I’m not a Mold expert, but I am familiar with it and know how to kill and prevent it. So in this article I will only be dealing with basic measures on mold prevention. If you are symptomatic to mold that may be in your home or have a serious mold problem, you might want to contact a company that specifically deals with mold abatement. Here is a couple that I know of: Smith & Sons and Service Masters.
Where is the Mold on the exterior of my home? On the exterior, mold typically grows on the North East side of the home down low, behind plants, or near the grass line, on gutters and under eaves. Exterior mold can also turn into lichen or algae. All three of these can stain and damage the paint on the exterior of your building causing a preemptive need for what could have otherwise been prevented repaint.
The solution for this is simple: first in the actual paint process, a mildacide can be added to the paint to prevent mold. Most quality paint companies already have a type of mildacide in their exterior products. I know that Kelly Moore and Sherman Williams both add a mildacide to their exterior products. Although that might be a good prevention on the front end, like anything your exterior needs to be maintained and washed .It makes sense to me you wash your car why wouldn’t you wash your house?Second: Sodium Hypochlorite, aka Bleach. Most living things react poorly to direct exposure to bleach, which includes you and your landscaping, so it’s important to dilute your bleach with water. I dilute 50/50. On the other hand, because most things do not react well to bleach, it will most definitely kill mold, algae and lichen on your exterior. Spiders, ants and termites don’t like bleach either, so it’s a win-win. Bleach can be applied using a hand pump sprayer, which you can find at your local hardware store in the Gardening section. If the nozzle is adjusted correctly you should be able to reach a single level eave without the use of a ladder, if you have a vault or a second story use proper ladder safety.
Also remember to wear gloves and eye protection. Bleach is a common household product but it can be nasty stuff. Another thing to consider is clothing. This will be a pretty messy job; you won’t want to wear anything you care about unless you plan on making a fashion statement. This might be one of the many reasons painters wear white. Next you will need a garden hose with a good spraying nozzle. Make sure your hose can reach all sides of your house or that you have multiple water outlets. It is important to rinse the area you applied bleach to, not only to clean it but to also deactivate the bleach. It is also important to rinse all surrounding vegetation that may have been exposed to bleach to prevent plant damage to your landscaping.
I suggest rinsing your home with bleach every 3 to 6 months to maintain the longevity of your exterior paint and over all appearance of your home. Of course, if this sounds like a whole lot of trouble you could always hire a professional to bleach and pressure wash your home. I know of at least one.
Joel Tolbert
Tolbert Painting (805.544.4100)
tolbertpainting@gmail.com
