Moss doesn't just make a roof look neglected — left alone, it holds water against the shingle, lifts and separates them, and starts the same breakdown process nature uses on a fallen log. We remove it with an OMRI-listed organic treatment, never zinc, bleach, or peroxide, and every job ends with a photo-documented inspection emailed to you.
Portland's wet climate is about as good for moss as it gets, and moss is genuinely rough on a roof. It holds water directly against the shingle instead of letting it run off, and as it spreads it lifts and separates shingles from each other — the exact seal that's supposed to keep water out. Left long enough, that's the kind of damage that ends in a full roof replacement instead of a cleaning.
We think of moss and lichen as nature's first step in breaking down a structure — the same process that turns a fallen tree into soil, just starting on your shingles instead. Removing it early is what keeps it from getting that far.
Jesse holds an Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Commercial Chemical Operator license (#AG-L1007486CPO), required to apply roof treatments like this professionally — this isn't a garden-hose product.
Every roof gets eco-friendly moss treatment sized to what that roof actually needs — we take off what's best for the shingles, not what looks the most dramatic — followed by an OMRI-listed organic treatment. The active ingredient is potassium salts of fatty acids, basically a plant-based soap, blended with biodegradable surfactants that help it grip the roof and keep working instead of rinsing off in the first hard rain.
It's US-made, and it's labeled safe for waterways, fish, gardens, plants, and animals — not just "safer than bleach." Compare that to zinc sulfate, the other product you'll see recommended for moss: it's a fine powder that mostly rinses off in the first hard rain, and it's genuinely toxic to breathe and rough on plants and animals. We don't use it, and we don't use bleach or peroxide either.
For roofs with black mold or algae staining that brushing alone won't lift, we've also got a low-pressure wash in the toolkit — gentle enough that Jesse can hold his hand in front of the nozzle while it's running, which tells you it's not tearing up granules the way a rental pressure washer would.
Jesse's blunt about them: "I don't know how they can legally be sold. They don't work, they have to be put in with nails, they break, look ugly, make noise." Zinc strips get recommended online as a low-effort fix, and we don't believe they work. You're driving nails into your roof just to hang them — nail holes on a roof are never a good trade for a strip of metal that may not even do much.
Annual treatment paired with regular gutter cleaning is the best way we've found to keep moss off, and it's the healthiest thing for the roof — no nails, no gamble on whether a metal strip is actually working.
We check shingle age and condition, how dense the moss is, and where water actually drains, and flag any leak-risk spots before any spraying starts.
Most estimates are done remotely from satellite imagery — see our estimate process.We apply the OMRI-listed organic treatment first, giving it time to loosen the moss's hold on the shingle so removal doesn't tear granules loose along with it.
Once the moss lets go, we clear it by hand and low-pressure rinse — never a high-pressure blast that strips granules along with the moss. Gutters get cleared in the same visit.
With the roof clean, we walk it a second time and photograph anything worth flagging — soft spots, worn flashing, granule loss — the same look a home inspector would give it.
You get the full set of photos and our notes sent to your inbox, so you're seeing exactly what we saw — not just hearing about it secondhand.
Every estimate includes an honest look at what your roof actually needs — moss treatment, repair, or in rare cases, a replacement conversation. We'll tell you straight either way.
