How to stop algae from ruining your home’s ‘kerb appeal’

You might think that the only place you’ll find algae growing around your home is in the pond or fish tank, but it actually grows abundantly on exterior walls and roofs too. Algae growth is common in areas with high humidity, making the UK’s damp and warm climate the perfect conditions for it to bloom. Algae doesn’t present much of a structural problem, but it does make it look unpleasantly slimy and dirty, which will make your home much less appealing to potential buyers. So, how you can get rid of this unsightly visitor?

Removing algae from rendered walls

Whilst algae doesn’t do much physical harm to a building, it does make it look grubby, old and unloved. If you want to make a good first impression on visitors, whether you’re selling a house or running a business, getting rid of unsightly stains should be top of your list. Render cleaning should be done by professionals using a softwashing technique, rather than using a pressure washer, which risks damaging the building due to the force of the water. Softwashing is the process of spraying chemicals on affected areas and then washing them off using a low-pressure hose, getting rid of the algae without ruining your render.

Removing algae from pebbledash

Textured surfaces such as pebbledash and roughcast tend to pick up more dirt and host more algae than normal render does. Whilst pressure washing might seem like the best approach to cleaning all the nooks and crannies of a rough surface, it will actually do more harm than good. Cleaning pebbledash needs to be done with care, as blasting it with high pressure water could dislodge the pebbles and cause serious amounts of damage. Softwashing pebbledash uses exactly the same process as softwashing render, and will transform your home or business premises.

Removing algae from roofs

Algae won’t do much harm to your roof, but it’s usually accompanied by moss, which can do a lot of damage. Moss often grows in the joints between tiles, which can allow water to penetrate where tiles overlap and damage the timber underneath. Moss also absorbs water, which can add weight and stress to a structure, and it expands when frozen, which can dislodge tiles and break guttering. Again, pressure washing should be avoided as tiles can be broken or lifted, exposing your loft space to flooding and water damage. Softwashing will break down the algae and moss, making it easy to remove with a gentle pressure. It will also remove the roots of the algae and moss, rather than just breaking them as pressure washing does, meaning that it will take a lot longer for the problem to return.