Cleaning Roof Tiles

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  • Don't do it yourself - the consequences of a life changing accident are...life changing.
  • Get an insured contractor to do it. Don't get Jimmy down the road with a Karcher, the consequences on the integrity of your roof arising from an amateur have a go are unacceptable in my mind.
  • If using chemicals or biocides consider test patches first.
  • Get him to inspect the roof before he starts to identify existing damage & square that away with you before work commences.
  • Inspect the gutters, facia & soffits as above.
  • Agree to get the gutters done while he's up there.
  • Agree that he'll make good on cleaning away the wash debris from the gutters, building fascia & ground.
  • Agree that ground level drains will be protected against the wash debris draining into them & potentially blocking them.
 
Dermot said:
What are you wishing to clean off the roof tiles specifically
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Moss growth and hopefully refresh what was originally a turf-brown appearance. The back of the house is not too bad because it faces SSW and gets the sun most of the day. Gutters and facias have been kept clean, but the roof has never been done in 35 yrs. I made contact with a guy today. He seems to have a fairly pro set-up. Initially want to get an idea of costs.

It's a single story house , so easily accessible..

PS. Horatio.... Jimmy hasn't got a Karcher . He usually borrows mine....
 
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We have slates on our roof, also never been cleaned, and quite a lot of moss on one side of it.

I'd be interested to know how you get on, who you got to do the work (if Dubin based), and perhaps an idea of cost, if you don't mind, please.
 
Don't allow anyone to powerhose your roof, it causes a lot of damage and blasts gaps between tiles which will then leak, despite it being a very popular service any decent roofer will warn against it.

heavy moss growth is best scraped off by hand, if you have overlapping tiles then the grove will need to be scraped clean as well.

Alternatively you could have it sprayed with moss killer, it'll die and fall off over time but they can clog gutters so these need to be kept clear.
 
8till8 said:
Don't allow anyone to powerhose your roof, it causes a lot of damage and blasts gaps between tiles which will then leak, despite it being a very popular service any decent roofer will warn against it.
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Ok.... but ... what keeps so many of these guys in business, if it's strongly recommended against. The guy I've contacted can't come to look at the job till next week as he is too busy.
 
We got our roof cleaned, sealed and fixed by the Roof Inspectors - 089 269 6407 Martin was the man I dealt with.
They went up, took a video of everything and then came down and discussed what had to be done.

The tiles going down the sides of the roof all had to be recemented (is that even a word!?) there was not much holding them back on, they refused to do any cleaning work unless they could fix those first and we could see they needed to be fixed so we were happy to proceed.

I will warn you though, it's a savage messy job so warn your neighbours, move their cars etc. I can't seem to add an image if you want any before and afters drop me a message and I can dig them out for you.
 
Fisherman said:
Ok.... but ... what keeps so many of these guys in business, if it's strongly recommended against. The guy I've contacted can't come to look at the job till next week as he is too busy.
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I don't know but I suppose people don't get up on their roof to examine how its constructed and how it can be damaged.

A roof is designed & constructed to deal with wind driven rain at most -- not high pressure washing which is very powerful and abrasive.
 
Ok.. let's say we Brush/Scrape all the debris/moss from the tiles and then spray with one of the multitude of 'treatments ' available. I'm still left with
tiles that are nowhere near their original brown colour, in fact are almost black now. Have I any options available to 'brighten up' the roof. (apart from renewing the tiles.)
 
Fisherman said:
Have I any options available to 'brighten up' the roof. (apart from renewing the tiles.)
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Nothing exposed to the sun will retain its original colouring. I've never seen anyone recommend surface treatments like you see applied to driveways, likely because the slope means only a thin coat is possible and that would wear and look terrible pretty soon.

A pro who knows what they're doing can successfully clean tiles, but you'd need to be certain of their reputation and insurance cover.

I've seen copper strips at ridge level being recommended as a longer term solution to preventing moss build up, but I don't know how effective it is.
 
I have blue slates which I hate because the are so easily damage by walking on them, you wouldn't know they're cracked until the water comes through, I even ask the window cleaner not to stand on them
 
Fisherman said:
Ok.. let's say we Brush/Scrape all the debris/moss from the tiles and then spray with one of the multitude of 'treatments ' available. I'm still left with
tiles that are nowhere near their original brown colour, in fact are almost black now. Have I any options available to 'brighten up' the roof. (apart from renewing the tiles.)
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Spray paint roof tiles - with the shade of original brown colour
 
bish123 said:
Spray paint roof tiles - with the shade of original brown colour
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Painting would be difficult, expensive, and wouldn't last. They'd need to be very clean to ensure proper adhesion of a paint and then weathering and UV will attack and degrade it. Peeling paint after a couple of year would look far worse.
 
Do's
Do use a low-pressure washer or garden hose to rinse off loose dirt and debris before applying any cleaning solution. This will help to avoid scratching or damaging the tiles during cleaning.
Do use a cleaning solution that is specifically designed for concrete roof tiles. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners that can damage the tiles or strip off the protective coating.
Don'ts
Don't walk on the tiles during cleaning as this can cause them to crack or break.
Don't use metal tools or brushes to scrape or clean the tiles as this can scratch or damage the surface.
Don't use acid-based cleaners or bleach as these can damage the tiles and cause them to discolor.
Don't ignore any damaged or cracked tiles. If you notice any damaged or cracked tiles, make sure to replace them as soon as possible to avoid any further damage to the roof.
by following these do's and don'ts, you can effectively clean your concrete roof tiles without causing any damage or harm to the tiles or yourself.
 
8till8 said:
Don't allow anyone to powerhose your roof, it causes a lot of damage and blasts gaps between tiles which will then leak, despite it being a very popular service any decent roofer will warn against it.

heavy moss growth is best scraped off by hand, if you have overlapping tiles then the grove will need to be scraped clean as well.

Alternatively you could have it sprayed with moss killer, it'll die and fall off over time but they can clog gutters so these need to be kept clear.
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Thank you for sharing these helpful do's and don'ts for cleaning concrete roof tiles! Your tips are incredibly valuable and will surely guide anyone looking to maintain their roof effectively. It's essential to prioritize safety and use the appropriate cleaning methods and solutions to prevent damage to both the tiles and oneself. Your thorough advice is much appreciated!
 
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