Your Addingham stone roof deserves more than a pressure washer.

Yes — stone slate roofs are one of the main roof types I work on in Addingham and the wider Wharfedale area. These roofs absolutely cannot be pressure washed. The stone slates are heavy but brittle, and high-pressure water can crack them, dislodge pointing, and force water into the roof structure. Manual scraping is the only safe method. I work across each slate carefully with hand tools, removing moss and lichen without disturbing the slates or their fixings. Many of these roofs in Addingham’s conservation area are original 18th or 19th century stone, and preserving them is essential — both for the property’s character and to avoid expensive re-slating. After scraping, biocide treatment kills remaining spores and slows regrowth significantly. If any slates are slipped or cracked, I’ll flag them during the inspection so you can arrange repair.

Yes — Ilkley, Bolton Abbey, Beamsley, Draughton, Chelker and the surrounding villages are all within my regular working area. Addingham sits right on my route between Skipton and Ilkley on the A65, so it’s one of the most convenient areas for me to reach. Ilkley has a wide range of Victorian and Edwardian properties with complex rooflines, while Bolton Abbey and Beamsley tend towards stone-built cottages and farmhouses with stone slate or concrete tile roofs. Same pricing, same standard of work, same before and after photos wherever you are. If your village isn’t listed, it’s still worth asking — I cover most of the Wharfe valley regularly.

Addingham sits at the foot of Beamsley Beacon in the Wharfe valley, which means it gets higher-than-average rainfall and the village is often damp for extended periods. The combination of moisture, sheltered roof pitches and the rough texture of stone slate roofs creates ideal conditions for moss, lichen and algae. North-facing pitches on properties along Main Street and the older lanes can develop thick moss growth within just two to three years of cleaning. The village’s exposed position also means roofs take a battering from wind-driven rain, which keeps surfaces wet for longer. Biocide treatment after scraping is strongly recommended here — it kills spores at the root level and can extend the time between cleans from two years to four or five, even in Addingham’s wet microclimate.