Render cleaning and treatment

Expert Render Cleaning in Llanelli, Swansea and all South Wales area

Many homes in recent years have been finished in a pre-coloured render especially in the Llanelli and Swansea area. This finish goes on quickly and is capable of making smooth uninterrupted modern lines. There is no need to paint this finish as the colour is through the material, so it is favoured by developers. The most popular products are K-rend, Weber and Parex.

In the wet climate of South Wales this kind of render tends to hold a little moisture creating a perfect environment for biological growth to thrive.

Firstly, Gentle Removal of biological staining from the render

The first step is to identify the type of staining. Generally the rendered wall looks dirty due to these growths. There tends to be green and red staining from Algae and Black staining from fungus. There may also be other growths if the render has not beeen Cleaned for some years such as Lichen or Moss. Black Lichen can be very difficult to remove from render and moss can erode the surface as it grows in cracks and crevices and expands when it grows and freezes.

Experts in Softwashing

Usually if the render looks very dirty a deep clean is initially required using an alkaline cleaner and low pressure steam rinse. A broad spectrum biocide can also be applied to offer some residual protection. In certain circumstances a biocide treatment may suffice. The method of chemical cleaning is sometimes called Softwashing, however there are a number of different methods and products that can be used depending on the type of staining. We offer an advanced render cleaning process utilising the most effective products and methods. We have been Softwashing before the term became popular and we thoroughly understand the chemical products used, effects on all surfaces and safety precautions that are needed.

The products we use will not invalidate the warranty of your coloured render, most manufactures also supply their own cleaning products such as k rend algae cleaner, Algotech from Parex or CL150 from Weber. These all contain similar active biocide ingredients and can be effective cleaners.

No Damage to your property or plants during cleaning

We have observed a great deal of damage caused to buildings from use of pressure washers using inappropriate pressure and nozzles. We only use the appropriate low pressure cleaning methods to ensure no unnecessary damage to the render.

Before any chemicals are applied it’s important that any plants and vegetation are protected also any delicate materials that could be altered or corroded by alkaline.
After the stain is identified a chemical application to kill the Algae, Fungus and Lichen is applied, this solution needs to be at the right concentration, temperature and the appropriate dwell time achieved. Biological growth literally grips the surface when it’s alive and trying to remove at this point can cause damage. When the biological growth is dead it’s much easier to gently rinse it away and this approach causes far less erosion from the cleaning process.

After a gentle low pressure steam rinse a suitable broad spectrum biocide such as algoclear Pro is recommended for greatest longevity of clean. It is also ideal to clean and treat adjacent surfaces such as rain water goods, ledges and reveals to remove sources of immediate re-contamination.

This biocide treatment is also a very effective solution for moss Removal and treatment when cleaning roofs.

How Much does render cleaning cost?

It’s a good idea to plan a re-treatment of the render every couple of years as this will generally keep the render looking in good condition, this means a deep clean may not be needed. This approach will help protect the render and keep it looking good for many decades without the need for any kind of painting, saving tens of thousands of pounds over the life of the property.

Coloured render can be a very low cost surface to maintain as it does not need painting but merely needs a clean or treatment every couple of years, the cost of this can be as little as £50 per wall. If coloured render is ever painted then it significantly increases the cost of maintenance as it will still need to be cleaned and then painted with a special breathable paint which is very expensive. It is far better and cheaper to just clean and maintain it.

Should I paint or Protect my Render?

Unfortunately many people have asked decorators to paint their homes or property and these contractors have painted over fungus growth without appropriate cleaning first. The paint will quickly fail and flake off as a result, leaving a very unsightly finish and huge costs to rectify. It is generally not necessary to paint coloured render unless a different colour is required or to cover up damage, then it is vital to clean it appropriately first and use the right kind of paint.

A suitable breathable sealer can be useful way to slow down the build up of biological growth particularly on elevations particularly exposed To prevailing wether and particularly damp areas.

Sometimes coloured through render can hold stains from other sources such as metallic rust stains, tannin stains from adjacent wooden structures or pigment stains from soil of building materials, it is often possible to remove these stains to get the render looking like new.

Call us now for any advice you may require to care for your K-rend, Parex or Weber render. If you are searching for render cleaning near me and you are in the South Wales area then look no further as we can provide an excellent service at a great price.