Your Biggest Maintenance Job Is Outside The House
Most home maintenance lists stop at the front door. Furnace filters, smoke detectors, water heater. Meanwhile the outside of the house, the part that takes the weather, quietly collects the stuff that shortens its life. If you have noticed green film on the north side of your siding or black streaks on your shingles, that is not just dirt sitting there. It is growth, and it is working on your house.
Elite Softwash owner Brandon Metzger has cleaned more than 3,000 properties across northern Indiana, and he covered this on WANE 15’s Living Local, in the video above.
The short answer: algae, mold, and organic growth feed on your siding and shingles, clogged gutters push water into your fascia and foundation, and grime holds moisture against every surface. Cleaning on a schedule removes the problem while it is still cheap. Skipping it turns a few hundred dollar wash into repairs that cost ten times more.
What Is Actually Growing On Your House?
That green tint on siding is algae. The black streaks on a roof are a bacteria called gloeocapsa magma, and it eats the limestone filler in asphalt shingles. Lichen and moss go further, putting roots into the surface they live on.
Growth shows up first where the sun does not reach: the north facing side of your home and anywhere shaded by a big tree. UV light slows the growth down, so the shady spots always go first. If your north wall is green and the south wall looks fine, that is why.
What Happens If You Just Leave It?
Nothing dramatic in year one. That is the trap. Over a few seasons the growth spreads, holds moisture against the surface, and starts doing real damage. Shingles shed granules and age early. Painted surfaces dull and peel. Wood stays damp and invites rot.
Gutters are the quiet emergency. When they clog, rainwater goes over the edge instead of down the spout, straight into fascia boards, siding seams, and the ground next to your foundation. A gutter cleaning costs a little. Fascia replacement and basement water problems cost a lot.
There is a safety piece too. Algae on concrete is slick when wet. A shaded sidewalk that never gets cleaned is a slip waiting for the first rainy day.
How Often Does Each Surface Need Cleaning?
- Siding: a house wash every 1 to 2 years, sooner on shaded lake area homes
- Roof: a roof cleaning when streaks appear, typically every 2 to 4 years
- Gutters: once or twice a year, especially with mature trees
- Concrete and decks: every 1 to 2 years to stop buildup and keep surfaces safe
Why Northern Indiana Is Hard On Houses
Our humid summers feed algae. Around the lakes it grows even faster because the air holds more moisture. Then winter takes over: water gets into every crack and seam, freezes, and pushes things apart. A surface that goes into winter clean and dry fares better than one going in covered with growth that traps moisture.
The Method Matters As Much As The Schedule
Regular cleaning only protects your home if it is done right. Siding and shingles need soft washing, low pressure with professional solutions that kill growth at the root. High pressure belongs on concrete. The wrong method on the wrong surface causes the damage you were trying to prevent.
Common Questions About Exterior Cleaning
Is exterior cleaning worth the money?
Compare the numbers. A wash costs a few hundred dollars. Replacing rotted fascia, repainting oxidized siding, or reroofing early costs thousands. Cleaning is the cheap insurance in that trade.
Can I just rent a pressure washer and do it myself?
For a driveway, maybe. For siding and roofs, rental machines cause most of the damage we get called to look at. High pressure forces water behind siding and strips shingle granules, and it does not kill growth at the root, so it all comes back fast.
When is the best time of year?
Spring through fall works. A lot of our customers wash in spring so the house looks sharp all summer, or in fall so it goes into winter clean.
What does a whole property cleaning include?
House, roof, gutters, windows, and concrete in one visit. Bundling costs less than booking each service separately because the crew is already set up.
Want a straight number for your place? Request a fast quote or call (260) 802-0297. Send photos for a same day price, or ask for an in-person walkthrough.
When was the last time your home’s exterior got a real cleaning?
Every Surface, One Crew
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brandon Metzger is the owner of Elite Softwash, a family owned exterior cleaning company based in Silver Lake, Indiana. Brandon built the business on 19 years in the service industry and has cleaned over 3,000 properties across northern Indiana with his sons. His work has been featured on WANE 15 and backed by 290+ five star Google reviews. Meet Brandon.
