Roof cleaning in Cirencester — moss-free for two years, with the care Cotswold stone needs.

No — not the way we do it. Cotswold limestone slate is porous and soft, and old Welsh slate and clay are brittle, so all three get hand-scrape and soft-wash with biocide only. Pressure on porous limestone erodes the surface and opens it up to freeze-thaw cracking, which is irreversible. We never jet-wash stone. The biocide is what stops the moss and lichen returning, and it does that without any high-pressure water touching the tiles.

Cotswold stone tiles are oolitic limestone — naturally porous, and that porosity is exactly what gives them their weathered gold-and-amber character. A pressure washer strips the outer skin of the stone, drives water deep into the tile, and leaves it far more vulnerable to freeze-thaw cracking the following winter. Heritage guidance for Cotswold stone is explicit about avoiding abrasive methods like jet washing and sandblasting. Once a limestone slate is pitted or delaminated there's no putting it back — and reclaimed Cotswold stone tiles are expensive and slow to source. We remove growth by hand and treat with biocide instead, which gets the roof clean without sacrificing the stone.

Yes, and carefully. Much of central Cirencester sits within conservation areas — the Town Centre, The Park, Gloucester Street and River Walk, and Watermoor among them — and a large number of properties around the Market Place, Dollar Street, Coxwell Street and Park Street are listed. Cleaning biological growth off a roof normally doesn't need listed-building consent because you're not altering the fabric, but anything touching mortar, lead, ridge bedding or original stone fixings can. We flag it at the survey if your job looks like it crosses that line, so you can check with Cotswold District Council before we book in.

Up to two years, often longer, because the biocide we apply keeps killing fresh spores after we've left site. Cirencester sits low in the Churn valley on the Cotswold dip slope, so damp lingers, and porous Cotswold stone holds moisture longer than a smooth tile — north-facing pitches and plots shaded by mature trees will green up sooner than open south-facing ones. Pressure-washing on its own buys you a clean roof for about a season; the moss is back the following autumn because the spores are still in the stone. The biocide is the difference between scraping the surface and treating the cause.

Yes, when applied properly. We use approved biocides at manufacturer-specified dilutions, applied in dry conditions so the active ingredient bonds to the tile rather than running off. Pets are kept indoors during application and for an hour after; planted borders are sheeted and watered down before and after. We've never had an issue with garden ponds or wildlife in years of doing this, and it matters more than usual in Cirencester where so many homes back onto the Churn or onto Cirencester Park's grounds.

For most jobs, no. We work from a ladder or scaffold tower with a long-reach lance, which means no concentrated weight loading on the tiles and no boot scuffs on ridges. That matters even more on Cotswold stone, which can crack under foot if you tread it wrong. On steeper or more complex roofs we use a roof ladder hooked over the ridge to spread the load safely. We'll tell you in advance which method we're using on your property and why.

Three reasons that matter, in order. Tile and slate life — moss holds moisture against porous Cotswold limestone, accelerating freeze-thaw damage; on a stone-slate roof a single cracked tile means sourcing reclaimed stone to match, which is slow and costly. Gutters and downpipes — moss sheds and washes into the gutters, blocking them and pushing water down the wall instead of away from the house, which on ashlar and rubble-limestone facades shows up fast as staining. Insurance and resale — a clean roof is a quiet but real factor in kerb appeal, and in a town where buyers pay a premium for unspoilt Cotswold character it shows. The cost of cleaning is a fraction of replacing stone slates or repointing ridges.

Yes. Stratton, Watermoor and Chesterton roof cleaning are all regular work for us, as is the 1950s-onward Beeches estate on the east side and the newer Bowling Green and New Mills streets. We also cover the surrounding GL7 villages — Siddington, South Cerney, Kemble, Sapperton, the Ampneys, Daglingworth and out toward Bibury and Fairford. Same pricing across the catchment, no extra travel charge.

No roof stays clear forever — spores are always airborne — but treating the cause keeps it clear for years not months: we scrape or soft-wash the moss off, then apply a biocide that carries on killing spores for up to two years. Pressure-washing alone just removes what you can see — it's back next autumn. Biocide (plus, on the right surfaces, a sealant) is the longest-lasting answer.

Spring (March–May) and early autumn are ideal — dry enough for the biocide to bond, and it sets the roof up before the damp months when moss grows fastest. We clean year-round, though; the biocide works whenever it's applied in dry conditions.

Depends on the tile. Modern interlocking concrete tiles can take a controlled low-pressure wash where it's the right tool; Cotswold stone, Welsh slate and old clay should never be pressure-washed — it strips the surface, cracks tiles and forces water underneath. On those we hand-scrape and soft-wash with biocide. We always tell you the method first.