What Lexington HOAs usually write about
Most letters we see cite one of a handful of things, nearly always on the side of the house the street can see:
- Green or black on the siding. Algae and mildew on vinyl, usually on the shaded north wall and under the eaves.
- Dark driveways and sidewalks. Mildew, tire marks and the black film that builds up on concrete under trees.
- Black streaks on the roof. Algae running down the shaded slope.
- Gray fences. Wood privacy fences that have weathered and gone green at the bottom.
None of that is unusual here. Lexington sits next to Lake Murray, the summers are long and humid, and pine pollen coats everything each spring and holds moisture through the summer. Every house in the neighborhood is growing the same green. The HOA is only asking you to take it off before your neighbors' houses look cleaner than yours.
Read the letter for three things
Before you call anyone, find these in the letter:
- What exactly it cites. Siding, driveway, roof or fence. Clean what they named first. You can always add the rest.
- The deadline. Most letters give you a set number of days. Check yours, and if it is tight, send the management company a copy of your approved quote. It shows the work is booked and on a date, and that is often enough to get a few more days if you need them.
- Whether they want proof. Some HOAs want photos or a receipt once it is done. Our after photos come to you by text when we finish, which most boards accept. If you want a before photo too, ask and we will send one when we arrive, before the job starts, so you can show the HOA both.
What to wash first
If the budget only stretches to one thing this month, wash what the letter names, then whatever faces the street. In practice that usually means the front of the house and the driveway together, because a clean house next to a dark driveway still looks unkempt from the curb.
The siding gets a soft wash, not a pressure washer. The cleaner kills the algae at the root and the rinse is about garden-hose pressure, so nothing is forced behind the vinyl and the green stays away longer. The driveway and walks get a surface cleaner, which leaves one even color instead of wand stripes. If the letter mentions the roof, roof streaks come off at low pressure too.
Fences and decks are the ones to be careful with, because wood scars easily under pressure. They get their own gentle clean and brighten.
Do you need HOA approval to clean?
Usually not. Cleaning on its own rarely needs any architectural approval, because nothing about the house changes except the dirt. Sealing is different. A wet-look sealer deepens the color of pavers and concrete, so if you are thinking of sealing as well, check your covenants or ask the board first.
Keeping the next letter away
- Wash the house every 12 to 18 months. Lake-facing and shaded houses sit at the 12 end.
- Clean the gutters once a year, after the leaves come down in the fall. Overflowing gutters are where the green on the siding gets its start.
- Trim branches back off the roof and away from the north wall so they dry out after rain.
If you have a letter in hand, mention the deadline in the notes when you ask for a quote and we will schedule around it. Most quotes come back within 24 hours with no site visit, and you do not need to be home on the day as long as we can get to the whole property, with any gates left open, and reach an outside tap. More about how we work around town is on our Lexington page.