Conservatory roofs, frames and box gutters cleaned at low pressure
A conservatory roof is the one surface on a house you look up through, so green film and leaf debris show immediately from inside as well as out.
It is also the most fragile surface we work on. Polycarbonate scratches, sealed units fail if water is forced past the gaskets, and box gutters between the conservatory and the house wall are notorious for backing up unnoticed.
The four jobs on a conservatory roof
- Panels: glass or polycarbonate washed at low pressure with soft brushes, never scoured.
- Frames and glazing bars: green film cleaned off the uPVC or aluminium faces and out of the drainage channels.
- Box gutter: the join between conservatory and house wall cleared and flow-tested — this is where damp problems start.
- Finials and ridge trims: cleaned and checked for loose or perished fixings.
Why the box gutter matters most
The lead or fibreglass box gutter where a conservatory meets the main house takes the run-off from a substantial area of main roof. When it silts up with moss and leaf debris, water backs up under the flashing and into the wall — and because it is hidden, the first sign is usually damp staining inside.
We clear and flow-test it as part of every conservatory clean, and we clear the main roof above it too where moss is feeding debris straight down.
Polycarbonate: know what to expect
Old polycarbonate that has yellowed or crazed will not come back to clear with cleaning. We can remove the algae and debris sitting on and in the flutes, but UV degradation of the sheet itself is permanent. We will tell you which one you have before quoting.
Sort the conservatory before spring
Conservatory roofs get booked heavily in early spring. If yours is green now, it is worth getting in the diary before the rush.
Sky Scrapers Ltd · info@sky-scrapers.co.uk
Our own photographs
Images from Sky Scrapers Ltd work showing the methods described on this page.
Where this applies locally
Towns where this comes up most often on our patch:
- Softwashing & Biocide Treatment in BedfordBedfordshire · MK40
- Softwashing & Biocide Treatment in LutonBedfordshire · LU1
- Softwashing & Biocide Treatment in FlitwickBedfordshire · MK45
- Softwashing & Biocide Treatment in StevenageHertfordshire · SG1
- Bungalow roof cleaning, done by hand from ground-friendly accessBuilding type
- Moss is blocking your guttersCommon problem
- Roof and gutter maintenance for landlords and portfolio ownersFor landlords
Questions we get asked
Will cleaning make yellowed polycarbonate clear again?
No. Cleaning removes surface growth and debris. Yellowing and crazing are UV damage to the sheet itself and are permanent.
Can algae grow inside the polycarbonate flutes?
Yes, and it is very common. It can often be flushed, but where the flutes are sealed or heavily colonised the panel may need replacing.
Do you clean the box gutter behind the conservatory?
Always. It is the part most likely to cause real damage and the part most often skipped.
Is pressure washing safe on conservatory glazing?
No. Pressure can force water past gaskets and seals and scratch polycarbonate. Everything on a conservatory is done at low pressure.
To summarise
Panels, frames, box gutter and trims — all four need doing, all at low pressure. The box gutter is the one that prevents actual damage.