Winter is cunning and lingers long after snow has melted. In the cold winter months of January and February we mostly remain indoors, where it is warm and comfortable. Our house suffers the worst of the season on the outside. We believe that all is preserved, as it is frozen. But with the turn of the calendar to April and the first, hard sunlight of spring striking the siding, things begin to get messy.

Winter does not pass; it leaves behind a smear of stubborn dirt. When your house appears a little grayer than it was, or when your windows are always cloudy, it is the consequence of a long cold winter.

The Science of the “Winter Film”

What in the world is that gunk on your house? It’s more than just dirt. A complicated combination of environmental contaminants which have been baked on your surfaces by the process of freezing and thawing.

  • The Salt Mist: If you do not happen to be in the uniformly moist areas of the world, you are likely covered with magnesium chloride or rock salt on the home. When vehicles pass through the slush, they spray up a fine spray of salt. This mist goes farther than you would imagine, and is deposited upon your siding and trim. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind a salt film that can damage your paint over time.
  • Carbon and Soot: Winter air is usually heavier due to particulates. Carbon soot is deposited on wet surfaces between the fireplaces in the neighborhood and the droning engines and furnaces. Due to the humidity of the air, this soot becomes a sticky film, which cannot be removed with just a garden hose.
  • Biological Growth (Mold & Algae): Mold and algae never die in the winter; they simply go out of action. Behind your bushes in the damp and shady places or on the north side of your house, where the melting snow leaves moisture, it furnishes the ideal place where spores take root.

The April Reveal: A Sudden Spotlight

Home owners experience something in the early spring. The house is all right this day, but the following day, under the sun of bright April, it seems like it has not been swept in ten years. 

This occurs since the sun is brighter and at a higher angle during the spring than during the winter. This direct light brings out the “texture” of the dirt. In early spring, too, the pollen is so grabby. It adheres to the salty, sticky residue, which winter leaves behind, coating a fine layer of dust in a thick, yellowish-gray layer.

Restoring Clarity and Curb Appeal

The worst part about winter residue is the way it alters what you would see on the inside. Not only are dirty windows ugly to the passerby, but they also alter the color in which the light enters your home, and your living room appears dark and dingy.

You cannot simply hose this accumulation away. Winter residue is often abrasive and coarse, such as those little crystals of salt, and therefore drying it off may leave little scratches on your glass and siding. The idea is to remove the residue off the surface. To protect your surfaces, the safest method is to hire a professional home window washer in Broomfield who has the right tools to dissolve the grime without damage. 

A professional does not simply carry a bucket of water, but he applies special solutions that dissolve the salts and raise the soot without damaging the glass and the seals. It is the distinction between the dirt just being shoved about and getting taken off.

Your Spring Exterior Checklist

As the weather warms up, to bring your home back to something resembling summer, follow these steps:

  1. The Low-Pressure Rinse

Don’t give in to the urge to use a high-pressure power washer on your siding. You could push water behind the panels, which could cause mold to grow where you can’t see it. Instead, use a cleaning solution that is made to break down salt and carbon and a “soft wash” method.

  1. Gutter De-Sludging

It may seem that you cleaned your gutters in the fall, but there is always one last coat of dirt and debris that winter leaves behind. Ensure your downspouts are not blocked by the so called shingle grit that usually flows down during snow falling heavy melts.

  1. Screen Maintenance

This is a big deal. When you clean your windows and leave your screens dirty, the spring rain will only cause the winter dirt to come off the screen and on to the glass. Remember to remove the screens, clean them and dry them, and then replace them.

  1. Inspect the Caulking

The freeze-thaw cycle does not suit window seals as it causes them to stretch and shrink. When cleaning your windows, look keenly at their edges. The caulk will be broken or peeling so moisture will get in.

Final Thoughts

The concept of spring cleaning typically comes to mind when we are doing some cleaning inside the house, such as dusting the floor boards and organizing the closets. However, it is what is on the exterior of your house that makes the interior secure. You are not merely washing off the corrosive salts, the intractable soot with which winter leaves its stains on the neighboring houses when you hose down. You are also prolonging the life of the materials in your home. 

Take a stroll around your home this weekend. See the sunshine glass and siding. Time to clean off the winter, and open the doors to the spring sunshine, unless you like what you see.