Do you clean soffits and fascias?

They are in the same spray path, so they are done as part of the wall visit.

Can the whole house be done in one go?

Often, depending on size and access. Larger properties split naturally into two visits.

Will you tell me if the gutters are the real problem?

Yes, and it is common enough that the gutter line is checked on every wall visit.

Do you move furniture and pots?

Anything within the spray arc is moved and put back where it was found.

Is the method different on a listed building?

The approach is gentler still, and lime finishes are treated with the lowest strength that will work.

Do you leave a written record of what was done?

Photographs of before and after the visit, plus anything found in poor condition.

Do you clean under the eaves?

The soffit line is in the spray path and gets a pass as part of the work.

What about the neighbour's side?

We only work surfaces you own or have permission for, and we check before spraying near a boundary.

Colebrook (PL7) render softwash

Colebrook, Devon - PL7

This page is about one job in one place: cleaning render and painted brick walls in Colebrook, Devon. Softwash means chemistry and dwell time doing the work rather than pressure.

What Colebrook walls are usually finished in

Modern render, whether sand and cement or a thin-coat system, has a slightly porous face that holds airborne spores.
Patched render takes treatment differently from the original, which is why patches are identified before work starts.
A brick wall stained in a vertical stripe is nearly always a rainwater goods problem.
Engineering brick and facing brick behave differently, and the softer one sets the method.
Chalking paint is a rougher surface than new paint, which is why older painted walls green faster.
Where a painted wall has been patch-repainted, the patches clean at a different rate.

Low pressure, longer dwell

1.Waste water is directed to a soakaway or drain that can take it rather than allowed to pond on a lawn.
2.Timber decking or a doorstep directly under the work is covered rather than rinsed afterwards.
3.Render beads and stop ends are inspected as work reaches them, because a lifted bead traps water behind the finish.
4.A wall in deep shade is worked earlier in the day, when there is most light on it to judge coverage.
5.Chimney stacks are treated from a position that keeps the operator off the roof covering entirely.
6.Reach is taken from the ground with a telescopic lance wherever the elevation allows, which keeps ladders off soft render.
7.Gutter faces and fascia boards are wiped as part of the same pass, since they sit in the same spray path.
8.Treatment goes on from the bottom of the elevation upwards, which stops clean streaks forming where liquid runs onto dry surface.
9.Cable clips, aerial brackets and old fixings are noted, and loose ones are left rather than pushed further.
10.Where a property has solar panels on a wall-facing slope, the array is sheeted before treatment starts below.

Small things that make the visit smoother

Move cars off a drive that runs tight to the house if you can, and tell us if you cannot.
Let us know if the property is listed or in a conservation area, as it affects method choice.
Say if any part of the wall has been jet washed before, and roughly when.
Tell us if there is a septic tank and where its outlet sits.
If parking needs a permit or a bay suspension, tell us early.
Unlock side gates the night before if you are not going to be in, because a locked passage stops a whole elevation.
Tell us if a fence panel is loose, because sheeting gets pegged to something solid.
Point out where the render was patched, since patches clean differently from the original.

Facts on record for Colebrook

PL7 covers 3 town hubs and 7 villages or districts in our radius.
Plympton sits about 0.4 miles from Colebrook on our round, so visits are often shared.
Typical roof covering here is concrete tile and slate, which affects what washes down onto the walls.
Typical wall finish here is render and painted brick, which sets the cleaning method.
Nearest full coverage hub: Plympton (PL7), Plymouth City Council.

See everywhere we cover in PL7

What is actually growing on the wall

Render laid over a colder substrate holds surface condensation into the morning.
A wall that never takes direct sun stays damp for hours after everything else has dried, and that extra time is the whole story.
A blocked weep hole means the cavity drains through the face instead of out of the hole.
Bird activity along a gutter line concentrates nutrients on the wall directly below it.
A wall next to a busy road picks up a film of traffic grime that holds moisture on the surface.
Lichen prefers hard, alkaline surfaces, which is why it shows on mortar and cills before it shows on render.
Guttering that has dropped at one end holds standing water and drips continuously at the low point.
Silt washed down from the roof leaves a thin feeding layer on the render below.
Salt-laden air roughens exposed surfaces slightly, and rougher surfaces hold more moisture.

Assessing a PL7 elevation

01A damp meter reading inside a stained corner separates a cleaning job from a building problem.
02Where the pattern is vertical and narrow, plumbing is looked at before chemistry is.
03The ground level relative to the damp course is checked before the base of a wall is treated.
04Where the pattern is a band at the top, the gutter line is doing it.
05Previous cleaning is usually visible as a slightly different texture rather than a different colour.
06Hollow-sounding render is checked by tapping before any water is put onto it.
07The angle of morning sun on the elevation tells you how long it stays damp.
08Nearby properties with the same finish are a useful reference for what is normal on that street.

Within a short run of Colebrook

Questions Colebrook owners ask

Do you clean soffits and fascias?: They are in the same spray path, so they are done as part of the wall visit.
Can the whole house be done in one go?: Often, depending on size and access. Larger properties split naturally into two visits.
Will you tell me if the gutters are the real problem?: Yes, and it is common enough that the gutter line is checked on every wall visit.
Do you move furniture and pots?: Anything within the spray arc is moved and put back where it was found.
Is the method different on a listed building?: The approach is gentler still, and lime finishes are treated with the lowest strength that will work.
Do you leave a written record of what was done?: Photographs of before and after the visit, plus anything found in poor condition.
Do you clean under the eaves?: The soffit line is in the spray path and gets a pass as part of the work.
What about the neighbour's side?: We only work surfaces you own or have permission for, and we check before spraying near a boundary.

Guides worth a look first

Just want to know if it is fixable?

Some staining cleans off and some is in the material. Ask us and we will tell you which one you have.

Ask first 07830 242403

To sum up for PL7

Every visit ends with the elevation judged from where people actually see it. One elevation done properly is better than four done quickly. The finish keeps improving after we leave, which is how you know the treatment did the work rather than the water. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.

Quote for a Colebrook property

Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm