I recently overheard a conversation between a painter and another person. The painter said that if you wash your house with bleach, it removes the mold retardant in the paint and the mold will come back quicker. He didn't know that I was a contractor and I didn't say anything. Is there anything to what he is saying, or do you think he tells people that to keep them from just cleaning instead of painting?
Here you go Al:
1. If the mold retardent was working correctly then there wouldn't be any mold there to worry about.
I have not seen a mold retardent or inhibitor that ever worked here, it is just a selling gimick to add more money to the job.
2. I would ask the painter where the report is, what Manufacturer or Universitydid the study on this mold retardent being pulled out of the paint so the mold comes back faster. I would like to read that report or study. A lot of people will say things just to flap their gums, tell him to show where he got his info that he is telling people about so that the info can be verified otherwise he is just talking out of his butt and that is where his credibility comes from also.
3. Some parts of the country have higher humidity so more mold, more shaded areas also mean more mold and algae there, some places like here I have to wash my own house sometimes 2 times a year because I live right on the Gulf Coast so there is always high humidity, lots of morning dew so lots of mold and algae growth happening here and around the lake area also.
4. The painter is probably pissed that a good house wash will mean no house painting for him so he is trying to discourage the wash as he will make no money there.
5. A lot of times I have washed houses and buildings and they decided that they really did not need to paint and that saved them a lot of money, painters got mad, too bad, O Well that is life.
6. I have heard of mold inhibitors/retarders added to the Stucco/Dryvit mix to prevent mold and algae, it does not work down here, the mold and algae will grow on just about anything, I have even seen mold and algae growing on cars and trucks that have been parked for a long time.
7. It might appear to be coming back quicker after the surface is clean but that might be due to the surface being dirty so you don't really notice the mold there until it is really bad, once it is washed then it is so clean that you will notice just about anything that is on the surface. Mold and algae will return here every year, nothing works to prevent it from coming back.
8. You ought to use this painter's info to help you sell house washes as there is no proof to what he is saying and who knows how many victims he has that fell for his line of B.S. and got houses painted when they could have been cleaned for a lot less money and the painting delayed a lot longer.
Hope this helps.
