Fence Cabbage - Please Don't Eat It!
Posted: August 28th, 2023
Lichen and Algae
The lichen we found on this vinyl fence has a striking resemblance to something you might find in your salad, doesn't it? Don't worry - Nobody is eating the lichen off of vinyl fences(as far as we know). This stuff is very interesting, and it has a relationship with the accompanying algae/bacteria found in the video featured in this article. Again, the infamous Gloeocapsa Magma, a cyanobacteria also known as blue-green algae, not only covers shingles on rooftops here in Melbourne, Florida and surrounding cities, but also commonly our stucco, vinyl, and plank sidings of our home exteriors. While the lichen is not quite as common, if the conditions are just right like the conditions on this vinyl fence, it will grow and thrive.
Built To Survive
As you may be able to observe in the featured video, the lichen is a tough customer and needed some extra effort and scrubbing to remove. In contrast to the algae, which usually just falls right off without any scrubbing or high pressure from the pressure washer. Nonetheless, it's always quite the experience to work on this stuff and to see the immaculate contrast between and dirty and organic covered surface to a gleaming(and almost blinding!) white, vinyl fence. This particular customer's fence looked almost brand new when it was completed, and was quite satisfied, as were we. It's always a pleasure to see results that go above and beyond expectations, both for the customer and for us as well!
Keep It In The Trees
To keep your vinyl fence looking new for as long as possible, it is advised to make sure that dirt and grime, as well as organics like algae/bacteria, lichen, mold, and mildew all be eliminated from the surface. As a result of these organisms simply trying to survive, they can be destructive to manmade structures, like vinyl, stucco, asphalt shingles, etc. They trap heat, moisture, and even deteriorate the components present in the materials that these organisms dwell upon. Hermit Softwash is here and ready to keep these organics in the trees and wooded areas and off of your home, business, concrete, siding, and wherever else damage can occur.
Get A Professional
While it is possible to pressure wash with basic equipment many of these surfaces, it is often advisable to call professionals, like Hermit Softwash. Pressure washing as a homeowner with store-bought pressure washing equipment can suffice for many simple cleaning projects, but for more delicate and susceptible surfaces such as vinyl, stucco, or especially asphalt roof shingles, soft washing is the industry standard, and is always recommended over traditional pressure washing. As these projects get more and more involved, you're not just dealing with dirt anymore. There's a myriad of different factors at play, and the more complicated a cleaning project gets, the higher the risk factor is for a D.I.Y. project. We are equipped and ready to handle what is needed to maintain your property's exterior without risking damage to its surfaces and materials. Call us today to schedule your exterior cleaning!
Don't Worry - We Didn't Eat The Fence Cabbage
The video below showcases the day we cleaned a vinyl fence with a lot of lichen on the top, and a lot of algae on the bottom, and a bit of dirt and soil here and there. It took a little scrubbing, and just enough pressure, which is uncommon for a vinyl fence cleaning, but in this case it was necessary. But we are well trained to know when to use pressure and how much pressure to apply when working with these delicate surfaces. Keeping up with the maintenance on your property's exterior is vital to ensuring that your investment stays in top form for a very long time. When all is said and done, it turned out fantastic! We did not eat any of the fence cabbage, but we did look at it and get a little bit hungry because of its resemblance to salad! Please enjoy the video below, and don't forget to schedule your exterior cleaning with us so we can knock that lichen(fence cabbage) off of your property!