Should the gutters be done at the same time?

Usually. Overflow is behind a large share of wall staining, so clearing it protects the work.

There is a mild one during application that clears within a few hours.

Can you deal with black spotting on white render?

That is usually a fungal spot rather than algae. It responds to treatment but often needs a second lighter pass.

What about the smell for neighbours?

Mild and short-lived, and we avoid boundary elevations when someone next door has washing out.

Is it worth cleaning a wall in winter?

Yes. Cool damp conditions suit the method, and heavy rain during application is the only real obstacle.

Can you do it while I am at work?

Yes, as long as gates are unlocked and we can reach the elevations.

Will it strip my paint?

Sound paint is unaffected. Paint that has already lost adhesion may lift, which is why a test patch goes on first.

Do you treat garden and boundary walls on their own?

Yes, where the method matches and access allows.

Low-pressure wall treatment across Jennycliff

Jennycliff, Devon - PL9

If the walls on your Jennycliff property have gone patchy or green, the finish itself is usually sound. Coast-path bay east of the Plymouth breakwater, and growth on painted render and stone sits on the surface rather than in the structure.

What Jennycliff walls are usually finished in

Coloured through-render fades gradually, so what looks like dirt on an older wall is sometimes age in the finish.
A rendered wall under a failed drip detail restains within a season however well it was cleaned.
Painted masonry can be cleaned, though a paint film that has already lost adhesion will lift where it was going to fail anyway.
Where a painted wall has been patch-repainted, the patches clean at a different rate.
Method is set by the softest thing on the wall, not the hardest.
Treatment on stone is applied in stages so it soaks into the joints rather than running off the faces.

Low pressure, longer dwell

1.Between elevations the kit is rinsed so nothing dries in the line and blocks the fan pattern.
2.Render beads and stop ends are inspected as work reaches them, because a lifted bead traps water behind the finish.
3.Fixings for hanging baskets and washing lines are unloaded before the elevation is worked, then put back.
4.Ridge and verge debris that has landed on the wall head is brushed off dry before anything wet goes on.
5.Where two different finishes meet on one elevation, they are treated as two jobs on one wall.
6.Chimney stacks are treated from a position that keeps the operator off the roof covering entirely.
7.Rainwater goods are checked while the elevation is being worked, since a blocked hopper explains most single-strip staining.
8.Vents serving a boiler or flue are checked and left uncovered, with the elevation around them worked dry.
9.Where growth has spread onto a UPVC panel or door surround, it is wiped rather than sprayed.
10.Every hose junction is checked before pressure goes on, because a burst at a coupling floods a border.

Small things that make the visit smoother

Mention any glazing you already know is cracked before work starts.
Say if a conservatory or lean-to abuts the elevation, so glazing can be sheeted.
Bring in washing, cushions and anything fabric that lives against the wall.
Note where hoses can be run without crossing a doorway.
Let us know whether the gutters have been cleared in the last couple of years.
If there are children's toys or a trampoline against the wall, they need to move.
Say if any part of the wall has been jet washed before, and roughly when.
Mention any cladding or timber detail that you would rather was left alone.

Facts on record for Jennycliff

Typical wall finish here is painted render and stone, which sets the cleaning method.
Turnchapel sits about 0.2 miles from Jennycliff on our round, so visits are often shared.
Typical roof covering here is slate, which affects what washes down onto the walls.
Nearest full coverage hub: Turnchapel (PL9), Plymouth City Council.
Access is usually via Boringdon Road.

See everywhere we cover in PL9

What is actually growing on the wall

A wall next to a busy road picks up a film of traffic grime that holds moisture on the surface.
Where a downpipe discharges into a gully that has silted, the overflow soaks the wall base each winter.
Growth that appears in a neat rectangle usually marks something that was leaning against the wall.
Guttering that has dropped at one end holds standing water and drips continuously at the low point.
Textured coatings have more surface area than smooth ones, and more surface area means more places to hold damp.
Sheltered gable ends collect airborne spores because there is no wind to move them along.
Cold bridging at a lintel can keep a narrow band of render damper than everything around it.
Pebbledash holds water in the shadow of every stone, so it stays damp long after a flat render has dried.
Bird activity along a gutter line concentrates nutrients on the wall directly below it.

Assessing a PL9 elevation

01A short section of hose test shows whether run-off drains away or ponds at the base.
02Where a wall meets a roof abutment, the flashing is looked at first.
03The presence of moss rather than algae suggests standing water rather than damp air.
04The mortar is tested with a key at a discreet point, since soft mortar sets the whole method.
05Whether the growth has spread onto glass and frames tells you how long it has been established.
06The elevation is read from the pavement first and from a metre away second.
07A test patch at low strength shows what the surface will do before the full elevation commits to it.
08Efflorescence is distinguished from lichen before anything is applied, since one is salt and one is alive.

Also covered near PL9

Before you get in touch

Should the gutters be done at the same time?: Usually. Overflow is behind a large share of wall staining, so clearing it protects the work.
Is there a smell?: There is a mild one during application that clears within a few hours.
Can you deal with black spotting on white render?: That is usually a fungal spot rather than algae. It responds to treatment but often needs a second lighter pass.
What about the smell for neighbours?: Mild and short-lived, and we avoid boundary elevations when someone next door has washing out.
Is it worth cleaning a wall in winter?: Yes. Cool damp conditions suit the method, and heavy rain during application is the only real obstacle.
Can you do it while I am at work?: Yes, as long as gates are unlocked and we can reach the elevations.
Will it strip my paint?: Sound paint is unaffected. Paint that has already lost adhesion may lift, which is why a test patch goes on first.
Do you treat garden and boundary walls on their own?: Yes, where the method matches and access allows.

Read a little further

Tell us about the access

Narrow passages, soft ground and shared drives are all normal. We just need to know.

Describe access 07830 242403

The short version

Method, dwell and patience beat pressure and speed on every wall finish we work on. Cleaning reveals condition. Sometimes that means finding a repair, and it is better found than hidden under moss. A maintenance pass is far lighter work than a first clean, and it stays that way. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.

Quote for a Jennycliff property

Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm