Manual scraping. No tile damage.
Every tile inspected before we start. Scraping technique adjusted to the tile type. No shortcuts.
Why do Clitheroe’s stone cottages and valley-sheltered estates need a specialist approach?
Clitheroe’s mix of building ages and materials — from stone slate roofs in the Castle area to concrete tiles on Low Moor estates — means no single cleaning method fits every roof. The town’s position in the Ribble Valley traps moisture and limits drying winds, so moss growth here is heavier and more persistent than in more exposed Lancashire towns. Pressure washing strips protective surfaces, forces water under stone slates and cracks older tiles. Manual scraping is the only method I use because it works without causing damage.
I inspect every roof before starting work, assess the tile type and moss severity, and adapt the technique accordingly. Properties in the conservation area with traditional stone slates get handled very differently to a 1970s concrete tile roof on the estates. You get before and after photos so you can see exactly what was done. And the biocide treatment means the results last — critical in a valley setting where moss comes back faster than most areas.
