Roof debris removal in Sonora, CA: pine needles, leaves and moss
We clear pine needles, leaves and twigs off your roof, out of the valleys where two slopes meet, and from around skylights, solar panels and the chimney. Where moss holds water against the shingles, we clear that too. All of the debris is bagged and hauled away, for homes and cabins in Sonora and around Tuolumne County.
Needles left on the roof wash into the gutters with the next rain, and dry ones can catch embers in fire season. So we clear the roof and the gutters on the same visit, for one price for the whole house after a free look.
Last updated
- Same visit
- Roof and gutters together
- Estimate
- Free, usually same or next day
- Insurance
- Fully insured, proof on request
- Hours
- Mon to Fri 7 AM to 6 PM, Sat 8 AM to 4 PM
Who needs roof debris removal?
Any house with pines or oaks over the roof. Needles and leaves settle in the valleys, behind the chimney and around skylights, and from there they either wash into the gutters with the next rain or sit dry on the roof through fire season.
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Homes under ponderosa pines
Ponderosas start dropping needles in late September and are still at it in January, and a quarter to a third of a tree's needles come down every year, says UC ANR.
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Cabins up the hill
Up the hill, where the pines stand close and snow follows, clear the roof before the first snow. On the free estimate we tell you how often we would clean yours.
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Roofs with valleys, skylights or panels
Needles pile up where two slopes meet and catch around skylights, solar panels and the chimney, the spots a gutter cleaning alone does not touch.
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Before a defensible space inspection
An inspection can look at the roof, because the state defensible space law covers it. More on that below.
We asked for a quote for roof and gutter cleaning. Levi came out the next day, provided a reasonable quote, and did the job immediately. We liked the can-do attitude and pleasant, open demeanor. Would be happy to deal with Levi again.
A 5-star review of our crew, quoted word for word.
What does roof debris removal include?
It clears the whole roof: pine needles, leaves and twigs off the slopes, out of the valleys and from around anything that sticks up through the roof, plus moss where it holds water. Everything is bagged and hauled away, and we tell you about anything we saw up there.
| On the roof | What we do |
|---|---|
| Slopes | Pine needles, leaves and twigs cleared off and bagged |
| Valleys | Cleared where two slopes meet and needles pile up |
| Skylights, solar panels, chimney | Cleared around each one |
| Moss | Cleared where it holds water against the shingles |
| Gutters and downspouts | Cleaned on the same visit when the house needs it |
| What we saw | A lifted shingle or a worn patch, pointed out so you know to call a roofer |
“Debris removal: Regularly clear leaves, pine needles, and other debris from the roof to prevent ignition.”
Why clear the roof before the gutters?
Because what is on the roof ends up in the gutters. Needles and leaves left up there wash down with the next rain, so a gutter cleaned under a full roof can fill again in the first storm. UC ANR's Fire Network puts it plainly: “The roof still needs to be cleaned on a regular basis.” So we work from the top down, on one visit.
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Slopes and valleys
Needles, leaves and twigs come off the roof and out of the valleys, where two slopes meet and needles pile up.
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Around what sticks up
We clear around skylights, solar panels and the chimney, and moss where it holds water against the shingles.
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Then the gutters
Every gutter is scooped out by hand and every downspout flushed, with gutter and downspout cleaning.
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Hauled away
All of it is bagged and leaves with us, and we tell you about anything we saw on the roof.
Is clearing pine needles off the roof a fire rule?
In most of Tuolumne County, yes. In the State Responsibility Area, which covers most of the unincorporated county, state law says to keep the roof free of leaves and needles. Inside Sonora city limits, the city's own defensible space rule covers roofs and gutters. Which one applies depends on where your house sits.
