Cladding provides a uniform and stylish facade for buildings. It has been used for this purpose for many years, and since it first appeared on the market, the durability of the materials used has increased tenfold.
However, in order to ensure that cladding surfaces last as long as they're supposed to, they need to be regularly maintained, and a key part of that maintenance is cladding cleaning which is why our cladding cleaning services are beneficial to you.
Cladding cleaning is a long and difficult process sometimes, and since it involves cleaning the entirety of the outside of a building, it can often be a risky job.
If you need to clean your cladding, it's worth considering hiring a professional team like EMS Powerwash to help you with all of your cladding cleaning needs.
No hassle, no obligation—just a fair price for top-quality cleaning.
A lot of property owners don't think twice about cleaning their cladding. After all, if cladding is designed to be outside, why should you bother with cladding cleaning services - surely the materials are specially designed to withstand the outdoors, right?
Unfortunately, that's not the case. Cladding materials are designed to withstand the elements, but they still get dirty and they are still susceptible to damage if left uncared for. Here are all the reasons that you should make sure you're putting the effort into cleaning your cladding surfaces on a regular basis.
Heavy winds, storms, snow, ice and even sunshine can cause long-term damage to cladding.
Depending on the material, changes in temperature and moisture levels can cause things like the freeze-thaw cycle, wherein the material absorbs moisture which freezes, expanding and causing structural issues within the substrate or the cladding material. High winds can carry with them pollutants, and rain can dirty the surface, leaving behind unsightly marks.
In addition to weathering, cladding is also prone to organic growth. This happens when moisture creates the right environment on the surface of the cladding for things like mould, algae, moss and lichens, all of which can look unsightly and are capable of causing damage in the long run. Moss can prevent materials from being able to expel water properly, leading to mould and structural damp issues, and can be hard to remove, even with aggressive techniques like pressure washing, as the spores often remain behind.
There are also airborne pollutants. These are carried on the winds and in the air and when they meet the surface of the cladding, they eat at the material. This can cause scarring and in some cases it can even create structural weak spots.
But, cladding cleaning helps to reduce these issues and risks. By regularly removing spores and debris from the surface and wiping away any pollutants before they are able to cause damage, you can protect your cladding and extend its lifespan.
When you get cladding applied to your building, it will often come with a manufacturer's guarantee. Usually, in this cladding warranty or guarantee, you will find that it stipulates something about maintenance.
This means that, if you are not cleaning the cladding surface on a regular basis, you void the warranty. So if something were to happen, or something went wrong with your exterior cladding surfaces, the manufacturer would be within their right to refuse to step in.
Therefore, to ensure that you have full access to the services you have a legal right to, you must clean the exterior surfaces regularly.
Whether the property is a commercial building or a home, you always want your buildings to give a favourable impression, so it is important to have it in as close to pristine condition as possible! This is even more important for businesses, as it will help maintain a company image.
When a building looks shabby, with external cladding that clearly needs cleaning, it creates a poor first impression. This can be detrimental for businesses who sell out of their building, as many customers will make unpleasant assumptions about your services or products based on the state of the exterior cladding, even without realising it
When cladding is left alone and regular cladding cleaning does not occur, it will quickly become discoloured and corroded. At this point, the only options are to spray or replace the cladding on your exterior walls, both of which are pricey processes. The former is also quite an extensive job and can disrupt business.
Alternatively, by making sure you start the cleaning process on a regular basis and either hiring cladding cleaning services or doing the cladding cleaning yourself, you can prevent the issues from happening, saving your cladding
At EMS Powerwash, we offer expert cleaning services for homes and businesses across the East Midlands. Our team uses the best tools and techniques to make your property look brand new. No matter the job, we deliver reliable, high-quality results every time.
There are a few different techniques when it comes to cladding cleaning, each suited to different properties and different cladding materials.
Often, professionals will use the water-fed pole technique. This is sometimes called the 'reach and wash' system. It involves using water-fed poles that are telescopic, meaning that there is no need for ladders or lifts, lowering the risk of slips and falls dramatically. The use of long, water-fed poles also ensures effective cleaning of high-level cladding in a safe and easy way.
The water-fed poles use purified water to properly dissolve dirt and grime. The lack of chemicals used in this process makes it a popular choice as it is more environmentally friendly and is commonly used on cladding materials that may suffer from discoloration if chemicals were to be used on their surface.
Jet washing or pressure washing services are other services we provide if necessary . It is done from mobile platforms and used in place of other techniques when the cladding cleaning is extensive enough to need it, and when the cladding material can withstand such high pressure washing. It requires the professionals to be raised into the air using scissor lifts or similar equipment, and so has more of an element of risk to it than water-fed poles.
There is also a risk when it comes to using pressure washers on the material. If used too harshly or at the wrong angle, such high-pressure water can damage materials, even strong materials like cement. Professionals must be well-trained and careful when pressure washing cladding. Our team are experts at this and we would use for example our graffiti removal services to remove graffiti from your cladding using the jet washing technique.
Our soft washing services are the opposite of jet washing. It uses low pressure, high volumes of water at high temperatures and specially designed cleaning solutions to remove dirt and organic material from delicate materials. It is great for sensitive cladding cleaning services, and removing organic materials and is the perfect choice if you're looking to restore a property.
Soft washing can be used on stainless steel cladding, aluminium cladding, stone cladding and lots of other materials. It is much safer than pressure washing on gentle materials, and because of this, it is considered to be safe to use on most metal cladding materials and other cladding. It is also reasonably cost-effective, and when done by an efficient cleaning company it can be a quick service. We also have a DOFF cleaning service which would also be an effective way to clean your cladding.
