01
Garden-hose pressure, never more
The solution kills the algae and rinses off, which is why the result keeps improving for weeks afterwards rather than looking blasted on day one.
the Miami Valley
Roof Cleaning in Dayton, OH
Soft wash for black streaks, moss and algae on roofs across the Miami Valley. No pressure washer goes near asphalt shingles, and we say when a clean is not worth doing.
4.9 from 38 reviewsFree estimates across the Miami ValleyServing all of the Miami Valley
Free roof cleaning quote
Tell us which slope it is and roughly how old the roof is. Sometimes the answer is not to bother.
Soft wash only
Garden-hose pressure. A pressure lance strips surface grit and takes years off an asphalt roof.
We say when it is not worth it
On a roof near the end of its life, a clean is money spent on something you are about to remove.
Nothing left in the beds
Plants covered and rinsed down before we leave. Soft washing is only tidy if you make it tidy.
The Problem
Are those black streaks a problem, or just ugly?
Mostly just ugly. Algae does not eat shingles and it will not cause a leak.
The dark streaks running down north-facing slopes on half the houses in this county are algae feeding on limestone filler in the shingle. Damp shade is the whole of what it asks for, which is why one slope shows it badly and the slope opposite often shows nothing at all. It is cosmetic. Moss is the one that genuinely matters, because it holds water against the shingle and lifts the edges as it creeps underneath. If somebody knocked on your door and said the streaking means your roof is failing, they were selling something.
- Soft wash only, pressure washing strips the surface grit
- We say plainly when a clean is not worth doing
- Zinc or copper strips at the ridge if you want it to last
Why Us
Get the streaks off without taking years off the roof
Granules are the shingle's UV protection and much of its fire rating. Strip them off with a pressure lance and the roof looks immaculate on the day, and shorter-lived every year after it.
02
Moss is treated differently
Moss lifts shingle edges as it grows under them, and that shortens a roof. Streaking on its own generally does not.
03
We check it is worth cleaning
If the roof is near the end of its life, a wash is money spent on something you are about to remove. A free look settles which you have.
What We Do
The Rest of What We Do in Dayton
Everything we cover under Dayton roofing services, from a single slipped shingle to a full tear-off. Not sure which one you need? Call and we'll tell you straight.
Roof Repair
Leaks, missing shingles, failed flashing. Most repairs are done the same day we quote them.
Learn more
Roof Replacement
Full tear-off and a new roof, usually three days. Written price up front, and we tell you if you don't need one yet.
Learn more
Storm Damage Repair
Hail, wind and fallen branches. Free inspection with photographs you keep, whether you end up claiming on insurance or not.
Learn more
Roof Inspection
A proper look, on the roof, not from the driveway. Free, and you keep the photographs whether you hire us or not.
Learn more
Emergency Roof Repair
Someone answers the phone out of hours. We'll make it watertight tonight and do the proper repair when the weather allows.
Learn more
Gutter Services
New gutters, guards, repairs and cleaning. Dayton gets 41 inches of rain a year, and gutters that are too small show it fast.
Learn more
Skylight Repair
Leaking skylights, failed seals and misted glass. Nine times in ten the leak is the flashing, not the skylight.
Learn more
The Difference
Why we turn roof cleaning work down
A fair number of the roof cleaning enquiries we get come from people who were told at the door that black streaking means their roof is failing. It does not. It is algae feeding on limestone filler in the shingle, it is cosmetic, and saying so costs us the job about as often as not.
The cases where cleaning genuinely earns its money are moss, which lifts shingle edges as it grows underneath, and selling a house. If you are in neither of those, we will tell you the roof is fine and you can spend the money on something else.
The streaking shows worst on shaded streets. That means the older, heavily treed roads in Englewood, and the larger lots in Beavercreek where mature planting keeps a north slope damp all year.
Our written guides cover the questions people ask before they call, including how long a roof should last in this climate.
How It Works
How a soft wash actually works
Half a day on most houses, and the result keeps improving for a couple of weeks.
- 1
We look at what is growing
Algae, moss and lichen need different strengths and different dwell times. They are not one job.
- 2
Everything below gets covered
Plants, furniture and paths, before a drop of solution goes anywhere near the roof.
- 3
Applied at hose pressure
The solution does the work and is left to dwell. Nothing is blasted, scraped or scrubbed at any point.
- 4
Rinsed down and left to finish
The roof keeps lightening for a fortnight or so as the growth dies back completely.
Reviews
What Dayton homeowners say
4.9 average from 38 reviews
“We had a leak over the back bedroom for almost two years and kept putting a bucket under it. The team found the problem in about ten minutes. It turned out to be the flashing around the chimney, not the shingles. They fixed it that same afternoon. I wish we had called sooner.”
“We had a full tear-off on our 1950s ranch. The crew arrived at 7 every morning and finished the job in three days. They even swept the entire driveway with a magnetic roller so our kids wouldn't pick up any nails. The final price was exactly what we were quoted.”
“After the hail last June, our insurance company questioned whether the damage was from the storm or simply the age of the roof. The team inspected everything, took detailed photos, and joined the call with our adjuster. The claim was approved. I don't think we would have managed it on our own.”
“Good work at a fair price. I gave four stars because our job had to be pushed back a week due to rain, and I had already taken the day off. They did call ahead and kept us informed instead of simply not showing up, which I appreciated.”
“A tree came down on our garage roof at around nine at night. Someone actually answered the phone, which I wasn't expecting. They had the roof tarped before midnight and came back the following week for the permanent repair. Great response when we needed help.”
“We had new seamless gutters and gutter guards installed around the whole house. They made the gutters right there on site, which I hadn't seen before. We've had two heavy storms since the installation and nothing has overflowed onto the patio. That was exactly the problem we wanted fixed.”
“I booked a roof inspection expecting to hear that we needed a full replacement because that's what the previous two companies told us. After inspecting it, they said our roof probably had about five years left and told us to call back when the time came. They didn't charge us for the inspection. That honesty is why they'll get the job when we eventually replace it.”
“This is the second time we've used them. They installed our gutters a couple of years ago, and we recently hired them again for a full roof replacement. We even had the same crew leader both times. The quote was clearly itemized, so we could see exactly what we were paying for, including the wood underneath repairs.”
More about Roof Cleaning in Dayton
Those black streaks are algae, and they are barely hurting the roof
The dark streaks running down north-facing slopes on half the houses in this county are a blue-green algae that feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. Forty-one inches of rain a year and humid Ohio summers are exactly what it needs. It shows first on the north slope, because that is the one that stays damp longest after rain.
It is very largely cosmetic. It does not eat the shingle and it will not cause a leak. Moss is a different matter: moss holds water against the shingle and lifts the edges as it creeps underneath, and that genuinely does shorten a roof's life. If what you have is moss rather than streaking, it is worth dealing with sooner.
Soft wash, never pressure
A pressure washer strips the grit off asphalt shingles. That grit is the part doing the work. It shields the shingle from the sun and carries much of its fire rating. A roof that has been pressure washed looks clean and has had years taken off it. If the grit has already gone in patches, cleaning is not what the roof needs and a replacement is the honest conversation. Any company that arrives with a pressure lance for your shingles should be sent home.
Soft washing applies a cleaning solution at garden-hose pressure, lets it work, and rinses. It kills the algae rather than blasting it off, which is why the result keeps improving for a few weeks after we leave. It is slower, and it is the only method we will use on asphalt.
Whether it is worth doing at all
Do it if you are selling, if the streaking genuinely bothers you, or if you have actual moss growth. Do not do it because somebody knocked on your door and said the roof was failing. Streaking is not a sign of failure. We would rather tell you that than sell you a wash you do not need.
If you want it to stay clean, zinc or copper strips at the ridge wash a trace of metal down the slope with every rain and suppress regrowth. That is cheap and it works. And if the roof underneath is genuinely near the end of its life, a clean is money spent on something you are about to take off. A free roof inspection settles which of those you have. The replacement cost guide tells you what the alternative costs.
Frequently asked questions
Does roof cleaning damage shingles?
Pressure washing does, badly. It strips away the surface grit that protect the shingle from UV. Soft washing at garden-hose pressure does not. The method matters far more than the company.
How much does roof cleaning cost in Dayton?
Priced by roof area and pitch. It costs a fraction of any roof repair, comfortably under the $438 that marks the bottom of our repair range on a typical one-story house. A steep roof or awkward access is what moves the price.
How long does a roof stay clean after washing?
Two to five years, depending on how shaded and damp that slope stays through the year. Zinc or copper strips at the ridge extend it considerably for very little money.
Do I need my roof cleaned or replaced?
Streaking on its own is not a reason to replace anything. Curled shingles, bare patches where the grit has gone, and grit collecting in the gutter are. If you are unsure, we will look for free and tell you, signs you need a new roof covers what we check.
Free Estimate
Get the streaks off without ageing the roof
Soft wash only, plants covered, and an honest answer on whether it is worth doing at all.
- Response
- Same day
- Quotes
- Always free
- Covering
- the Miami Valley