DIY guideOutside walls

Wash the outside walls and check the joints

Wash the siding, brick or stucco gently with a hose and a brush, then look over the caulk and mortar joints while they're clean.

7 steps

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Close the windows and doors, and cover plants, outside outlets and lights with plastic.
Scrub a section with siding cleaner or mild soap and water, working up from the bottom. A soft brush for vinyl, wood and stucco, a stiffer one for brick.
Skip the pressure washer: it drives water behind siding and wears away mortar and stucco.
Rinse each section with the hose before it dries, from the top down.
Keep the spray off outlets, lights and the meter.
Look at the caulk round windows, doors and trim. Cracked, shrunken or pulling away needs redoing.
On brick or stone, look for mortar that's crumbling, cracked or sunk back from the face.
Cut out the cracked caulk, wipe the joint clean, and run a new bead of outdoor caulk.
Crumbling mortar, loose bricks or cracked stucco: ask Handyman for a mason. Repointing is a pro's job.

Handyman says: Crumbling mortar? I'll find a mason.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.