House washing
House washing, without stripping your paint off.
The full exterior from the outside of the gutters down, including the front porch and the screens. Low pressure on the siding, always.
The solution did this, not pressure. The paint underneath is the same paint that was there the day before, which is the whole point on a house this age.
What is actually included
A house wash from me means the full exterior, from the outside of the gutters all the way down, plus the front porch. Siding, trim, soffits, the porch ceiling and the screens.
The deck, patio, driveway and gutter brightening are priced on their own, because each one is its own amount of work. Add any of them to the same visit and the whole job costs less, because I only set up once.
How the wash actually goes
Everything gets watered down first
Plants, beds, anything growing near the wall. A wet plant doesn't take up the solution. It's the step that protects your beds, and the first one skipped when somebody is working fast.
Outlets get covered
Every outdoor outlet gets capped and taped, whether or not it already has a weather cover.
Solution goes on and is given time
The cleaning solution does the work, not the pressure. It has to sit and dwell to break down the algae and the grime. Rushing this is what makes people reach for the pressure instead.
Rinsed low and in order
Low pressure, systematic, one section at a time so nothing dries halfway and leaves a line. Screens get cleaned along the way.
About the chemical, plainly
People ask, so here is the straight answer. The active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite, chemically the same thing as household bleach. It comes to me at 12 percent, stronger than the roughly 6 percent you buy at the store, and it's heavily diluted before it ever reaches your house. At the gun it's usually around 2 percent, and I adjust it up or down for the surface in front of me.
That regulation is the whole point. A stronger mix cleans faster and, on the wrong surface, causes damage. I'd rather stay lower and take the extra time.
The pressure stays low too. Siding gets a soft rinse, and the window screens get cleaned along the way, so the pressure has to be gentle enough for those.
Old mortar is softer than the brick around it
BeforeAfter Brick and mortar. Clean the brick, keep the joints. Too much pressure here turns a wash into a repointing job.
Painted brick and old mortar are everywhere in these neighborhoods, and they are the two surfaces most easily wrecked by someone in a hurry.
I run low pressure and let the solution work. It's slower. It's also why I keep getting invited back to the same houses.
Why low pressure protects in-town Atlanta’s older homes
The housing stock in Grant Park, Inman Park, Kirkwood, Reynoldstown, Candler Park and Ormewood is old. Wood siding, painted brick, original trim, soft mortar.
Full pressure will clean all of it and quietly wreck some of it. Paint comes off. Wood grain furs up and then holds dirt worse than before. Water gets driven behind the siding and sits there. Mortar joints erode. I spent thirteen years in historic preservation before this, and it's the reason I work the way I do.
Add on while I’m there
Setup and breakdown is most of the overhead on a small job, so anything done on the same visit costs less than a separate trip.
- Gutter brightening for the black streaks
- Driveway, patio or walkway
- Deck or fence
- Stonework and retaining walls
- Trash cans, outdoor furniture, grill covers, mailboxes and the AC condenser
Each one is priced as an add-on. Mention them when you send photos and I'll quote the whole visit at once.
Questions I get asked
Will this take my paint off?
Not the way I do it. Paint comes off when someone points high pressure at old siding to save time. I use low pressure and let the cleaning solution do the work. If your paint is already oxidized and chalky, I'll tell you up front what a wash can do for it.
Do I need to be home?
No. Most quotes can be done from photos and most jobs don't need you there. I'll text you the night before and again when I'm on my way.
What about my plants?
Everything gets soaked with plain water before any solution is mixed or applied. Wet plants do not take up the solution. This is the step that protects your beds.
Does a house wash include the driveway?
It covers the exterior from the outside of the gutters down, plus the front porch. Driveways, patios, decks and gutter brightening are add-ons. Book them together and I'll bundle the price.
How often should this be done?
About every six months for most in-town houses, or as needed. Shade, tree cover and humidity decide it more than the calendar does, so a north wall under oaks comes due sooner than a sunny front. I also offer a maintenance plan: I track when your house is due and come back on schedule, so it is not something you have to keep an eye on. Send a photo and I'll tell you where yours stands.
Do you do the gutters too?
A house wash cleans the outside of your gutters along with the rest of the exterior. The black vertical tiger striping is a different job with its own solution and hand scrubbing, and it is priced separately.
Ready for a price?
Tell me about your house and roughly how old it is. Photos help a lot.
Most quotes come back the same day. You don't need to be home.