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Roof Cleaning · Chicago

Black streaks removed. Roof restored.

That dark staining across your shingles is not dirt. It is a living organism feeding on your roof in Chicago heat, and it is shortening the life of every shingle it touches. We remove it completely using a low pressure soft wash process that leaves your roof clean, your shingles intact, and your curb appeal back where it belongs.

$2M Insured Reply usually within minutes 5.0 · 100+ reviews

The service

Built for Chicago homes. Delivered in one visit.

Roof cleaning in Chicago removes black algae streaks, moss and lichen from asphalt, tile and metal roofs using an ARMA-compliant low-pressure soft wash, never a pressure washer. In Chicago's hail-belt insurance climate, preserving granules matters as much as visible cleanliness. Most residential roofs are cleaned in a single 1-2 hour visit and stay clean 2-4 years.

Gloeocapsa magma and biological staining removed
Safe for asphalt, tile and standing seam metal
Harnessed crews rated for 8/12 pitch and above
$2M liability coverage, verified not estimated
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Roof Cleaning illustration

Step 2

Your roof cleaning quote, page-matched.

This page already tells us the service. Confirm the address and we send a written, fixed price back, usually within minutes.

$2M Insured Reply in Minutes Chicago-Wide Re-clean Guarantee
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Roof Cleaning quote

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We reply with your quote, usually within minutes.

Roof Cleaning, explained.

Roof cleaning in Chicago removes black algae streaks, moss and lichen from asphalt, tile and metal roofs using an ARMA-compliant low-pressure soft wash, never a pressure washer. In Chicago's hail-belt insurance climate, preserving granules matters as much as visible cleanliness. Most residential roofs are cleaned in a single 1-2 hour visit and stay clean 2-4 years.

Method
Soft wash, low-pressure application
Typical price (Chicago)
$395-$1,295 depending on pitch and size
Substrates
Asphalt, concrete tile, clay tile, standing seam metal
Crew safety
Harnessed on 6/12+, anchor-rigged on 8/12+

Everything included.

One price. Every step of the job. No line-item invoicing on the day.

  • Pre-listing cleans that move the needle

  • HOA violation letters resolved and closed

Engineered for your home.

No filler. Real answers from the crews who work Chicago every week.

What those black streaks actually are

Gloeocapsa magma is a cyanobacteria that travels airborne, lands on roofing surfaces, and forms the dark streaking running down asphalt shingles across Chicago. Not cosmetic. The organism produces a pigmented sheath that absorbs and retains heat. In a Chicago summer where attic temperatures already push past 150 degrees, that added thermal load accelerates granule degradation and shortens shingle life in measurable ways. Left alone it spreads and attracts lichen and moss, which are structurally more invasive.

Tile roofs in Chicago

Concrete and clay tile are found on shaded Chicago properties, and are the most obvious candidates for biological growth. Moss and algae colonize the textured surface aggressively, particularly on north slopes and under canopy. Pressure washing tile is not the answer, impact fractures the surface, destroys the slurry coat on concrete tile, and forces water under laps. Our soft wash reaches biological growth at the root without touching the tile with any meaningful force.

Metal roof staining in Chicago

Standing seam and metal panel roofing is standard in modern Chicago construction, and it stains in ways that confuse homeowners who expect it to be maintenance free. Oxidation produces chalky discoloration. Biological growth produces dark streaking that runs along seams and collects at low points. Different problems that look similar from the curb. We identify the stain type before we touch the surface, because the chemistry that removes oxidation is not the chemistry you apply to biological growth.

Warranty and insurance implications

Every major shingle manufacturer, GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed, specifies that high-pressure washing voids the shingle warranty. The granule layer is the UV and impact barrier, and one pass with a surface cleaner or wand strips years of remaining life. Across Chicago, where carriers scrutinize shingle condition at every renewal, granule loss can also complicate future hail claims. A properly executed soft wash preserves both the warranty and your claim position.

Crew certification and what $2M liability actually means

Roof work has the highest injury rate in exterior cleaning and the highest exposure for homeowners when an uncovered contractor goes down on their property. Our crews are trained specifically for pitched roof work, harnessed on anything above 6/12, anchor rigged on 8/12 and steeper. We carry $2M general liability, not the $1M policy most Chicago operators hold to pass HOA gate checks. The difference matters when an incident happens on a 4,000 square foot roof next to a $1.2M home.

When we walk, and why that matters

Not every roof should be cleaned. Soft decking, plywood or OSB that has absorbed moisture and lost structural integrity, will not support crew weight safely, and cleaning the surface does nothing to address the underlying problem. We identify soft spots during the pre-job walk and flag them before work begins. Same for pitch and geometry that make safe anchor points impossible. When that is the case we say so before contract, not after something goes wrong.

