Preparing Your Home Exterior for Spring
After months of rain, shade and damp, a Lower Mainland home wears the winter on the outside: green algae on the shaded walls, moss on the roof and walkways, gutters full of the last of the leaves, and a general grey film over everything. Spring is the natural time to reset it all, and a bit of planning makes the refresh efficient.
What winter leaves on your home
The wet season is prime growing time for moss and algae, so by spring the north and shaded sides of the house have filmed over, the roof has darkened where it is shaded, and the driveway, walkways and deck have grown the slick green that makes them a slip hazard. Gutters are often loaded, and windows are dulled by winter grime.
None of it means anything is wrong; it is just what our winters do. Spring is when it becomes visible and when the good weather makes it worth addressing.
The spring refresh, in order
The efficient approach is top-down so you do not re-dirty finished surfaces: roof and gutters first, then the siding, soffits and windows, then the hard surfaces at ground level, driveway, walkways, patio and deck. That order lets each stage rinse onto surfaces still to be cleaned.
The house wash is the piece that makes the biggest visible difference, stripping the winter algae off the siding and making the whole home look fresh, while clearing the walkways and stairs removes the winter slip hazard.
Timing and bundling
Spring is the busy season for exterior cleaning, so booking a little ahead gets you the timing you want. Bundling the jobs into one visit is far cheaper than booking them separately, since the setup is shared, and doing the whole envelope at once gives an even, finished result rather than a patchwork.
If the budget is limited, prioritise the gutters, the slip hazards on walkways and stairs, and a house wash, which together protect the home and give the biggest lift. A quick walkaround or a few photos are enough to scope a spring package.