Summitt Exterior Cleaning › Roof Moss
Roof moss & lichen
Roof moss removed by hand. Never pressure washed.
Moss holds water against your shingles and lifts them at the edges. We scrape it off by hand and treat what's left — because a pressure washer strips the granules and takes years off the roof.
Why moss is a roof problem, not a looks problem
Okanagan roofs get moss on the north and shaded slopes, and it never stays cosmetic for long. Moss acts like a sponge — it holds moisture against the shingle instead of letting it run off. That trapped water works under the shingle edge, lifts it, and freezes there over winter. Lichen is worse: it bonds into the shingle surface rather than sitting on top of it.
By the time moss is thick enough to see from the street, it has usually been growing for two or three seasons.
How we actually do it
- We assess access first. Pitch, condition and safe anchor points get checked before anyone goes up. If we can't work on it safely, we tell you and we don't take the job.
- Hand-scraped. Moss is removed manually, working down-slope so nothing gets driven under the shingle edges.
- Treated, not blasted. What's left is treated so regrowth is slowed.
- Gutters and ground cleared. Debris comes off the roof and out of the gutters rather than being left to wash into the downspouts.
Why we won't pressure wash a roof
Asphalt shingles are protected by a layer of mineral granules. Pressure washing blasts those granules off — you can see them collecting in the gutter afterwards. The roof looks clean for a season and then ages fast, because the layer that shields the asphalt from UV is gone.
Anyone quoting a pressure-washed roof is selling you a short-term result at the cost of the roof's life. We won't do it, on any roof, at any price.
What we don't take on
Homes of three storeys or more, and any roof we judge unsafe to access. We'd rather turn the work down than put a technician on a roof that shouldn't be walked.
What it costs
Roof Moss and Lichen Treatment — our prices
Published, not quoted. Pick your size, text us, and we’ll confirm the slot.
| Home size | Price |
|---|---|
| Small — up to 2,000 sq ft | $549 |
| Medium — 2,000–3,000 sq ft | $749 |
| Large — 3,000–4,000 sq ft | $949 |
| Estate — over 4,000 sq ft | Let's talk |
Add gutter cleaning to any roof job for $129 flat — we're already up there safely, so the setup is paid for.
Prices are based on the size you select. We check the property before confirming — if it falls in a different band we’ll tell you before anything is booked. No surprises on the day.
Our work
Before and after
Common questions
Roof Moss — straight answers
How often does an Okanagan roof need this?
Most shaded roofs here need it every three to five years. South-facing slopes that get full sun often go much longer.
Will the moss come back?
Eventually — it's a living organism and the conditions that grew it are still there. Treatment slows regrowth considerably, but no treatment is permanent.
Do you get the moss out of the gutters too?
Roof debris comes off the roof and out of the gutters as part of the work. A full gutter clean and downspout flush is $129 added to a roof booking.
Can you do it in winter?
We work through most of the shoulder season, but we won't put anyone on a frosted or icy roof. Booking spring through fall is safer and gives a better result.
Also available