Pre-listing roof cleans and the Chicago property market

In a Chicago market where buyers walk properties on a compressed timeline, roof condition shapes perception before the inspection report ever lands. Black streaked shingles read as neglect. They give buyers leverage on price and repair credits, and flag the property for closer inspection scrutiny. A clean roof, photographed in the listing package and visible on arrival, removes that friction. We work with listing agents and sellers directly and turn jobs on a timeline that fits the listing schedule.

Bundle with gutter cleaning, one mobilization

Roof and gutter cleaning are the same mobilization. Crew on the roof, ladder work already happening. Bundling both eliminates a second scheduling cycle and the awkward situation where a freshly cleaned roof sheds biological debris into gutters that have not been touched. We clear gutters of all organic material, flush the downspouts, confirm drainage before we pack out.

$2M Insured Reply in Minutes Chicago-Wide Re-clean Guarantee

A different kind of Chicago crew.

The gap between us and the truck-and-a-pressure-washer operators is not close.

House Washing Chicago

Soft wash, manufacturer-approved chemistry

Typical Chicago crew

3,000 PSI on every surface, siding shredded

House Washing Chicago

$2M liability + worker's comp on file

Typical Chicago crew

Handshake, uninsured, hope nothing happens

House Washing Chicago

Flat written quote in minutes

Typical Chicago crew

Vague verbal quote, upsells on the driveway

House Washing Chicago

Plant pre-soak + post-rinse included

Typical Chicago crew

Boxwoods and hollies dead in a week

House Washing Chicago

Photo documentation, before + after

Typical Chicago crew

Job disappears the second the truck leaves

House Washing Chicago

Re-clean guarantee, in writing

Typical Chicago crew

'Best I can do is come back and look'
5.0 average · 100+ reviews across Chicago

Real homes. Real Chicago homeowners.

Same crew, same chemistry, same result across Chicago.

“Booked the address, price came back the same afternoon. Crew showed up on time, wrapped every plant, and the brick looks brand new. This is how a service business should run.”
Marcus H.· Chicago
“Three quotes, one that made sense. They used a soft wash on our shingle roof and sent before/after photos the same day. Zero surprises.”
Priya S.· Chicago
“Our HOA required proof of insurance, they had it in my inbox within minutes. The house, driveway and gutters all in one visit. Ten out of ten.”
David & Lauren R.· Chicago

The Curbside Reset Promise.

Three things in writing. Every job. No footnotes, no fine print.

Fixed price, in writing.

The number we send is the number you pay. No fuel fees, water fees, driveway-reveal upsells, or estimator visits.

Re-clean guarantee.

If a surface is not right on inspection, we return and re-do it. Documented. On our dime. That is the deal.

$2M insured. W-2 crews.

Full general liability plus worker's comp. Certificate emailed to your HOA on request. Background-checked technicians.

Servicing Chicago.

One crew, one truck, one price across Chicago.

  • Chicago

Roof Cleaning, answered.

The exact questions homeowners ask us every week.

How much does roof cleaning cost in Chicago?

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Most single-family Chicago roofs land between $395 and $1,295. Steeper pitches, tile substrates and larger square footage push toward the top of that range. You receive a fixed written quote after sending your address.

Can you pressure wash a roof?

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No, and any contractor who does should be turned away. High pressure strips shingle granules, voids GAF and Owens Corning warranties, and in a hail-belt market like Chicago gives adjusters cause to dispute future claims.

Is roof cleaning safe for shingles?

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Soft wash cleaning is the method the shingle manufacturers themselves approve. It kills algae and lichen chemically at low pressure, without mechanically abrading the granule layer.

Will roof cleaning damage my landscaping?

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No. Beds and turf within the runoff path are pre-saturated with plain water, then rinsed again after. Downspout outlets are flushed at the end of the visit.

How often does a Chicago roof need cleaning?

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Every 2-4 years for most homes. North slopes, tile roofs under canopy in Chicago, and roofs bordering wooded lots trend toward the 2-year end.

Do you clean tile and metal roofs?

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Yes. Concrete tile and standing-seam metal are both found on Chicago homes. Both use the same chemistry with adjusted dwell times and rinse pressure.

Add roof, gutters, driveway, windows or solar to the same visit. One crew, one price.

House Washing Chicago

Soft wash siding, brick and stucco.

Roof Treatment Chicago

ARMA-compliant algae kill.

Gutter Cleaning Chicago

Hand-cleared, flow verified.

Driveway Cleaning Chicago

Surface-cleaner, no stripes.

Window Cleaning Chicago

Pure water, spot-free.

Solar Panel Cleaning Chicago

DI water, warranty safe.

Order roof cleaning. We handle the rest.

Send your address. Receive a fixed, itemized price, usually within minutes.

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