Washing the Cottage and Hanging New Gutters
13 photos · siding and exterior
Before any paint or trim work, the whole exterior needed a real cleaning. I pressure-washed the siding with Zep cleaner to strip cobwebs, mildew, and twenty-some years of weather. The original gutters were packed with debris and the downspouts had been routed around the trim like an afterthought, so I had a seamless gutter outfit hang new white aluminum runs once the siding was clean and dry.
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Before Original gutters were stuffed solid with debris — that was sending water straight into the fascia and back down the siding.
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Before A downspout that had been routed around the window trim instead of through it. Cobwebs and rot at every joint.
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Before Roof edge and aluminum gutter — moss buildup at the drip line told me how long it had been since anyone cleaned them.
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Before Window trim peeling, sill filthy, shutter hanging crooked. This is the side of the house that hadn't been touched in years.
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Before Front entry and the window beside it before wash. Trim was chalked out and the siding was holding mildew.
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Before Double-hung before I got to it — frame and screen filthy, sash painted shut.
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Before Pressure washer set up with Zep cleaner. Started at the worst-peeling wall so I could see what would come off and what I'd need to scrape.
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Before Working around to the second elevation. Getting the loose paint and chalk off before any new trim or gutter goes up.
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During Wand on the dirty siding and window — twenty years of pollen, bug residue, and pine needle stain coming off in sheets.
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During Working close to the window frames carefully so I didn't drive water back up under the trim.
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After New seamless white gutter on the corner over freshly trimmed window. Clean lines back where they belong.
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After Same elevation after — new gutter, fresh white trim against tan lap siding. Reads like a different house.
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After Corner detail: new aluminum gutter and downspout properly routed straight down past the trim, not around it.
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