Mold and mildew are common issues that can plague exterior home surfaces like siding, decks, patios and fences in areas with humid climates. Beyond being visually unappealing, mold poses health and structural risks if not appropriately addressed. Left to spread, mold mycelium can quietly work its way into wood, concrete and other building materials, decomposing them from the inside out over extended time.
Moreover, pressure washing provides a highly effective solution for removing mold when infestations have already taken hold or following periods with heavy moisture. By blasting surfaces with hot water under intense pressure, a pressure washer can demolish entire mold colonies growing invisibly beneath the outer layers of materials.
This article will explain the benefits of incorporating pressure washing into an ongoing mold prevention plan.
1. Removes Existing Mold and Mildew Growth
The high-pressure water spray of a pressure washer is invaluable for removing existing mold and mildew growth from outdoor surfaces like wood siding, decking, fences, patios, driveways, and walkways. Mold often develops in thin, dark-colored layers or patches that are difficult to remove with household cleaning or scrubbing. However, the forceful jet stream of water from a pressure washer is powerful enough to cut through layers of mold growth and lift it from surfaces.
Additionally, the spray is particularly good at penetrating cracks and pores in porous materials where mold often takes root deep within surfaces. By reaching into these hard-to-clean areas, pressure washing can eliminate mold that may linger and spread even after surface-level cleaning.
Removing existing mold in this way is essential for improving aesthetics and preventing the circulation of mold spores that can spread indoors through open windows or doors. For professional results, consider Ocala pressure washing, which ensures a deep clean and mold removal from even the most challenging spots.
2. Eliminates Moisture-Trapping Dirt and Debris
For mold to germinate and grow, it requires two key conditions—moisture and an organic food source. Over time, outdoor surfaces like wood siding accumulate layers of dirt, dust, pollen, algae growth and other organic debris. These buildups provide an ideal mold food base and trap moisture against the surface beneath by blocking evaporation. Moisture readily gets absorbed by these debris layers and lingers for longer periods, keeping the subsurface damp and conducive to mold colonization.
However, pressure washing tackles both necessary components for mold development by thoroughly dissolving and stripping away built-up contaminants. The strong spray pattern disperses deeply embedded soils while driving accumulated moisture out and away from the now-exposed surface substrate. This process helps disrupt the moisture-retaining environment in which mold thrives.
3. Deep Cleans Pores and Grain of Wood Surfaces
Over many years of weathering, the tiny pores and grain of outdoor wood substrates like decking, siding and fencing become clogged with stubborn organic residues. These textured surfaces are prime targets for mold, which readily takes hold in the microcavities provided by wood grain. However, standard scrubbing or cleaning often cannot effectively penetrate pores that sometimes only measure a fraction of a millimeter in width.
Besides, the high-pressure delivery of thousands of PSI from a pressure washer powerfully scours pores clean like nothing else. Cavities that harbor deep-seated mold residues and spores get thoroughly flushed out.
4. Restores Ventilation and Porosity
Notably, over many seasons of accumulated soils, wood pores become sealed up like tiny clogged pipes. This impairs the substrates’ natural ability to breathe and dry efficiently after contact with moisture. Caked-on debris forms an unwelcome barrier that obstructs airflow and prevents water from adequately evaporating away from the protected grain below.
However, pressure washing fully restores a treated surface’s porosity and ventilation pathways by scouring out pore plugs. Cleared pathways reopen the two-way gas exchange between the wood and the atmosphere.
5. Creates Barrier-Free Surfaces
When performed regularly as recommended, pressure washing strategically creates a relatively barrier-free surface that challenges mold proliferation in several ways. Eliminating encumbrances like accumulated soils, algae or existing mold growth leaves behind an evenly textured substrate without obstructions for fungal colonies to readily attach to or penetrate.
Moreover, the treated, open-pored material also has ample ventilation to dry efficiently after moisture incidents. Its low-nutrient profile means it lacks the food source mold requires. Thus, a pressure-washed surface offers little foothold for incoming spores looking to propagate.
6. Safeguards Wood Substrates and Structure
Also, when a pressure washing program is diligently maintained, it helps defend the wooden framework of buildings from costly deterioration. By preventing extensive mold growth, it protects vulnerable substrates like wood from breaking down prematurely in the onslaught of a fungal infestation. Unchecked mold left to grow undisturbed could compromise wood over several years, but regular washings intercept such problems early on before deterioration progresses.
For example, routinely cleaning mold off exterior wood siding stops it from spreading to and degrading the structural wall framing hidden behind. Likewise, washing away mold on a fence’s surface material defends and extends the useful lifespan of its supporting posts embedded in the ground. Preserving vulnerable wood substrates in this protective manner ultimately shields the integrity and longevity of entire structures over the decades.
Wrapping Up
Pressure washing is a powerful ally in the fight against mold. Its one-two-punch approach strikes at the heart of existing mold colonies while also creating surface conditions unsuited for fungal re-growth or penetration in the future.
Therefore, when pressure washing is maintained regularly per manufacturer recommendations specific to the building material, it offers long-lasting defense against one of the most common and problematic pesky outdoor issues. Its upfront investment preserves visual curb appeal and protects homes’ structural health and financial value for many years.