Every spring when things start to heat up outside, homeowners across the country realize it’s time to spruce up their home exteriors. One of the many things people find they need to do is remove unsightly green and black stains from the side of their home. Many people may not realize that these stains are generally caused by biological growth, such as mold and algae. People may decide to take out their pressure washer if they have one, or to contact a local pressure washer company to have it cleaned.
The typical method for cleaning is to use high pressure water in the 2000 to 4000 psi range to remove accumulated growth. However, many people are unaware that this can damage their home. High pressure water can work its way under the liner and potentially cause water damage or further biological growth.
The superior, alternative method, called “gentle scrubbing,” is a way to remove mold and algae without the risk of high pressure burning. The average homeowner has often never heard of this method. The method works like this: A cleaning solution is applied to the coating and allowed to “soak” or settle on the surface to kill and remove accumulated growth. Once the solution has remained and removed the growth, the side of the house is flushed with a low pressure sprayer. Depending on how dirty or sloppy the coating is, this process may need to be repeated several times until the desired result is achieved.
In addition to protecting your home, you might also consider the added benefit of security. Often times when doing a typical “power wash” of a home, ladders are generally needed to reach hard-to-reach areas and some work may need to be done from the roof. This can be potentially dangerous. However, with gentle scrubbing, with the right equipment, most, if not all, of the work can be done from the ground, even with homes over 3 stories high.
Once all is said and done, the siding shines like new with all the dirt and growth removed. Some people, who wash their houses themselves with high pressure, complain that they have to do it very frequently, sometimes every year or even twice a year. Since the algae and mold were removed at the source, the home will generally stay cleaner longer and may not need to be cleaned again for several years, saving you time and money in the future.
