We cleaned some pretty oxidized vinyl siding today. I downstreamed and used standard techniques. It was tan, which I find to be a problematic color. Customer called me back and wasn’t satisfied, and neither am I.
I see this type of Siding once or twice a year, but I’ve never really tracked how long it takes for the “drying Trail” to even out and disappear.
I realize there are a couple spots where soap dripped back out, and those would need to be rewashed. Any suggestions on the best way to handle this?
For reference, we’ve done about 50-60 siding jobs this year with no issues, and this is our 6th year of siding, so I don’t think I’m making any basic mistakes. Of course, I may be wrong.
Rinse and rinse and well rinse again…It look like the solution is getting left under the siding and then running down later, so rinse and rinse and then do a fan rinse, put your finger over the stream coming out so the water fans out and flood the siding top to bottom. that should take care of the issue.
Thanks for the feedback. That was the general consensus over on the PWRA as well. I think I rushed it a little since it was a commercial property and wanted to get out of their way before They opened. Coupled with the oxidation, this led to issues.
Hence the reason most won’t mess with aluminum siding. Just went on 2 estimates yesterday both aluminum. I have to remember to ask They were close by so no big deal. Let us know how it comes out when re-rinse it. Are you goin to apply solution again ? Try one side with just rinsing
I actually passed on a highly oxidized vinyl house last year.
TJ , have you ever cleaned aluminum siding. I havnt. Like I said i went on 2 estimates yesterday , An they were both aluminum. I passed on the one already , but the second one wasn’t really that bad as far as oxidation goes. I’m thinking about throwing a number at him An going for it. Only cause he has other work there also.
I have. I don’t always take it. Generally, if the siding is new enough and there is not oxidation, I don’t really worry about it. If there is a slight amount of oxidation, I will be very gentle and I’ve even rinsed with my soap tips before just to be sure. If oxidation is too bad, I pass.
Just wanted to follow-up on this for future reference.
We cleaned the siding on a monday morning. By Friday afternoon, the uneven drying had mostly evened out.
We still went back the next week and rewashed. I kept it gentle, I stayed back from the siding so the pressure didn’t creep up, I watched my angles at all times, and I rinsed THOROUGHLY.
Turned out great, customer was really happy, no problem.
I still attribute it to rushing. As I said initially, it’s a commercial property, so I was trying to finish it before they opened, and I think I hurried too much and compromised good techniques. A good reminder that it’s always quicker to do it right the first time.
In glad it worked out for you. We don’t clean if it even look lime its kind of oxidized. You never know when you’ll get that nightmare customer who wants they’re old deteriated siding replaced because “you” ruined it.
They were close by so no big deal. Let us know how it comes out when re-rinse it. Are you goin to apply solution again ? Try one side with just rinsing
