Aluminum Siding

Residential
1

We have a customer on Monday for window cleaning who has tan aluminum siding. The north faces are covered in green algae and mildew. It dies not appear to be chalking much at all. My question is would I be safe to downstream my housewash (sh and simple cherry) and rinse, or do I need something special for aluminum siding?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the noob question.

Joshua Bunton
Brightside Window Cleaning, LLC
Dundee, MI
734-417-8196

2

If it’s not chalking, go light with house wash, rinse and get out. In most cases we stay far away for aluminum siding. Lite chemical rinse, then a light rinse down should do it.
Hope this helps.

3

I’m new but I would go very light with your house wash solution. Gotta watch out for the oxidation layer if not customer could try and say that you messed up the siding. Hope that helps

4

If home is pre-1978, stay away. Lead paint issues.

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5

Thanks for the input guys. It is a post 1978 house so no lead paint issues. You are all saying you just stay away from aluminum sided houses. Do you offer the prospective customer any alternatives or just say nope, not interested?

6

thanks for contacting us, but you need to call a company to replace your siding…to many bad experiences

7

Call your local paint store and see if they have contractors who clean aluminum siding because it’s most likely going to need to be painted afterwords.

8

I’d soft wash light hw mix like was said and sub a good painting company to come paint right. I’d tell the customer ahead of time what they needed done and how it was gonna work.

9

Well I think I am going to talk with the customer bluntly about what could happen if we attempt to wash this siding. Do a small area as a sample. Show it to her and ask if she wants us to finish. It is the aluminum siding that is textured like vinyl and is not chalking so I think we will get good results. I will post a resolution and pictures on Monday after we do the job.

Joshua Bunton
Brightside Window Cleaning, LLC
Dundee, MI
734-417-8196

10

We’ve cleaned a handful of aluminum houses, never had too much problem with them…main thing is you just have to set the expectations with the customers…let them know its still not going to look great, but it will be clean. If it’s oxidized, whatever you do, don’t get too close to it with too high of pressure.

11

We clean several per month, and I’ve only had one problem where a crappy paint job was done and after a test spot we informed the customer we couldn’t wash their home. Just do a small section first to make sure it gives you good results without damage.

12

Trying to post pics but I don’t think I have the ability to yet. Either way it went great and the aluminum looked almost brand new underneath. The crud just flooded right off. Very low pressure and lots of water. Eazy Peazy.
Thanks for all the input guys.

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