When selling your home, everything that you can do to increase the value of your property, especially if it can be done in a very short period of time, is worth doing. Cleaning your roof is an example of just that. Your house will automatically increase in value if you have a clean roof.

This is the case for a number of reasons. First and foremost, that first impression. But beyond that, a clean roof means that the buyer and lender do not immediately panic about the structural integrity of the roof (too much moss and dirt can lead to issues with the supporting structure). It also allows them to properly see the roof tiles, allowing them to determine if any of them are broken, as this will need fixing in order to maintain the waterproof qualities of your roof and to prevent any further issues down the line.

As mentioned above, if left unchecked, moss and algae can cause damage to the roof support system. This is because moss collects moisture and can get heavy, and this can cause your roof tiles to rot. When this happens, the waterproof nature of the tiles and shingles is simply destroyed. As a result, the moisture can sneak through, causing long-term and hard-to-handle damage.

It is not just the structure itself that can be badly damaged if the roof is not cleaned on a regular basis. Your shingles or roof tiles are susceptible to mould and algae, and if these are not removed on a regular basis they can cause all sorts of issues. Unchecked, moss can wreak havoc on a rooftop.

Since your roof is subject to the elements, it is no surprise that it will regularly have a build-up of dirt and debris. By removing it, you can prevent it from getting stuck in the gutter and creating an issue for your drainage system. You can also remove bird droppings, bringing your home back to looking fantastic.

One of the most common methods of cleaning roofs is to use a pressure washer. In reality, though, pressure washing your roof is not always the best idea. For some roof cleaning jobs, pressure washing is fine. This is usually the case for harder roof tiles. Pressure washing is an effective way to remove grime and dirt buildup, especially if you're looking to do the job quickly.

However, if your roof tiles are in poor condition or if you are not familiar with how to best pressure wash a surface, pressure washing is likely to cause more damage than good as the pressure can move tiles, break them and even damage roof coatings.

The other option is soft washing your roof tiles. This is a method that involves using detergents and high-temperature low pressure washing to remove all sorts of dirt, moss and algae from the roof tiles. With soft washing, you can clean the roof without having to worry about accidentally chipping or losing a tile.

Soft washing is a very popular method of roof cleaning because it uses less water than pressure washing, making it more environmentally friendly, and is much less risky. The process does take longer than pressure washing, though, and relies on more cleaning products rather than just water to clean.

Soft washing is not, however, always suitable. For steep roofs, for example, soft washing may not work as well as it relies on gravity to spread across the surface.

Cleaning roofs with chemical cleaning comes with none of the risks of moss removal via pressure washer, but it does use strong chemicals that many people would rather avoid. That being said, it is an efficient method of roof cleaning.

Chemical cleaning uses specially designed chemicals that break down contaminants on the roof. It involves a solution being sprayed onto the surface of your roof tiles and left to penetrate the material for a short period.

One of the benefits of this cleaning technique is that it can be safely used on a wide range of roof materials. It does not cause damage like pressure washing but will leave your roof looking freshly pressure washed, with no sign of dirt or muck.