There are a huge number of cladding materials and each of them requires slightly different cleaning services because the best cleaning process for each one is a little different. You can get:
Each of these looks, acts and requires different things. They serve different purposes, and no one material will provide the same cladding experience.
Timber cladding is good and low maintenance, and is super budget-friendly. It offers a lot of freedom, as it can be installed vertically, diagonally or horizontally, and is often chosen because wooden boards create a natural-looking external cladding system.
However, because it is a natural material, it is also a porous material and can swell, shrink, warp and collect humidity. This makes it hard to clean. If you need to clean wooden cladding it is best to hire professionals like EMS Powerwash to get rid of algae and other dirty marks on the surface of your wood.
Metal cladding is impressive and modern. It is usually found on commercial buildings, where it boasts extra fire protection as a non-combustible material, and brings a sleek and industrial appearance.
However, it is prone to corrosion, and stubborn stains and still requires a significant amount of maintenance. When metal cladding gets too wet, or if the coating used is worn away, metal cladding panels can rust. To prevent this, metal cladding panels will need cleaning, especially on commercial properties.
It is notoriously hard to clean, though, as you don't want to damage the finish or coating, and you don't want to cause rust to form on the surface. Metal is more porous as a material than people realise, and cleaning it wrong when it comes to cladding cleaning could cause irreversible damage. Hiring professionals is recommended to make sure that you use a suitable cladding cleaning method.
Glass cladding gives you a sleek and modern finish. It is often used on high-rise modern buildings in city centres that are designed to stand out. As a cladding material, it is easy to clean and can easily withstand the British weather. In fact, it's one of the more resilient cladding materials out there, and when it comes to cleaning it, hot soapy water will usually suffice.
There are many different types of plastic cladding. Here are the different types of cladding:
FIbreglass reinforced polyester is considered to be strong and robust and can come with a coloured top layer to allow customisation.
Made from PVC, this is a honeycomb-structure style of cladding.
A low-maintenance cladding material that is weather-resistant and durable.
Recycled plastic cladding has the benefit of not rotting, is suitable for many houses and is eco-friendly.
Vinyl cladding is often used alongside timber weatherboards to improve upon the insulation, water resistance and sound dampening.
These cladding materials are generally resistant to moisture and are super light and easy to install. This makes them a popular choice. External cladding cleaning is also simple with plastic cladding, so long as you don't use the wrong cleaning solutions and avoid abrasive techniques. They can typically be cleaned with just hot water and soap.
The only exception is uPVC cladding, which requires protection against stains and corrosion.
Concrete, cement and stone cladding are non-porous materials. They are, therefore, great to use to fight against moisture. Cement and concrete are cheap materials and practical, but they do require regular industrial cleaning services.
Stone, on the other hand, is more expensive and also requires more industrial cleaning in order to properly clean.
Brick slip cladding is made up of bricks that are cut into smaller, lighter stones that form a really sturdy material. It is stylish and sturdy as a material, but brick does attract moss, algae, lichen, dirt and debris. This means that it requires cleaning on a regular basis, and it also means that it is really difficult to clean because of all of these other deposits within the pores and cracks.
If you have brick slip cladding and want to keep it clean, you can trust EMS Powerwash to do an excellent job. Our team will use their expertise to clean your cladding quickly and efficiently,or remove all of the deposits and dirt within the brickwork.
Cleaning cladding is one way of protecting your cladding, if you are sure to regularly clean the surfaces you will limit the chances of long-term damage. But aside from cleaning work, you can also invest in coating and sealing your cladding.
Once you've had your cladding cleaned, simply coat your clean cladding in a protective layer that will protect your cladding from corrosion, rotting, and natural growth. This will help to extend the time periods between your cladding cleaning services, and your building will look perfect for much longer.
It is hard to determine how much the cladding cleaning services you need will cost, as it depends on a number of factors:
If you've got a glass cladding system on the outside of your building, it is easier to clean than if you were to have aluminium exterior cladding. So removing dirt from the former would incur less labour costs. Alternatively, sensitive cladding materials like aluminium will need a gentler process, which usually takes longer and therefore costs more.
Not every building is easily accessible. If it is difficult for the team to reach the exterior of the building, then the job may cost more to complete as more equipment may be needed.
For restoration jobs, there will likely be more labour required. As a result, the job will likely cost more than if the cladding had been cleaned recently
If you need cladding cleaning services, contact EMS Powerwash today for a free quote. Our team is well-known for delivering very high-standard cleaning methods time and time again, and whether you need a business exterior cleaning, or your home is covered in algae and moss - we'll restore the appearance of the property in no time at all.
Our customers love our work, and you can find out why! Just contact us today to discuss our many different kinds of cladding cleaning services.
Cladding cleaning involves the removal of dirt, grime, and contaminants from the exterior surfaces of a building's cladding. This helps maintain its appearance and structural integrity.
Cladding should be cleaned at least once a year to prevent the buildup of pollutants that can damage the surface. More frequent cleaning may be needed in areas with high pollution.
Our service can clean a wide variety of cladding types including aluminium, steel, glass, and PVC. We use tailored methods to ensure each material is cleaned effectively and safely.
The cost of cladding cleaning depends on the size of the building, the type of cladding, and the cleaning method required. Contact us for a tailored quote based on your specific needs.
We use a variety of methods including low-pressure washing, steam cleaning, and specialist cleaning solutions depending on the cladding material and condition. Our approach is safe and efficient.
Yes, cladding cleaning can remove stains such as dirt, algae, moss, and even rust. We use the appropriate techniques to restore the look of your building's exterior.
