frequently asked questions

Dark staining on asphalt shingles is caused by growth of an algae called Gloeocapsa Magma.

This algae feeds off on limestones on your shingles and can attract other organisms — resulting in heavy moss and lichen and shortening of your roof’s life.

In addition to that, black streaks affect the energy efficiency of your home and increase air conditioning costs.

The good news is, this growth can be completely removed with our soft wash cleaning process

When your house is wet from rain or morning dew, dust and pollen – which are great food sources for mold and mildew to grow – collect on damp surfaces.

The airborne mold and mildew spores will then stick to your home exterior’s surfaces where they will begin to grow and spread.

The rate of organic growth on your home’s exterior is mostly dependent on environmental conditions such as:

• Humidity
• Sun exposure
• Pollen levels
• And temperature.

In Central Indiana, it is almost a given that parts of your home’s exterior will eventually become contaminated with this naturally occurring organic growth.

Our soft washing process uses a “low-pressure” cleaning method that is designed to wash away surface pollutants without damaging your property.

Specialized pumps and mixing manifolds allow us to apply a specifically-formulated cleaning solution. This solution speeds up the cleaning process and is mild enough to be safe for plants, pets, and people.

On top of that, the solution also contains an oxidizing agent and surfactants that not only eliminate organic growth, but also break down dirt and pollen buildup to prevent mold, mildew, and algae from growing,

To maximize results, all surfaces receive a thorough rinsing with fresh water.

While pressure washing has its own uses especially on concrete, we prefer soft washing for a number of reasons:

1. Soft washing cleans any surface without causing damage to your property since it only uses low pressure.
2. Low pressure allows us to properly clean and sanitize the surface, a thing high-pressure washing can’t do.

Soft washing is also recommended by most siding manufacturers due to its safe yet efficient nature.

The Brighten Exterior Cleaning Services “basic house washing service” includes:

• Cleaning and sanitizing of your home’s exterior from the bottom edge of your siding (near the ground where it overlaps the foundation) to the top edge where your exterior walls, overhangs, or gutters meet your roofing material.
• We clean all exposed siding surfaces and exterior trim boards (including soffits, fascia boards, and corner trim boards).
• We clean the exterior frames of your windows and doors. In the process, your window screens will receive a good soaping and rinsing removing most or all of the dust and debris imbedded in the screen material. 
• PLUS we also pay special attention to your front porch area for maximum results since dust and cobwebs often accumulate there.

Yes. The main ingredient in our cleaning solution is water. We use water for rinsing as well.

We will connect a supply hose to one of your exterior water spigots and use a few hundred gallons of water, depending on the size of your home.

Also, we need about 5 gallons-per-minute of water flow to supply our equipment.

If you are on municipal water supply, flow rates should be sufficient.

In case you are on well water, please let us know so we can determine if your well pressure and volume is sufficient.

We serve in the following areas in Indiana:

• Avon
• Brownsburg
• Carmel
• Center Grove
• Cicero
• Clayton
• Clermont
• Danville
• Fishers
• Indianapolis
• Lebanon
• Lizton
• North Salem
• Speedway
• Westfield
• Whitestown
• Zionsville