Roof Moss Removal and Cleaning
in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

This weatherboarded cottage in Henley-on-Thames has a concrete tiled roof that was carrying years of moss, lichen and algae. From the ground it read as a dull, uneven brown; from above, the growth had filled the courses and was sitting across almost every tile.

Moss on a roof is not only a question of appearance. It holds water against the tiles, lifts debris into the gutters and, left long enough, works its way into the laps where the tiles overlap.

The day began with a drone survey of every roof slope on the house and the garage, so the condition of every slope could be seen before any work started and the method could be chosen for this roof.

The brief was clear: remove the moss, clear the gutters, and protect the roof so it stays clean for longer.

This roof was worked from powered access: a spider lift, set up on the ground beside the house.

The basket puts Chiltern Surface Co technicians right up close to every slope. That closeness is what lets us work at the lowest effective pressure and with the most detail possible, course by course, around the chimney and along the ridge.

From the basket, the moss and organic growth were lifted with a controlled low-pressure lance, working methodically across each slope.

The aim is always the lowest pressure that will do the job. It removes the growth without driving water up under the laps or stripping the surface of the tile.

This is what was sitting on the tiles: thick, spongy clumps of moss, packed with trapped soil and debris.

Growth like this holds water against the roof and sheds into the gutters every time it rains. Removing it is the first half of the job; stopping it coming back is the second.

Surface cleaning is not enough. Moss, lichen and algae do not just sit on a roof — they live in the pores of the tile, and whatever is left inside will grow back.

Chiltern EverGuard™ is a biocide that penetrates the pores of the material, kills the growth living inside it and inhibits regrowth. It was applied evenly across every cleaned roof slope on the house, again from the lift.

It keeps working after it goes on, so any residual staining and growth between the tiles continues to break down over the following weeks.

The moss and organic growth were removed from every tile on the main roof and the lower roof at the side of the house. Once the roofs were clean, the gutters were cleared and the downpipes checked so water drains freely away.

The new garage roof beside the cottage did not need cleaning, so it was treated with Chiltern EverGuard™ to protect it before growth can take hold. The whole job was completed in one day on site.

Chiltern Surface Co carried out this roof moss removal and cleaning in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. We also offer roof cleaning, roof moss removal, driveway cleaning and patio cleaning across Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, including Maidenhead, Amersham, Windsor and Marlow.

Moss lives in the pores of a roof tile, not just on its surface, which is why a lasting result is a staged process — the right access, controlled cleaning, and protection with Chiltern EverGuard™ — rather than a single pass with a pressure washer.