Before the rains: the autumn checklist for your home in Greater Porto
In Greater Porto, winter is wetter than it is cold: months of rain make moss, green algae and lichen grow on roofs, terraces and facades. Cleaning in October, while the weather is still dry, is simpler and stops the winter from working against the house.
1. Roof: remove the moss before it gets soaked
Moss holds water on top of the tiles, and in the cold that water can crack them. Cleaned before the rains, the roof spends the winter draining instead of collecting water. Tailored quote for roof cleaning; when and why, in moss on the roof.
2. Terrace and balcony: the slipping risk
Green algae that look merely ugly in summer turn into a slippery surface in the rain. Washing now removes the layer they grow back from. See slippery terrace in winter and terrace and deck washing, from €5.5/m².
3. Patio and paving: before the leaves and the algae
Wet leaves stain stone and keep it damp. A patio washed in October reaches spring much cleaner. From €4.5/m² for patio and paving washing; if it is Portuguese cobblestone, first read why acid is never used.
4. Facade: the north side first
A north-facing wall gets almost no sun in winter, and that is where green algae darken first. Cleaning now slows the growth through the damp months. From €7/m² for facade washing; how it forms, in green algae on the facade.
5. Bins: the smell does not end with the heat
With less sun, bins dry worse and the smell lingers. One autumn wash lasts until spring. €15 per bin for bin washing.
Quick checklist
- Roof free of moss
- Terrace and balcony free of green algae
- Patio and paving washed, no piled-up leaves
- North facade checked
- Bins washed
The same exercise for the start of summer is in the summer checklist. To see the guide price of each service, use the calculator: 60 seconds, no prepayment.