Roof Washing in Des Moines, IA
Soft wash roof cleaning that removes black streaks safely. Those streaks are algae eating your shingles — we kill it with low pressure, never a pressure washer, so your roof keeps its warranty and its granules.
5-star rated on Google · Fully insured LLC · No contracts
EverGlow Exteriors · Des Moines Roof Washing · (515) 642-1986
- Cost: Most roofs $350–$650
- Method: No-pressure soft wash — safe for shingles
- Removes: Black streaks (algae), moss, lichen
- Insured: Yes — fully insured LLC, 5.0★ on Google
- Free quote: Text your address to (515) 642-1986
Roof washing in Des Moines runs $350 to $650 for most homes, and it fixes the thing you’ve been squinting at from the driveway: those black streaks running down your shingles. The streaks are Gloeocapsa magma, a bacteria-like algae that feeds on the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. It’s not just ugly — it’s slowly eating your roof, and it holds heat and moisture against the shingles while it does it.
Iowa’s humid summers are perfect for it, which is why you see the streaks on nearly every roof over ten years old in the metro — usually worst on the north slope, same as siding algae. The fix is a soft wash: the same low-pressure method shingle manufacturers themselves recommend. Nobody should ever put a pressure washer on your roof. It strips granules, voids warranties, and shortens the roof’s life. Anyone who quotes you a roof “pressure washing” is telling you they don’t know roofs.
What’s included in a soft wash roof cleaning
- Full roof treatment with manufacturer-recommended soft wash solution
- Black algae streaks killed at the source — not just faded
- Moss and lichen treated (they release over the following weeks)
- Gutters rinsed of runoff when we’re done
- Landscaping pre-soaked, protected, and rinsed after
- Before-and-after photos, since you can’t exactly climb up to check
What does roof washing cost in Des Moines?
Most metro roofs land between $350 and $650. Ranch roofs with easy walkable pitches sit at the low end. Steep pitches, two-plus stories, and heavy streaking push higher. That’s a fraction of the $12,000 to $20,000 a metro roof replacement costs, and a clean roof genuinely lasts longer — the algae is actively degrading the shingles. Quote is free from a couple photos and your address.
Before and after: black streak removal
How a roof wash goes
- Inspect and quote. Pitch, height, and streak severity set the price. You get it in writing first.
- Protect. Landscaping soaked, downspout outlets managed so runoff doesn’t hit your beds.
- Treat. Solution applied at low pressure across every slope. The algae dies on contact and streaks vanish — some heavier growth browns first, then rinses off with the next few rains.
- Rinse and photo. Gutters and plants rinsed, photos texted to you.
Serving the Des Moines metro
Streaked roofs are everywhere in the metro — 15-year-old shingles in the Governors District, Walnut Creek two-stories, north slopes all over Prairie Trail. We serve: Des Moines, West Des Moines, Waukee, Urbandale, Clive, Grimes, Ankeny, and Johnston.
Most roof customers bundle a house wash or gutter cleaning since we’re already set up. We also offer window cleaning, pressure washing, and deck washing.
Roof cleaning questions we get a lot
Should you ever pressure wash a roof?
No. Never. High pressure strips the granules that protect your shingles from UV, can void the manufacturer warranty, and takes years off the roof. Soft washing is the only method shingle manufacturers endorse, and it’s all we use up there.
Will the black streaks come back?
Eventually — the algae spores are airborne — but a proper soft wash typically keeps a roof clean for 3 to 5 years in Iowa. Compare that to a rinse-only cleaning, where streaks can reappear within a year.
Is roof washing worth it, or should I just wait and re-roof?
If your shingles are structurally sound, washing wins by a mile: a few hundred dollars now versus five figures for replacement, plus the algae stops eating your limestone filler. If your roof is already at end-of-life, we’ll tell you washing isn’t worth your money. We’d rather skip a job than sell a pointless one.
Does roof cleaning damage plants or lawn?
Not when runoff is managed. We pre-soak everything under the roofline, control where the downspouts discharge, and rinse thoroughly after. It’s the part of the job we’re most careful about.
Do I need to be home?
No. Keep pets inside, close the windows, and we’ll handle the rest. Photos land in your texts when we’re done.
Stop the streaks before they spread
Free quote from two photos and an address. Your roof gets cleaner and lasts longer — that’s the whole pitch.