Wall softwash for Pensilva homes
Pensilva, Cornwall - PL14
Everything below applies to granite and painted render elevations in Pensilva, inside the PL14 area we cover in full. The method is set by the surface and the exposure, and nothing else changes it.
Quote for a Pensilva property
Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm
How the work is actually carried out
- 1.On render below a flat roof edge, the drip detail is checked, because a failed one puts the stain straight back.
- 2.External light fittings are switched off at the consumer unit before the elevation around them is treated.
- 3.Weep holes above openings are left clear so the wall can drain the way it was designed to.
- 4.Rainwater goods are checked while the elevation is being worked, since a blocked hopper explains most single-strip staining.
- 5.Where a wall runs straight down to a lawn, a run of sheeting is pegged along the base instead of relying on dilution alone.
- 6.Everything is packed down before the last inspection, so the wall is judged clear of kit.
- 7.Fixings for hanging baskets and washing lines are unloaded before the elevation is worked, then put back.
- 8.Where a wall meets a conservatory or lean-to, the roof glazing is sheeted before anything is applied above it.
- 9.Access equipment is footed on boards where the ground is soft, so nothing sinks into a lawn.
- 10.A wall carrying a house number, plaque or bell push has those items worked around by hand.
Reading the finish on a Pensilva elevation
- Render that has lost its water repellency absorbs surface water instead of shedding it, which extends every damp spell.
- 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.
- Masonry paint over render adds a film that traps moisture if the substrate was damp when it was applied.
- Where granite has been repointed in cement, that band behaves differently from the rest of the wall.
- Second lighter applications suit granite better than one strong pass.
The reasons behind the staining
- Overflowing gutters feed the top of the wall continuously through the wet months.
- Lichen anchors into the surface rather than resting on it, which is why brushing achieves nothing and pressure achieves damage.
- A textured coating applied over an already dirty surface holds that dirt as a feeding layer.
- Silt washed down from the roof leaves a thin feeding layer on the render below.
- Mild damp winters here keep growth metabolising through months that would stop it in a colder, drier county.
- Roof debris shed from a mossy slope lands on the same band of wall year after year.
- A leaking outside tap or an unlagged pipe can be the entire reason one corner of a house looks different from the rest.
- Growth that appears in a neat rectangle usually marks something that was leaning against the wall.
- A blocked hopper head can soak the same square metre of wall for an entire winter without anyone noticing.
Practical points to sort first
- Clear the base of the elevation of pots, ornaments and loose paving where you can.
- Warn us about a soft lawn or an unmade drive so boards come on the van.
- Close and latch every window on the elevations being worked, including any small top lights.
- Mention shared access or a right of way that we will be crossing.
- Say whether the elevation backs onto a public footpath.
- Say where the outside tap is, and whether it runs at any pressure.
- Tell us about any planting you particularly care about at the base of the wall.
- Mention any planned decorating so the drying window can be built into the date.
How the wall is read first
- 01Hollow-sounding render is checked by tapping before any water is put onto it.
- 02The age of the finish is estimated before a strength of mix is chosen.
- 03Colour matters: green suggests algae, black suggests fungal spotting, grey-white crust suggests lichen.
- 04How quickly a splash of water darkens the surface says how porous the finish has become.
- 05Whether the property is exposed or sheltered is judged on the day, not from a map.
- 06The condition of the cills tells you how much water has been running down the face.
- 07The ground level relative to the damp course is checked before the base of a wall is treated.
- 08Old repair patches are identified early, because they take treatment differently from the surrounding finish.
Common questions about wall softwash
- 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.
- Is it safe around pets?
- Keep them indoors during application and for a couple of hours after, and there is nothing to worry about.
- Can you treat one elevation only?
- Yes, and it is common. Often only the shaded side has a problem and the rest of the house needs nothing.
- Will the treatment harm my planting?
- Beds are wetted down first so run-off arrives diluted, and rinsing is directed away from anything growing.
- What about the neighbour's side?
- We only work surfaces you own or have permission for, and we check before spraying near a boundary.
- Do you move furniture and pots?
- Anything within the spray arc is moved and put back where it was found.
- Can you clean a wall with an electric meter on it?
- Yes. The box is bagged before anything is applied around it.
- When does a treated wall show its final appearance?
- Some change can be visible after treatment, while remaining dead growth may continue to weather away over the following days.
Pensilva in plain facts
- Postcode district: PL14. County: Cornwall. Approx 14.6 miles from the PL3 base.
- Access is usually via A38 and A390.
- Typical roof covering here is slate, which affects what washes down onto the walls.
- Nearest full coverage hub: Liskeard (PL14), Cornwall Council.
- Recorded character: village. Ex-mining village on the eastern moor.
Nearby villages and districts
Plan the whole outside once
Roof, gutters, walls and hard surfaces in the right order costs less trouble than doing them piecemeal.
In a sentence or two
An honest no is worth more than a job that was never going to work. The mortar is the weakest link on most walls, so the mortar sets the pressure. The best time to book is before the wet months, not after them. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.