Burnaby and Metro Vancouver
Roof Cleaning Services in Burnaby
Roof cleaning in Burnaby means removing moss, algae, lichen and mildew from shingles, shake or tile using low-pressure soft washing, which kills the growth at the root without stripping the roof surface.
Moss grows into shingles and tiles until the whole roof needs replacing. We treat it rather than blast it, so nothing is stripped and nothing is forced under the roof.
4.93 out of 5
Across 134 Google reviews
128 five star
Out of 134 reviews
Based in Burnaby
7165 Pandora St, Burnaby
Roof Moss Removal
Roof moss removal kills the moss at the root with a roof-safe treatment rather than scraping it off, so it does not simply grow back from what is left behind.
- Treated rather than scraped, because scraping takes the granules with it
- Moss grows down into the fibre of shake and under the edge of shingles, which is where the damage starts
- Gutters cleared afterwards, since the growth washes straight down into them
- The roof is left to weather clean rather than blasted back to bare
In Burnaby: Moss removal is one of the things Burnaby customers mention most in our reviews. Under the mountain and around Deer Lake, shaded north slopes barely dry out between October and April.
Roof Soft Washing
Roof soft washing cleans algae, lichen and mildew off the roof surface at low pressure using detergent, which removes the growth without stripping the roof.
- Low pressure throughout, so nothing is driven under tiles or shingle laps
- Detergent does the cleaning, pressure only rinses
- Safe on asphalt shingle, cedar shake, concrete tile and metal
- The black streaking on a roof is usually algae rather than dirt, and it responds to treatment
In Burnaby: Cedar shake is common on the older Burnaby Heights and Capitol Hill housing stock, and it is the roof type that suffers most from anyone reaching for high pressure.
Gutter Clearing After Roof Work
Roof cleaning washes debris straight into the gutters, so clearing them afterwards is part of the job rather than a separate call.
- Booked as one visit rather than two, which is cheaper than calling us back
- Downspouts flushed, not just the trough scooped
- Best timed before the rain season rather than after the first overflow
In Burnaby: Burnaby Mountain records around 70 percent more annual precipitation than the airport, so a blocked downspout on the high side of the city fails sooner and harder.
Strata and Multi-Unit Roof Cleaning
Strata roof cleaning covers every building on a site to one schedule, scoped to the common property the strata is responsible for and quoted so a council can approve it.
- Quoted by building or by block so approval can happen in stages
- Scheduled around resident access, parking and any notice period the building requires
- Roof, gutter and window work can run in one mobilisation
- Suits the exterior maintenance items that appear in a depreciation report
In Burnaby: Townhouse and low-rise strata sites across Edmonds, Sperling and Lougheed are where most Burnaby multi-unit roof work sits.
Why pressure washing a roof is a mistake
Asphalt shingles are covered in a mineral granule layer, and that layer carries the UV protection and the rated lifespan of the roof. High pressure strips it. The roof looks clean for a season and then ages faster than it should, and most shingle manufacturers treat pressure washing as grounds to void the warranty. Every roof type in Burnaby wants a soft wash instead, and the difference is worth understanding before you accept a quote.
| Roof type | Correct method | What high pressure does |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle | Soft wash | Strips the granules, shortens roof life, commonly voids the manufacturer warranty |
| Cedar shake | Soft wash | Strips the fibre and accelerates the greying and splitting it was meant to prevent |
| Concrete or clay tile | Soft wash | Forces water under the tiles and into the roof structure, where it does not dry |
| Metal | Low pressure rinse | Can drive water past the fastener seals and start corrosion underneath |
If a quote does not say which method is being used, ask before booking. It is the single largest difference between two roof cleaning prices.
Roofs we have cleaned in Burnaby
Every photo here is our own work rather than stock. Drag the handle to see the difference on a real roof.
After
After
Roof cleaning across Burnaby
Burnaby rises from near sea level at Big Bend to roughly 370 metres on Burnaby Mountain, and roof growth follows shade and rain rather than postcode. The Environment Canada station on the mountain records 2,009 mm of precipitation a year against 1,189 mm at Vancouver International Airport.
Burnaby Mountain and SFU
The wettest, shadiest part of the city under heavy conifer cover. Roofs here grow moss faster than anywhere else we work.
Burnaby Heights and Capitol Hill
Older homes, and the part of Burnaby where cedar shake still turns up. Cedar cannot take pressure at all, so method matters more here than anywhere.
Deer Lake and Central Park
Mature parkland on both sides means constant shade and leaf fall onto north-facing roof slopes.
Edmonds, Sperling and Lougheed
Townhouse and low-rise strata density, where roof work is usually multi-building and scheduled through a council.
We also work across Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, Port Moody and West Vancouver.
Why Burnaby trusts us on roofs
- 4.93 out of 5 across 134 Google reviews. 128 of them are five star, and moss removal is one of the services customers name most often in what they write.
- Soft wash only, on every roof. We do not high-pressure roofs, including when we are asked to. It is the fastest way to take years off a roof, and we would rather explain that than just do it.
- Strata roofs at real scale. One recent job cleared moss from the roofs of all 20 units on a strata property, on schedule, with the windows cleaned afterwards.
- Based in Burnaby. We work out of Pandora Street in North Burnaby rather than driving in from another city.
Prestigious Pressure Washing, 7165 Pandora St, Burnaby, BC V5A 1B6. 604.729.4861
Common questions about roof cleaning in Burnaby
- How much should it cost to clean my roof?
- Roof pitch, square footage, how much growth is on it and how easy the roof is to reach. A steep three-storey roof heavy with moss is a different job from a low single-storey one, and the price follows the access more than the area. We quote on the actual roof and quotes are free.
- Can I pressure wash moss off my roof?
- You can, and it is the most common way people take years off their own roof. High pressure strips the granule layer off asphalt shingles and forces water under tiles, and neither of those undoes itself. Soft washing kills the moss chemically at low pressure so the roof is left intact.
- What time of year is best to remove moss from a roof?
- Any time of year works, but there is a real argument for going in before the wet season rather than after it. Moss grows hardest through the rain months, so clearing it beforehand means less growth to remove and less of the winter spent with moss holding water against your shingles.
- What kills moss on a roof naturally?
- Vinegar and dish soap mixes will kill surface moss on a small patch, and plenty of people have done it. What they will not do is treat the roof so it stays clear, and the genuinely risky part is not the product, it is being on a wet Burnaby roof to apply it.
- Will roof cleaning damage my shingles?
- Not if it is soft washed. The damage people have in mind comes from high pressure, which is exactly why we do not use it on roofs. Low pressure and the right detergent lift moss, algae and lichen without touching the granule layer that protects the shingle.
- How often does a Burnaby roof need cleaning?
- Most roofs here want attention every few years, and sooner if the house sits under conifers or on the shaded side of a slope. The tell is visible green in the shaded sections and moss starting to lift along the shingle edges. Up the mountain it comes back faster than down in Big Bend.