Common Outdoor Stains - A Guide for New Homeowners

Any new homeowner understands that feeling—after all the boxes are unpacked and all the furniture is arranged, you realize that owning a home is exhausting. Keeping the inside clean with a family, much less kids, is a full time job.

The outside of your home can often become a secondary concern. Between a busy household and a full time job, mysterious stains on the outside of your home are typically of little thought. However, as the owner of the home, you should take a moment to consider the exterior of your house. Luckily, we know of a great pressure washing company that can help you with that task.

Identifying Exterior Stains

Identifying exterior stains on your home and property is often no easy task since many stains can closely resemble one another and, at the very least, look ambiguous. The most important thing to remember is that almost any type of stain means some action should be taken.

Whether it’s a mildew stain that’s slowly discoloring your siding or a moss that’s lifting up roof shingles—if you see damage, you should address it before it gets worse and causes long-term damage.

Mildew & Mold

Mildew and Mold often go hand-in-hand on exterior surfaces where high moisture and humidity,  with little air movement, combine to create the perfect environment for the growth of living things on the side of your home.

One of the biggest risks of mildew and mold isn’t the intrinsic damage that it causes, but rather the discoloration that happens when it blocks sunlight. Whether it’s vinyl siding, brick, or other exterior facades, mildew and mold can make the exterior of your home look mottled since sunlight fades some portions of your home, but not others.

Moss

Moss is easy to spot on rooftops and can look rather harmless (even rustic). The biggest worry with moss is that it will prevent your shingles from doing their job. Specifically, moss can lift up shingles and prevent them from sheeting water towards gutters which will cause leaks and, eventually, wood rot.

You’ll typically see moss growing on the shady portions of a damp roof and most of the time there’s not a lot you can do to prevent it without taking some hasty measures (like chopping down a tree or bulldozing a neighbor’s house).

Blue Wave actually doesn’t pressure wash roofs since heavy pressure washing can easily damage shingles and the structure of your roof. Instead, Blue Wave Pressure Washing uses a hose (typically around the power of a garden hose) along with a proprietary cleaning solution that organically kills the moss without potentially damaging your roof.

Paint and Discoloration

Believe it or not, we often have homeowners complaining about an exterior stain only to discover that the surface area needs to merely be painted. Unfortunately, paint that’s chipping, beginning to peel, or is in otherwise bad shape can’t be fixed by pressure washing.

The other common situation we run into is when mildew, mold, or moss has been allowed on a surface for an extended period of time. The result is that the covered area is often darker than the non mildew or mold surfaces. Again, pressure washing won’t fix this type of situation.

Clean Your Home Today

If you have exterior stains on your home or business then one thing is absolutely sure: waiting to get them handled is a recipe for long-term damage to your home. Fortunately, there’s a company that can help you with that: Blue Wave Pressure Washing specializes in removing exterior stains and helping you keep your home looking like new. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.