Why Oregon roofs need cleaning more often than most
Our wet season runs eight months, our conifers drop needles year-round, and moss spores are everywhere. A roof in Phoenix can go years without attention. A roof in Damascus or Happy Valley collects needles, leaves, and the start of a moss colony every single winter.
Cleaning isn't about looks (though it helps there too). It's about removing the wet blanket of debris and growth that ages shingles early. A clean roof dries out between storms. A dirty one never really does.
The once-a-year baseline
An annual cleaning, ideally in late spring or early fall, handles the average home around here: clear the debris, clean the gutters, treat for moss before it establishes. Late spring cleanings remove what winter left behind. Early fall cleanings get the roof ready before the rains set in.
Either timing works. The important part is the rhythm, not the month.
When twice a year makes sense
If your home is surrounded by big trees, sits on a north-facing slope, or backs up to a greenbelt, once a year usually isn't enough. Doug firs and cedars don't take a season off. Homes like these benefit from a spring visit and a fall visit, and that's exactly how we time our maintenance program: two visits a year, matched to Oregon's seasons.
Signs your roof is due right now
Don't wait for the calendar if you're seeing any of these:
- Visible green on any roof plane, even a light fuzz along the shingle edges
- Needles or leaves collecting in valleys and behind chimneys
- Gutters overflowing or sprouting their own garden
- Dark streaks running down the shingles (algae, moss's quieter cousin)
- It's been more than two years and you honestly can't remember the last cleaning
What a proper cleaning includes
A real roof cleaning is more than a guy with a leaf blower. Ours includes debris removal from the roof surface and valleys, gutter and downspout clearing, moss treatment, and a visual inspection while we're up there. If we spot a problem in the making, you get photos and straight talk about it.
Full details on the service are here: roof cleaning and maintenance. And for the bigger picture on moss itself, see the Moss Handbook.