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Fight the Mold: 10 Ways to Keep Your Home Siding Mold-Free

Nov 4, 2013 6:30:00 PM

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exterior medics sidingKeeping your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding looking fresh is important. A crisp exterior is not only visually appealing, but helps to ensure that the home’s siding material lasts longer.

A clean looking home exterior also adds value and curb appeal to property on the market. One of the peskiest culprits that damages most siding types is the buildup of mold and mildew. It grows fast and our home environments often create the ideal conditions for mold to flourish.

To maintain a clean outdoor appearance, check out these 10 tips for keeping your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding mold free.

1. Schedule Regular Cleanings

Use the garden hose and a soft-bristle brush to clean your siding surface every few months. Mold travels through the air and, once in contact with a desirable surface, will attach and grow. Regular cleaning will prevent buildup and allow for a regular opportunity to scout out any mold that has begun to sprout. Also, be sure to spray in a downward direction so as not to contribute to water collection beneath your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding panels.

2. Allow for Direct Sunlight

Mold grows in dark, damp places. Combat it’s survival by allowing as much direct sunlight to shine on the exterior of your home as possible. Trim trees and keep shrubs and surrounding foliage tidy in order to help that natural remedy shine through. This will also promote air circulation to keep your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding dry.

3. Eliminate Climbing Vines

Climbing vines that scale your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding can add a lovely rustic appeal, but they also add to the growth of mold. This type of organic coverage makes it impossible for your siding to dry out and blocks a large amount of sunlight, creating the perfect environment for mold and mildew to prosper. Cut back the ivy and vines to keep siding mold free and equally appealing without the leafy mask.

4. Mitigate the Moss

Just like the climbing vines, moss promotes darkness and dampness with its fuzzy coverage. If you want to avoid mold on your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding, get rid of every trace of moss.

5. Be Swift

At the first sight of mold growth, move quickly to remove it with a diluted solution of bleach and water. This will stunt future growth and prevent the situation from turning into an even bigger mess that will require time, energy and possibly a power washer.

6. Use Mold Resistant Cleaners

Some cleaning products contain chemical agents that kill mold before it has a chance to grow. When conducting your regular cleanings, be sure to treat your home’s siding with this type of cleaner. It’ll keep the mold away and allow for longer periods between cleaning your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding.

7. Mind the Sprinklers

If you use a sprinkler to water the lawn and landscape, be sure that it’s not hitting your home siding. This tip is especially useful for garden sprinklers that are located close to the foundation of your home.  You’ll want to do what you can to keep the exterior siding dry so as to deter mold spores from attaching and thriving.

8. Maintain Rain Gutters

Similar to the sprinkler tip, also make sure your gutters are well-maintained. Water spilling over from a clogged gutter system will advance the growth of mold by creating that ideal, moist environment it prefers.

9. Check Ventilation Ducts

Sometimes, the duct from your cloths dryer will produce steam on the outside of your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding that mildew and mold is drawn to. Check the venting around these areas frequently to make sure they are clean and free of moisture buildup.

10. Invest in Good Insulation

If your Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding is properly insulated, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth on the exterior of your home.

Achieve Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland home siding that neighbors will envy with these growth-stunting tips. You’ll want to focus on what type of environment you’re creating for your home siding. The dryer and more ventilated, the less likely you’ll need to battle mold. Adding routine checks to the exterior of your home will ensure that you catch mold growth right away and using anti-mold cleaners will help to keep it away.

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Image Credit: brentdanley