing where appropriate, using cleaning solutions that kill moss and algae at the root
- Biocide treatment applied after cleaning to slow regrowth and protect the roof surface
- Full gutter clearing included as standard, since roof cleaning generates debris that ends up in your guttering
While we are on the roof, we carry out a visual inspection at no extra charge. If we spot cracked tiles, slipped slates, damaged flashing, or any other issue, we will let you know and can often fix it on the same visit.
Roof Cleaning for Landlords and Property Managers
If you manage rental properties across Edinburgh, the Lothians, or the Scottish Borders, we offer roof cleaning as part of a planned maintenance schedule. Regular cleaning prevents tenant complaints about blocked gutters and damp, and protects the long-term condition of the property.
Get in touch or call 07473 431365 for a free quote.
Need Roof Cleaning?
Get a free, no-obligation quote. We cover Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
How It Works
From Enquiry to Completion
Inspection & Diagnosis
We inspect the work, identify the root cause, and explain what needs doing in plain terms. No jargon, no pressure.
Clear, Honest Quote
You get a written quote with no hidden costs. We explain what is included, how long it will take, and answer any questions. No obligation.
Quality Work, Guaranteed
We carry out the work to a high standard, clean up after ourselves, and guarantee the result. If you are not happy, we make it right.
FAQs
Common Questions About Roof Cleaning
A typical semi-detached house costs between £400 and £800 depending on roof size, moss severity, and access requirements. We provide free quotes after assessing your roof so you know exactly what to expect.
We do not recommend pressure washing for most roofs. High-pressure water can dislodge slates, strip the protective surface from concrete tiles, and force water under the covering. We use manual removal and low-pressure soft washing methods that are safe for your roof.
Most Edinburgh roofs benefit from cleaning every 3 to 5 years, depending on how quickly moss grows back. North-facing roofs and properties near trees tend to need cleaning more frequently.
Yes. Slate requires careful handling to avoid cracking or dislodging tiles. We clean slate roofs by hand, removing moss and debris without walking directly on the slates where possible. We have experience with the traditional slate roofs found across Edinburgh.
Yes. After cleaning, we can apply a biocide treatment that slows moss and algae regrowth. This extends the time between cleans and helps protect the roof surface. The treatment is safe for plants and guttering below.
Reviews
What Our Customers Say
35 five-star Google reviews from homeowners and landlords across Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
"First Choice Roof Repairs attended swiftly and made our roof watertight. Clear communication, good price, and great blokes. We are very happy with the level of professionalism shown and the courtesy with which we were treated. 5 stars all day long."
"I called William and his team after having numerous problems with my roof and other roofers not getting them solved. William and his team found the problems and quoted for the work which I was very happy with. All the problems were fixed the same day and since then I haven't had a single leak. Would highly recommend."
"Very pleased indeed with the service. William called round within 24 hours of my phone call asking for a slate to be repaired or replaced. Kept in touch before arrival and had the job done very quickly. Was able to reuse the old slate which kept the cost down. First class all round."
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Get in Touch
Get Your Free Quote
Complete the form or give us a call. We will get back to you to arrange a free, no-obligation estimate for your roofing project.
- 07473 431365
- firstchoiceroofrepairsltd@gmail.com
- Pencraig House, Monksmuir Park, Haddington, EH41 3SB