Visible growth on your roof
The most obvious sign that your roof needs cleaning is a build-up of moss or lichen. This is easy to spot from the ground, and the level of build up will visually be very obvious too. Leaving moss to grow will inevitably cause serious damage to your roof.
The bacteria that causes the moss to grow can get into cracks between roof tiles. Which can create larger gaps as the moss grows leading to water leaking into your property.
Leaky roofs and water damaged walls are costly to repair, so it is vital that the moss is cleared, preventing your roof being compromised.
Black streaks on your roof
If you notice black stains or streaks on your roof, you may think that its just dirt build up from the rain. What's more likely however is that those black patches are mould or algea growing on your roof. This is caused by airborne spores which settle on the roof, and thrive in the wet weather conditions we typically see in the Midlands.
Moss and mould grow back even after being cleared. At Tip Top Exteriors, we use a soft washing solution made up of made up of deturgents, bleach, algaecide and water. After moss removal we finish the roof clean with a biocide, we can guarantee your roof will remain moss free for years.
Leaf build-up
If your property is in an area with a lot of trees, you might get a lot of leaves settling on your roof. This isn't normally a problem for most property owners, as the good old British weather will usually blow/wash the leaves into your gutters.
Leaves that are left to sit on the roof however will retain rain water on the roof. This will lead to the moss and mould growth that we have already discussed, and could rot the timber structure holding up your roof.
Blocked gutters
One of the main symptoms of gutter or downspout blockage is build up on the roof. Leaves, moss and other debris get washed off the roof in the rain, causing the material to collect in the gutters. This results in water overflowing from the guttering. Which in turn spreads the same algea from the roof to the external walls, and surrounding areas of the property. In severe cases, this overflowing water can find its way into the property causing damp and mould in the interior.
Whilst cleaning gutters is not a pleasant job it can be done yourself. It is messy, smelly and can be quite an awkward task. It becomes especially difficult if you have a conservatory or no clear way of accessing the gutters. You also need to be comfortable with working at height. We would recommend using a professional exterior cleaning service like us.
Damp in your property
Damp patches on your ceilings or walls inside your property are usually a good indicator that your roof could be leaking. This is the worst case scenario, but doesn't always mean you need a new roof. More often than not, we find excess moss growth on the roof has caused a gap large enough for water in enter the building. When cleaning a roof we can carry out simple repairs to fix an issue like this.
Your roof hasn't been cleaned for a while
You need to be proactive with your properties health, preventing damage is easier and cheaper than repairing. If it's been a few years since your roof was cleaned or you're not quite sure, get in touch with us. We'll pop round, survey your roof for free and provide a no obligation quote for the work we recommend, should your roof need cleaning.