Wall cleaning for coastal hamlet property in Portnadler
Small bay west of Hannafore.
A wall in Portnadler that has greened over is telling you where water sits. Small bay west of Hannafore, so the pattern of staining tends to repeat from one property to the next.
Quote for a Portnadler property
Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm
Shade, damp and run-off
- Airflow along a terrace is different from airflow around a detached house, and the drying patterns follow.
- Overhanging eaves protect the top of a wall and leave the unprotected lower band to take everything.
- Painted walls chalk with age, and chalked paint is a rougher surface than new paint.
- Sheltered courtyards feel pleasant and dry slowly, which is a bad combination for a wall.
- Shading from a neighbouring building can matter more than the aspect of the wall itself.
- Cold bridging at a lintel can keep a narrow band of render damper than everything around it.
- Algae needs moisture far more than it needs dirt, so the wettest elevation greens first regardless of how clean the house is.
- An untreated wall carries a spore load already, so regrowth after a rinse is faster than first growth ever was.
- Silt washed down from the roof leaves a thin feeding layer on the render below.
Portnadler at a glance
- Postcode district: PL13. County: Cornwall. Approx 15.9 miles from the PL3 base.
- Typical wall finish here is painted stone and render, which sets the cleaning method.
- Nearest full coverage hub: Looe (PL13), Cornwall Council.
- Looe sits about 3.5 miles from Portnadler on our round, so visits are often shared.
- Typical roof covering here is slate, which affects what washes down onto the walls.
Surfaces this page is written for
- Render that has lost its water repellency absorbs surface water instead of shedding it, which extends every damp spell.
- Where render sits over insulation, the wall is more sensitive still and the mix is weakened accordingly.
- Chalking paint is a rougher surface than new paint, which is why older painted walls green faster.
- Gloss-painted details like cills are wiped rather than sprayed.
- Slate-faced walls shed water quickly but the bedding mortar does not.
- A stone wall in deep shade holds moss in the joints long after the faces have dried.
Reading the surface
- 01Previous cleaning is usually visible as a slightly different texture rather than a different colour.
- 02Whether the growth has spread onto glass and frames tells you how long it has been established.
- 03The mortar is tested with a key at a discreet point, since soft mortar sets the whole method.
- 04Where the pattern is a band at the bottom, splash from the ground is doing it.
- 05Efflorescence is distinguished from lichen before anything is applied, since one is salt and one is alive.
- 06Photographs taken before work provide the reference for judging the result later.
- 07A test patch at low strength shows what the surface will do before the full elevation commits to it.
- 08Where a wall meets a roof abutment, the flashing is looked at first.
Sequencing the outside of the house
A wall treated in autumn goes into winter clean, which is when it matters most.
Fascia and soffit cleaning is folded into the wall visit rather than being priced as a separate trip.
Where a soakaway is already struggling, wall work is planned for a drier stretch.
Where scaffolding is going up for other work, the wall clean is easier and safer while it is standing.
Before the day in Portnadler
- Let us know if the property is listed or in a conservation area, as it affects method choice.
- Say if there is a wasp or bird nest under the eaves, and we will plan around it.
- Tell us about any previous treatment that came back quickly, and how quickly.
- Let us know whether the gutters have been cleared in the last couple of years.
- Tell us if there is a low wall or a step at the base of the elevation that gets slippery.
- Warn us about a soft lawn or an unmade drive so boards come on the van.
- Mention any cladding or timber detail that you would rather was left alone.
- Say if the elevation is overlooked by a neighbouring window that should stay shut.
Within a short run of Portnadler
Questions Portnadler owners ask
- Can you do it while I am at work?
- Yes, as long as gates are unlocked and we can reach the elevations.
- How is a quote put together?
- By elevation area, surface type and access, written down before anything starts.
- Is it safe around pets?
- Keep them indoors during application and for a couple of hours after, and there is nothing to worry about.
- Will the colour be even afterwards?
- Working bottom-up and one elevation at a time is what keeps it even.
- What if I only want the front done?
- That is the most common request on this kind of job.
- Do you need my electricity?
- No. Kit runs off the van.
- Is a second visit ever needed?
- For heavy lichen, a lighter second application later beats increasing pressure on the first.
- What if the render is hollow in places?
- It is tapped and mapped first, and hollow sections are treated dry-side only rather than soaked.
Saturday works too
Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm, so it need not eat your working week.
To sum up for PL13
Gentle and patient beats fast and forceful on any coated finish. Getting the order of work right protects the money already spent on the parts that were cleaned first. Walls, gutters and roof are one system. Cleaning one and ignoring the others is why results disappoint.