Moss on a Leith Walk roof isn't just cosmetic — it lifts tiles, blocks gutters and shortens the life of the whole roof. We clear it the safe way and treat it so it doesn't grow back. We cover Leith Walk and the wider the local area. Roofs round here see cool, wet shoulder seasons that suit moss colonisation on north-facing roofs, and most of the properties we treat are built with clay plain tiles, concrete interlocking tiles and natural slate — so we tune the soft-wash mix and dwell time to whatever's on your ridge.
Most of the roofs we treat around Leith Walk are built with clay plain tiles, concrete interlocking tiles and natural slate. Each tile type needs a slightly different approach — concrete tiles need a gentler biocide dwell time than slate, and pantiles need careful scraping in the lap. Here's what's included on a typical Leith Walk job:
Every tile cleared by hand from a roof ladder or scaffold tower — no pressure washers, no broken tiles. The right approach for the older roofs you see across Leith Walk.
Professional biocide applied at low pressure. It kills moss, algae and lichen at the root and keeps working for months — important given the cool, wet shoulder seasons that suit moss colonisation on north-facing roofs.
Gutters cleared, downpipes flushed, debris bagged and taken away. Included on every Leith Walk roof clean.
Photos of every slope, ridge and valley. You'll see exactly what's on your roof before we quote — no pressure.
We re-bed loose ridge tiles and flag failing pointing while we're up there. Small fixes done on the day; bigger ones quoted separately.
Optional annual top-up applied from the ground. Stretches results from "several years" to "indefinitely" with minimal cost.
The short answer: cool, wet shoulder seasons that suit moss colonisation on north-facing roofs. Moss spores are airborne almost year-round, and any roof slope that stays damp for long periods will start to colonise — usually on the north-facing pitch first, then under any overhanging trees.
Around Leith Walk, the combination of clay plain tiles, concrete interlocking tiles and natural slate and the local area's climate means most roofs need attention every 3-5 years if they've never been treated, and far less often once a biocide programme is in place.
Left untreated, moss holds water against the tile surface, freezes and thaws through winter, lifts the lap, and eventually pushes debris into the gutter line. That's when small problems become roof-replacement problems.
No — all the work is carried out outside. Just tell us about parking, side-gate access, pets and any solar panels before we arrive.
Without a biocide treatment, yes — usually within 12-18 months. The biocide is what kills spores at the root and keeps the roof clear long after we leave.
Yes. We clean carefully around PV panels and mounting brackets and avoid running biocide over the cells.
Never. High-pressure water strips the protective coating off concrete tiles and forces water under slate. We hand-scrape and soft-wash only — that's the only safe way to clean a roof.
Yes. We use a professional, fully biodegradable biocide. We mask off planting where needed and flush gutters and downpipes once we're finished.