Roof Care Expertise
Fifteen-plus years of straight answers from real Portland roofs — what actually causes leaks, what's worth paying for, and what to check before you hire someone to work above your head.
Clean It or Replace It — The Call I Make Before I Ever Bid a Job
Some years I tell more homeowners they need a new roof than every other year combined. You can trust the answer because I don't sell new roofs — there's nothing in it for me either way.
Why I Don't Believe Zinc Strips Work to Kill Moss
Zinc strips get recommended online as a low-effort fix for roof moss. Jesse's been saying for years they don't do much of anything — here's the case, and what actually works instead.
The Gutter Guards That Actually Work — And the Ones That Don't
Most gutter guard systems on the market just don't work — debris still gets in, or water sheets right over the top in a hard rain. Here's what I actually recommend, and why having guards doesn't take gutter cleaning off the table.
Why Legal Roof Cleaners Cost More Than the Guy With a Truck
The cheapest bid on your roof cleaning is often cheap for a reason. Here's the real economics behind why a fully licensed, insured company costs more — and why that difference is the point, not the problem.
What to Expect the Day We Show Up to Clean Your Roof
From the confirmation call to the photo report in your inbox — here's exactly what happens on job day, in the same plain terms Jesse's used since day one.
How to Compare Three Roof Cleaning Bids Without Getting Burned
Getting three bids is smart. Comparing them on price alone isn't. Here's what to actually check — licensing, insurance, and the questions that separate a real company from a truck and a hose.
Why Moss Is the First Thing to Break Down a Portland Roof
Moss on a roof looks like a cosmetic problem. It isn't — it's the same organism that breaks down a fallen log or a cracked sidewalk, and your shingles are next if nobody stops it.
Killing Moss at the Root, Not Just Scraping It Off
Anyone with a brush can knock moss off a roof for a season. Killing it at the root — so it doesn't just grow back — is a different job, and it's the one that actually protects your shingles.
What's Actually in JNR's Eco-Friendly Moss Treatment
"Eco-friendly" gets used as a marketing word by a lot of companies that don't explain what it means. Here's exactly what's in the product we use, what it replaced, and why we don't use zinc, bleach, or peroxide to get the job done.
When to Treat Your Roof for Moss (And When the Weather Decides for You)
Portland's wet season gives moss everything it needs, which means timing your treatment right matters more here than almost anywhere else. Here's the actual windows that work, and what happens if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Does Moss Removal Actually Help You Sell Your House?
Insurance companies flag it, home inspectors note it, and buyers see it before they see anything else about your roof. Here's what moss removal actually does for a home that's about to go on the market.
Hand Brushing vs. Low-Pressure: How We Pick the Method for Your Roof
Every roof tells us something different about which method it needs. Here's how Jesse decides between a hand brush, a low-pressure wash, and just leaving a roof alone to come clean gradually.
Why We Install Permanent Tie-Off Anchors on Steep Roofs
A permanent anchor costs more up front than clipping into a temporary line every visit. Jesse explains why he still won't work a steep roof without one — and won't let anyone else use his once it's installed.
When the Clog Isn't in the Gutter — It's Underground
Sometimes a gutter looks clear but water still backs up during a hard rain. That usually means the clog is further down — inside the downspout or the underground line that carries water away from the house.
Whose Job Are the Gutters — Landlord or Tenant?
Gutter cleaning falls into a gray area between landlords and tenants more often than people expect. Here's how leases usually settle it, and what to do when yours doesn't say.
Pipe Jacks Are Still the #1 Cause of Roof Leaks We See
Fifteen-plus years of Portland roofs later, the pattern hasn't changed: the rubber collar around a pipe jack fails before almost anything else on the roof. Here's why, and what we check.
Your Old 3-Tab Roof: What Cleaning and Repair Can Actually Buy You
You don't have to replace a 3-tab roof the moment it starts looking rough. Here's what a cleaning-and-repair pass can realistically buy you — and when it can't.
Emergency Roof Tarping: How to Buy Time Until the Real Repair
A leaking roof doesn't always mean an immediate full repair. Here's how we tarp a roof the right way for a temporary fix — and what the actual leak repair looks like once we're back with materials.
Chimney Caps, Vents, and the Small Stuff That Keeps a Roof Dry
Roof cleaning is the headline service, but most of what actually prevents leaks is smaller than that — a chimney cap, a pipe vent, a torn ridge cap. Here's the small stuff we handle on nearly every job.
Skylight Cleaning and Scratch Repair: What We Do (and Don't)
We're not a window-washing company, but skylights sit right where we're already working. Here's exactly what we'll do to yours — glass, plexiglass, and the honest limits of each.
Pressure Washing Is Half the Job — Treating What You Washed Is the Other Half
A pressure washer gets a deck, driveway, or walkway looking clean. It doesn't kill what's growing underneath. Here's why we treat a surface after we wash it, and what skipping that step actually costs you.
How to Verify a Roof Cleaner's License Before You Hire Them
Anyone can put a magnetic sign on a truck and call themselves a roof cleaner. Here's exactly how to check — in about five minutes, using free public state databases — whether the company on your porch is actually licensed to be there.
Cheap Work Isn't Good Work, and Good Work Isn't Cheap
Benjamin Franklin said it two centuries before roof cleaning had underbidders. The bitterness of poor quality outlasts the sweetness of a low price — here's what that actually looks like on a roof.