# growth inhibiter



## BBFpainter (Feb 2, 2012)

I have a customer who gets green growth on their vinyl siding each year, and it needs to be pressure washed. Doe's anyone know of any clear coating that can be applied to prevent this - maybe a silicon?


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## Everett Abrams (Jul 15, 2011)

From experience these products have never seemed to work well. The best thing is to clean with the proper house wash or solution that addresses the mold. If you use the proper solution and allow for the proper dwell time you will be able to effectively remove and clean the siding with low pressure. Trying to "clean" with only water is never the right way and one of the ways that is marketed after applying a coating to the siding. Once these products are applied they are VERY hard to remove. Mold, mildew, and algae will still eventually come back and while it is easier to clean off of the surface once there is a coating applied it never stops the growth. The real issue becomes later in the life of the siding. These coatings are difficult to apply evenly and most of time the bottom of the house is done "better" than the top. After time has gone by and there is wear of the coating you will see different colors and shades to the siding that will be impossible to match. I have also seen this when a customer cleans only one or two sides of a house for 15 years or so and not as much attention is paid the sunny sides of the house. Siding becomes oxidized and then when all four sides are cleaned the customer doesn't understand why the siding isn't a complete match on all four sides. Usually this comes up when trying to sell the house. Anyway, just my opinion good luck with the project!


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## BBFpainter (Feb 2, 2012)

The customer asked me if there was anything that I could appply to inhibit
the rapid return of the green. I said I would do some research, and by the
limited number of responce, I guess there isn't. It looks like 5, years of growth each year on one side!


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## PressurePros (May 6, 2007)

If you truly kill the growth at the root with, yes, bleach, it will not return as quickly. I do offer a polymer coating upgrade on house washes that is made by a flooring manufacturer. They only will sell you a concentrate and by the drum so it would probably not be a feasible purchase for you. There used to be a decent product called Sil-O-Wet made by Envirospec that was sold for this purpose. For some reason they eliminated it from their product line but you could look at their website for a replacement.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

sounds like good repeat buisness to me


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## the paintman (Feb 3, 2012)

Yes! There is a coating you can apply. Its called Satin or Semi-Gloss Acrylic Coating. And really i know it sounds like I am being funny, but really I am not. This is why. 
I live in Florida where the humidity is the highest average in the world and we deal with mold and mildew on a daily basis. It is a proven fact that mildew attacks a deteriorated substrate 2 to 4 times faster than it does a freshly painted surface. Even if its less than a high quality Acrylic paint. I tell my customers they need a quality paint job to fix the problem. To prove my point to yourself. Start to notice where the mildew was the worst the next time you clean a house. Notice its always where the stucco/wood/siding is the weakest. I say coat with the highest sheen that is suitable for the situation to alleviate the problem from coming back as long as possible and to make it easier to clean when it does.


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## Susan (Nov 29, 2011)

Consider taking a look at the roof on that side as well. If there is any funk growing up there, kill it. The growth rate you are describing suggests that the mold has a starting point that has yet to be identified. Could be pollen and other crap from overhanging branches coupled with the lack of natural light. Think like mold. 
All things to consider before settling on working with some chemicals meant for commercial use.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Csheils said:


> Consider taking a look at the roof on that side as well. If there is any funk growing up there, kill it. The growth rate you are describing suggests that the mold has a starting point that has yet to be identified. Could be pollen and other crap from overhanging branches coupled with the lack of natural light. Think like mold.
> All things to consider before settling on working with some chemicals meant for commercial use.


I agree. Try opening up some natural light. Tell them to Keep tree's and hedges trimmed back. Also, most exterior paints these days have built in fungicides.. Just make sure to do a very good job of killing the existing mildew first! Houshold Bleach, or better yet, try to get your hands on some of that oxygen bleach. Someone had a good link to buying that stuff on here somewhere..? Anyone?


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## BBFpainter (Feb 2, 2012)

No hedges, no trees, almost no sun. The growth is a very bright green- like moss. The roof does have some growth on it. When I
pressure wash, I almost always use Zep power washing flued mixed
with bleach ( not a whole lot ) and TSP. I will clean the roof this Spring, and up the bleach on the siding. As far as painting goes, I 
always tell my customers to keep there house clean - at least wash
every other year, because once a stain sets the only way to elim-
inate it is to paint. This has been repeat buisness but, I am trying to
lookout for my customers- thinking that is the best way to look out
for me, but I'm probably wrong about that! Thanks for all the input.


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## RaleighPainter (Jun 13, 2011)

finishesbykevyn said:


> I agree. Try opening up some natural light. Tell them to Keep tree's and hedges trimmed back. Also, most exterior paints these days have built in fungicides.. Just make sure to do a very good job of killing the existing mildew first! Houshold Bleach, or better yet, try to get your hands on some of that oxygen bleach. Someone had a good link to buying that stuff on here somewhere..? Anyone?


"Oxygen Bleach" is sodium percarbonate, it is not a great choice for mold and mildew eradication, chlorine bleach is best. However if you would like to buy some go to walmart and buy the off brand "oxi clean" for about 6 dollars. This stuff works ok for removing the "grey" look of pressure treated wood that has never been coated, even then you have to allow it to dwell for a long time, brush it in, rinse, sometimes even re-apply. Not what you are looking for to clean siding/kill growth effectively.


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