New Jersey’s condo communities and homeowner associations might vary in their architectural styles, but over time every exterior—from suburban vinyl siding to turn-of-the-century urban brick—experiences exterior wear due to the elements and the simple passage of time. As years go by, most facades and exterior surfaces will begin to lose their luster and require occasional deep-cleanings, with regular maintenance to keep things looking good in between.

Culprits

“Exhaust causes a serious problem and creates a layer of soot,” says Ed Talmo, president of Graffiti Control Specialists/Enviro-Northeast in Highland Lakes. “Jet fuel can even be a problem if you’re near an area where there’s an airport.”

Carbon is the major contributing factor on most dirty buildings.

“Carbon and everything from smog to dust affect exteriors,” says Raymond G. Saleeby, president and CEO of Remco Maintenance, LLC in Long Island City. “It’s worse on the lower levels of a building than the higher levels because carbon is heavier than air.” Also, rain patterns can create unsightly smears and streaks on everything from glass to stucco.

Regular Maintenance and Cleaning

Dirt, grime and graffiti not only look terrible but they can also present problems for your building or HOA that go beyond aesthetics.

“As dirt builds up on an exterior surface, it will draw in even more moisture and after a while it gets extremely difficult to remove,” says Talmo. “The sooner you remove it, the better off you are.”

Before any cleaning job commences, says Louis Cautero of CP Painting Inc. in Kenvil, “A contractor will come out to the site and provide an estimate. Usually the association has specifications which the contractor obtains first, then he goes to the site [to make an assessment of the job], and then draws up a detailed proposal.”

As for cost, Cautero says, “It varies so much because the average building varies in size. You can have a four-unit building, a six-unit building, a 100-unit building—it wouldn’t be fair to give you a number, as each unit is different to price accordingly.”

“We always quote a specific job depending on the types of products, the types of scaffolding needed, and the various permits involved,” says Talmo. “Make sure the company you select has been in business for quite a while, has insurance in place and that they take responsibility for permits.”

As Saleeby notes, normally 15 percent of an HOA’s operating budget is devoted to building maintenance—and exterior maintenance should be factored in accordingly.

How the Pros Clean

New Jersey’s housing stock comprises many different building materials, and getting them clean requires different approaches, depending on what a given building is made of. It’s important for an exterior contractor to assess the nature of both the building material and the dirt on it to determine the most effective method of cleaning it. What works for limestone might not work at all for brick, and might be flat-out disastrous for vinyl.

A great number of New Jersey HOAs are clad in vinyl siding, and power washing is probably the most common way to get them looking presentable. “Vinyl siding doesn’t need to be painted,” says Cautero. “It’s a maintenance-free substrate, but it does need to be cleaned, and it does fade with age. When vinyl ages it oxidizes, so it needs to be washed uniformly, every inch, side to side, to remove the oxidation. You have to create a uniform working method, and wash it completely to prevent any streaking.”

Though spraying water and a little detergent at a grimy building might seem like a pretty straightforward procedure, this method is best left to the experts.

“Power washers must be used by someone who is familiar with them,” cautions Talmo. “Otherwise you can do even more damage to the building.”

Cautero agrees. “A very inexperienced worker could do a lot of damage to a wood substrate. You could do some very serious damage to a cedar substrate, for example. Cedar is not a dense wood like others, and it can be costly to repair depending on how deep the damage goes. If it’s too deep, you would have to replace it.”

The equipment used for power washing is specialized as well, Cautero continues. “A gas-powered pressure washer is used, and can be used up to 3,000 PSI, (pounds per square inch), but 2,500 PSI is usually what’s recommended. It does go up to 3,500 PSI, but you have to be careful.”

For surfaces like limestone, the water drip method is often used, says Saleeby.

“This is a continuous flow of water for a period of time on stone to remove the dirt and carbon buildup. It works from top to bottom of the buildings and is very environmentally-friendly,” he says. “And we also use a Joss machine, which uses little glass pellets to impinge on stone and lighten it.”

An exterior cleaning project can be done in stages, depending on the type of exterior material and the extent of dirt on or damage to the building’s surface. According to Cautero, vinyl siding should be professionally spruced up every three to five years to prevent mildewing and discoloration.

“In terms of metal, it’s a continuous maintenance program,” says Saleeby. “Glass should be done once every 10 years. You can use protective coatings and sealers for unfinished and non-painted metals every six to 10 years. Stone should be cleaned every 15 years. The value of a building really comes out when you clean the stone. Re-spraying metallic coating on buildings that have painted surfaces should be done every 15 to 20 years.”

Tricks of the Trade

Although the professionals won’t always reveal their trade secrets, there are certain methods and product lines the professionals swear by.

“We use a mixture of cerium oxide to carefully polish glass and bring a weathered and aged look back to its original luster,” says Saleeby.

Talmo recommends Dumond Chemical for its product line and support staff.

“I favor the Cathedral Stone product cleaning line,” says Wayne Bellet of Manhattan-based exterior company Bellet Construction Co. Inc. “They make a lot of lines, but their cleaning division is exemplary, along with Detrick and Prosoco, which makes a product line called Sure Klean. Peel Away is also good.”

Graffiti isn’t quite as big a problem in suburban communities it is in the inner city, but HOAs still get tagged occasionally. Simply painting over vandals’ work might seem like a quick and easy solution, but that approach to the problem is not advised for several reasons.

“Putting paint on masonry is the worst thing you can do,” warns Talmo. “You’ll trap moisture, and if it freezes it will break the capillaries in the mortar, and the brick will be shot. At that point, you’d have to strip everything, let it dry out and seal it. That’s a major concern because that trapped moisture will deteriorate [the surface] to the point where it becomes a structural problem.”

As the environmental movement has gained traction in nearly every industry, eco-friendly cleaners have become extremely popular among exterior cleaning companies as a viable alternative to harsher products. While harsh chemicals were once the gold standard when it came to stripping smog residue, stains, and vandals’ paint off building exteriors, over the years products have become gentler and more environmentally-friendly.

“Years back when we first started doing graffiti removal, there were nasty chemicals like potassium hydroxide and methylene chloride,” says Talmo. “Now you have products that are a lot more environmentally-friendly and easier to use.”

“We use biodegradable cleaning solutions,” says Cautero. “Clorox makes a good exterior bleach called Clorox Outdoor. You break it down five parts water and one part bleach, and use it in a spray pump or run it through the machine to remove mildew, oil, grease, foreign substances, and dirt.”

Clean Up!

Regardless of the type of building you call home, a well-kept, routinely maintained exterior can have a noticeable impact on the look of your entire association. According to Saleeby, a deep cleaning can really transform a building. “The difference is dramatic,” he says. “It really increases the value of the building significantly.”

And that says nothing of the benefits it provides to the structural integrity. It’s true that most building problems originate from within the walls, but with a solid exterior cleaning program in place, you can worry a little less about problems that Mother Nature can throw at you and your own little castle.

Stephanie Mannino is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor toThe New Jersey Cooperator.