Top down, the way the rain goes.
Roof and gutter cleaning, booked as one job. We treat the moss and lichen on your roof at low pressure first, then clear the gutters and flush the downpipes, so whatever the roof work knocks loose doesn't stay sitting in your spouting.
Whatever's on your roof ends up in your gutters.
Rain runs off the roof and into the spouting, and it takes the moss, lichen, grit and leaves along for the ride. Moss removal from your roof only gets you halfway if the gutters underneath are still full of the stuff.
There's no shortage of rain to move it round here, either. NIWA's climate records show 1mm or more of rain on about 112 days a year at Paraparaumu Aero and about 124 at Levin, which is roughly one day in three.
Dead moss has to go somewhere
After a roof treatment, the dead growth weathers off bit by bit, and some of it ends up in the spouting.
Debris holds the damp
COLORSTEEL's maintenance guidance says leaves, dirt and other debris can trap moisture, and should be cleared from roofs, gutters and valleys. Doing the roof and the gutters together covers it top to bottom.
One quote, not two
Book them together and it's one job with one combined price, instead of lining up two separate ones.
Sources: COLORSTEEL warranty maintenance, and NIWA's climate records for the Wellington region (Paraparaumu Aero) and Manawatū-Whanganui (Levin AWS), 1981 to 2010 normals, days with at least 1mm of rain
Why the roof goes first.
Water runs downhill, and so does everything the roof work knocks loose. So we do the roof first and the gutters last, and whatever comes down during the job gets cleared out with the rest.
That's our method. It's common trade practice, though we haven't found an official NZ rule that sets the order. Some roof cleaners clear a badly blocked gutter first, and that's a fair call too. Confirm: whether you clear the worst of a packed gutter before treating the roof
There's one catch. Some roof treatments are left on for the weather to finish, with no rinse. With those, dead growth keeps coming off for weeks to months after we've packed up. Wet & Forget NZ, who make one, say to check the spouting 3 to 6 months after spraying, because there may be a build-up of lichen to clean out.
Confirm: whether you use a rinsed or a leave-on treatment, and whether a spouting re-check is part of the combo or booked separately
Sources: Wet & Forget NZ, how to clean your roof, and trade practice from Gutter Cleaning Authority (US) and a roof cleaners' forum on gutters before or after
Everything from the ridge to the downpipe.
The combo is our roof treatment and our gutter clean, booked as one job. Here's what each half covers.
The roof
- Roof type checked first. Long-run steel, concrete tile, clay and pressed metal tile each get handled differently.
- Moss, lichen and algae treated at low pressure, working from the top down. No water blaster.
- Tank downpipes disconnected or diverted before anything goes on, if your roof feeds a tank.
- Straight talk on what the roof will look like over the following months.
- Confirm: whether you blow or brush loose leaves and debris off the roof before treating
The gutters
- Leaves, moss and silt cleared out of every run, plus whatever came down off the roof.
- Downpipes flushed with water, so we know it's actually getting away.
- Loose brackets, sagging runs or rust spots pointed out, not ignored.
- Confirm: do you bag and take the debris away?
- Confirm: do you send before and after photos?
Before anything gets wet, we look the roof and gutters over. The Exterior Cleaning Industry Association's best-practice guide says both should be sound before any wet cleaning, to avoid the chance of water getting in and damaging the property. Spot a cracked tile or a gutter pulling away, and we'll tell you before we start. Repairs aren't part of a clean.
Want the walls done while the ladders are out? Add a house wash.
Source: ECIA best-practice guidelines for claddings, decks, gutters and roofs
The gutters are done when we leave. The roof isn't.
Gutters come clean on the day. A roof treatment works slower. It goes after the growth, then rain and weather carry the dead stuff off over the weeks and months after. Here's roughly how that plays out.
Job day
The roof gets treated, then the gutters get cleared and flushed. The gutters look the part straight away. The roof looks much the same on the day, and it can look patchy for a while after.
The first month or so
The growth dies back. One NZ operator puts that at about 4 to 6 weeks, and the roof can look patchy while it happens.
The months after
Rain washes the dead growth off bit by bit. That same operator says it can take 8 to 12 months. Others say the breakdown starts over 2 to 3 months, or that full results take 6 to 18. Some of it lands in the spouting on the way down, so with a leave-on treatment the gutters are worth a look 3 to 6 months in.
These are trade figures, and they vary a lot between operators and products. Take them as a rough guide, not a promise. Confirm: the timeframe your treatment product states
Sources: Spray and Wash NZ (4 to 6 weeks, then 8 to 12 months), Kowhai Building Wash (breakdown over 2 to 3 months), NZ Treatments and Spraying (full results in 6 to 18 months) and Wet & Forget NZ on spouting checks
Placeholder: shoot the same gutter run from the same spot, before and straight after clearing, and they drop in here.
Two things to tell us first.
Both change how we go about the job, and one of them might mean a test before anyone goes near the roof.