| Where the house is | What the rule says about the roof | Who inspects |
|---|---|---|
| The State Responsibility Area, most of the unincorporated county | State law, PRC 4291: “Maintain the roof of a structure free of leaves, needles, or other vegetative materials.” | CAL FIRE's Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit |
| Unincorporated Tuolumne County | County Chapter 8.14 covers every unincorporated parcel, and the county says it “exceeds CAL FIRE's defensible space laws”. Its defensible space page says to remove dead vegetation from your roof and rain gutters. | Tuolumne County Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division |
| Inside Sonora city limits | City Chapter 8.12, Ordinance 835 (2019): roofs and gutters cleared within 30 feet of a building. The city held a hearing on amending the chapter in August 2025 (Ordinance 907), so check the current text with Sonora Fire. | Sonora Fire Department |
| Zone 0, the first 5 feet around a house | Not in force yet: the Board of Forestry adopted emergency rules in August 2026 and withdrew them from state review on September 8, 2026. The withdrawn rules said to keep roofs and gutters clear. | Nobody yet |
Our guide Should you clear pine needles off your roof? goes through the fire risk and each rule in more detail.
From the roof to the trailer
Photos from our crew's own jobs. What comes off the roof and out of the gutters is bagged and leaves with us.
How much does roof debris removal cost?
We price it after a free look at the roof. When the gutters are done on the same visit, you get one price for the whole house before any work starts. The roof itself sets most of the price: how steep it is, how high it sits and how much is up there.
| What we look at | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pitch | A steep roof takes more care and more time than a low one |
| Height | Two stories and up means a taller ladder and more care at the edge |
| Valleys | Each valley holds its own pile of needles |
| Roof type | Metal and other slick roofs take more care |
| What sticks up | Skylights, solar panels and chimneys to clear around |
| How much is up there | A light fall of needles, or a deep layer with moss under it |
Can you clear a steep or metal roof?
We look first. On the free estimate we tell you whether your roof is work we do. If it is, you get one price before we start. If it is not, we say so up front and recommend someone better suited to it.
We clear roofs between storms, not during them: a wet ladder and wet shingles are how people fall.
What if we find a problem on your roof?
We are not roofers, so we do not fix shingles or roof leaks. If we see a lifted shingle or a worn patch while we clear the roof, we tell you what we saw and recommend who can fix it.
- Roof repairs and new roofs
- Pressure washing
- Snow removal
- Steaming ice dams
Roof clearing in Sonora and the towns around it
We are based in Sonora and clear roofs across Tuolumne County, where the pines thicken the higher you go.
Read next
- Should you clear pine needles off your roof?The fire risk, the rules, and how to do it safely
- When to clean gutters in SonoraRain, leaf fall and needle fall for each month
- Gutter and downspout cleaningClogged gutters scooped out and downspouts flushed
- Gutter guard cleaningGuards lifted, the gutters under them cleaned, guards put back
Roof debris removal questions
What people ask us about clearing the roof. Something else on your mind? Call and ask.
Call (209) 213-4295Can you clear needles around solar panels?
Yes. Needles and leaves collect around solar panels, skylights and the chimney, and clearing around each one is part of every roof clearing we do.
Do you remove moss from the roof?
Yes. Where moss holds water against the shingles, we clear it along with the needles and leaves. We do not pressure wash roofs, so if you want the roof washed, we tell you who does that.
Is it safe to clear my own roof?
On a low, single-story roof that is dry, with a sturdy ladder on firm ground and someone holding it, you can. Stay off wet, steep or metal roofs. A national study counted about 136,000 ladder injuries a year in the US, 97 percent of them at home or on a farm.
Can I have the roof cleared without the gutters?
Yes, we can price either one. Needles left on the roof wash into the gutters with the next rain, though, so on the estimate we tell you whether the gutters need doing too.
Do I need to clear my roof to sell my house?
If the house is in a high or very high fire hazard zone, California has required the seller since July 2021 to give the buyer defensible space documentation, and the state defensible space law includes the roof. A clear roof before that inspection is the easy part.
Do you clear roofs in winter?
Between storms, when the roof is dry, yes. We do not shovel snow or steam ice dams. Up the hill, clear the needles before the first snow.
Get your gutters cleared before the next storm
Send the form and we call you back, usually within the hour, to set up a free look at your gutters and roof.
Or call us
(209) 213-4295- Free estimate, usually same or next day
- One price for the whole house before we start
- Debris hauled away
- Fully insured