Mold is a tricky substance. It is an essential part of the natural world that helps break down matter, which can then take on a new forms. However, mold can also attack your home and break down its materials. Your roof shingles, windowsills, and even the exterior walls can develop hideous mold. Dark splotches of green, brown, or black mold can make your home look downright disgusting. When this happens, you can count on paint contractors in Alpharetta to cover up the unsightly effects.
However, you must first remove the mold from the surface itself. Simply painting over mold will not get rid of it. It is a living organism, after all. Here are some tips for removing mold from your home's exterior.
- Prepare a wall for repainting with a heavy-duty cleaning solution like bleach. You can also use trisodium phosphate, a mold-killing chemical.
- Dress yourself in protective clothing, eyewear, and gloves. Mold-killing chemicals can irritate the skin and eyes. You may also want to wear a mask to block the strong odor of bleach.
- Dilute 1 part of the above chemicals with 4 parts warm water. Do not apply the chemicals directly, as they are far too harsh for direct use. Note that you should use either beach or TSP, not a mixture of both.
- Fill a spray bottle, sponge, or hose attachment with the solution and apply to the mold-infested areas. Do not put bleach into a container that previously held any other cleaning substance. This can cause chlorine gas to form. Chlorine gas can damage your lungs.
- Mold can be recognized as discolored splotches on the surface. It may be isolated to specific areas, especially where water is likely to hit the exterior wall directly.
- Once you have cleansed the surface, allow the chemical mixture to sit on the wall for several minutes. This will ensure that the mold is thoroughly killed and not simply reduced. Even a tiny amount of remaining mold can bloom into large, discolored splotches fairly quickly.
- You can now rinse the entire wall with a hose. This will wash away the dead mold and the cleaning chemicals. Allow the wall to dry.
- Next, you should hire a painting contractor to start working on the area. They will use a specialized primer under a coat of new paint. You can even request that they use stain-blocking primer to prevent future mold problems.
- The contractor can then follow up with specialized exterior paint. Anti-mildew chemicals are added into a variety of attractive exterior paints. They will prevent mold spores from forming and still look clean, even, and shiny.
Remember to hire
paint contractors in Alpharetta for all exterior painting jobs. They will offer you the best results for an attractive, mold-free home.