Your tank stays out of it.
If your roof feeds a rainwater tank, the downpipes into it need to be disconnected or diverted before any treatment goes on, and they stay off until enough rain has flushed the roof. That goes for the gutter flush too. Roof treatment and gutter sludge don't belong in your tank.
How long to wait isn't settled. The Exterior Cleaning Industry Association's code says at least 3 to 4 separate rain events of more than 30 minutes each, and Wet & Forget NZ says 3 to 4 weeks or about 36mm of rain.
Not sure if you've got one? Horowhenua District Council supplies drinking water to Levin, Foxton, Foxton Beach, Shannon, Mangaore and Tokomaru, so outside those you're likely on your own supply. And on the Kāpiti Coast, new and relocated homes have to have a rain tank for toilets and outdoor use, so even a newer place on town water may well have one.
Confirm: your tank routine, including which reconnection rule you follow, who reconnects the downpipes, and whether you come back to do it
There's more on tank water on our roof treatment page.
Sources: ECIA Code of Practice, Wet & Forget NZ, Horowhenua District Council, our water supplies and Kāpiti Coast District Council, grey water and water tanks
It might need testing first.
Older corrugated cement roofing, often called Super Six, and some older Decramastic can contain asbestos. You can't reliably tell by looking. WorkSafe says to find out first, from building plans, an asbestos survey or a tested sample, and the industry code of practice says to treat Super Six-type roofs as asbestos until a test says otherwise.
It matters for the gutters as much as the roof. WorkSafe says gutters and downpipes on an asbestos-containing roof are likely to be contaminated, and clearing them is asbestos-related work, with a respirator, bagged asbestos waste and decontamination. That's not a normal gutter clean. WorkSafe is also clear that high-pressure water blasting must not be used on asbestos-containing roofing.
Our rule: we don't do asbestos work. If a roof or panel is known to contain asbestos, we'll decline the job. If your home was built before 2000 and you'd like a roof treatment, we may ask for an asbestos check first.
Our roof treatment page has more on roof types and asbestos.
Sources: WorkSafe, cleaning debris from gutters on an asbestos-containing roof, WorkSafe, high-pressure water blasting and asbestos roofing and the ECIA Code of Practice
Landlords: the Healthy Homes checklist asks whether your gutters and downpipes are clear of blockages. A clean helps with that, though on its own it doesn't make a rental compliant. More on gutters and Healthy Homes
Three steps. Only one's yours.
Tell us about it You
Send your address and a photo or two through the form. Mention your roof type, roughly when the house was built, and whether you're on tank water. All three change how we go about it.
Check and prep
We confirm what the roof's made of and that it's sound, wait for a dry day without much wind, and sort the tank downpipes if you've got them. Confirm: how you protect plants and outdoor gear below the roofline
Roof, then gutters
The treatment goes on at low pressure from the top of the roof down. Then the gutters get cleared and the downpipes flushed, and the weather takes it from there. Confirm: both done on the same visit
One price for the pair.
The combo goes by the size of the place: small, medium or large. Every roof's a bit different, so you'll get a free quote for yours before anything's booked.
Small
Confirm: what counts as small, for example roof area and storeys
- Whole roof treated at low pressure
- Gutters cleared, downpipes flushed
Medium
Confirm: what counts as medium
- Whole roof treated at low pressure
- Gutters cleared, downpipes flushed
Large
Confirm: what counts as large
- Whole roof treated at low pressure
- Gutters cleared, downpipes flushed
What moves the price: usually storeys, how steep the roof is, how much moss and lichen is up there, and how easy the place is to get at. We'll tell you which ones apply to yours before you book. Confirm: the factors you actually price on
Prices include GST. Confirm: whether the combo works out cheaper than booking both separately (only say so if it's true)
Roof and gutter questions.
Do you do the gutters before or after the roof?
How long until the roof looks clean?
Do you do roof gutter cleaning on its own?
How often should the roof and gutters be done?
I'm on tank water. Can you still do both?
Will the moss come back?
How much does roof and gutter cleaning cost?
Sources: Wet & Forget NZ, Spray and Wash NZ, Kowhai Building Wash, NZ Treatments and Spraying,Monier NZ, protecting and maintaining your roof and the NZ Metal Roofing code of practice on maintenance
Other jobs while we're out.
Roof Treatment
Just the roof? Moss and lichen treated without blasting.
See Roof TreatmentGutter Clean
Just the gutters? Leaves and gunk cleared, downpipes checked.
See Gutter CleanHouse Wash
Low-pressure soft wash for the whole outside of the house.
See House WashSolar Panel Cleaning
Panels cleaned gently, without anyone walking on them.
See Solar Panel CleaningLet's get your house juicy.
Tell us where you are and what needs a wash. We'll come back to you with a price.
Rather talk? Call 021 000 0000 or email hello@juicyhousewash.co.nz.
Sweet, it's in.
We'll be in touch with your quote soon.