How to Do a 5-Minute Exterior Inspection on Your Own Home
For Homeowners in Belfast, Antrim, and Across Northern Ireland
Let me ask you something weird…
When was the last time you checked your house?
No, not the dirt on the kitchen counters.
Not the new sofa or the hallway that you spent weeks on redesigning and many trips to The Range.
I’m talking about the outside.
Because while you’re hoovering carpets and lighting candles inside…
Your home is silently getting wrecked by moss, algae, damp, and grime.
Story Time: When “A Quick Job” Nearly Turned Into a Disaster
Let me tell you a quick story about a previous job.
A while back, I got called out to a job in Belfast, a regular gutter clean.
Nothing fancy.
The homeowner told me,
“Listen, my cousin was out last week doing a bit of power washing. We were going to get him to do the gutters ... but couldn’t be bothered with the mess it makes.”
Fair enough. That’s what I’m here for.
So I’m standing in the garden, vacuum hose in hand, pulling all the muck, sludge, leaves, and whatever else had been festering in that gutter.
Everything’s coming out fine until…
Bang!
The vac hits something solid.
Like, proper solid.
Now this isn’t your usual build-up.
It wasn’t sludge.
Wasn’t moss.
Wasn’t even a football.
So I grab the ladder, climb up, and what I see stops me in my tracks.
Take a guess.
A bird’s nest?
A kids toy?
A dead bird?
Nope.
It was a roof tile.
Perfectly wedged in the gutter like someone had carefully placed it there. Except they hadn’t.
Turns out, the cousin had taken a pressure washer to the roof the week before, blasting away without knowing what he was actually doing.
That one tile had come loose and shot straight into the gutter without anyone noticing.
We were in the middle of October.
Not exactly a dry season in Northern Ireland, is it?
I paused the job immediately and asked the homeowner to come outside.
I said, “How long ago did you power wash the roof?”
They said, “A week and a half ago.”
I offered to go up and check the roof for them, just in case.
We get into the attic and what do we find?
The insulation is soaked.
Water is streaking down the boards like veins.
And underneath…
A massive puddle, sitting quietly under the gap where that tile used to be.
Now, I don’t know how much they had to pay to sort it, but I can tell you this, it wasn’t cheap.
That one “quick blast” from a power washer turned into leak damage, soaked insulation, and likely a serious repair bill.
Moral of the story?
If you don’t know what you’re doing, especially with delicate surfaces like roofs and gutters, you’re playing a dangerous game.
And in Belfast, Antrim, and pretty much all over Northern Ireland, where rainfall is constant, you don’t get time to make those kinds of mistakes.
You’d Be Shocked How Many People Don’t Know What’s Going On Outside Their Own Walls 😬
And when they actually finally find out?
It’s too late.
The roof’s leaking.
The driveway’s like a slip-n-slide.
The render’s stained to the point of no return.
So what if you could find out right now what’s going wrong, before it bites you in the wallet?
You can. And I’ll show you how in 5 minutes.
Why This Even Matters (Especially in Northern Ireland)
Let’s not sugar-coat it…
We live in one of the wettest places in Europe.
Rain, wind, and damp cling to Belfast and Antrim like white on rice.
Which means:
Moss grows like wildfire
Gutters block within week
Roofs never fully dry
Render gets stained to bits
Driveways get slimy and dangerous
This isn’t just annoying, it’s a full-blown breeding ground for property damage.
But here’s the kicker…
Most homeowners wait until it’s too late.
And when the ceiling collapses or the walls start bubbling with mould?
They say,
“I had no idea.”
You’re not gonna be that person are you?
Your 5-Minute Home Health Check 🔍
(Do This Once a Month or get that wallet ready)
Step 1: Look Up at Your Roof
Do you see green patches?
Any signs of moss growing between the tiles?
Are the tiles lifting or uneven?
Can you spot streaks or dark marks?
If so, that’s moss and algae getting comfortable.
And when they get comfy, they trap water.
That means cracked tiles, damp, and expensive repairs.
Step 2: Gutter Check (Don’t Need a Ladder)
Look under your gutter lines, see streaks?
Water stains on the wall below the gutter?
Can you see clumps or black slime inside from the ground?
If so, that’s algae, dirt, and leaves clogging your gutter.
The next storm will send water pouring into your walls.
Step 3: Down the Walls and Render
Walk to your front wall. Run your hand along the render.
Does it feel slimy, rough, or gritty?
See green/brown/red staining?
If so, that’s not dirt.
That’s algae, mould, and bacteria eating away at your home’s outer skin.
Step 4: Driveway & Patio
Is your driveway looking darker or greener than usual?
Do you notice moss between the bricks or slabs?
Feel a slick patch under your foot?
If so, it’s not just disgusting.
It’s dangerous.
Slips, falls, twisted ankles, especially in the mornings when you’ve hit that snooze alarm too many times and you are rushing out the door.
“It’s Just a Bit of Moss”… Until It’s a £3,000 Bill
We hear it all the time.
“It’s just a patch.”
“I’ll clean it myself this weekend.”
“I’ll rent a pressure washer from B&Q.”
Then the render gets blasted clean… and half the wall comes with it.
Or the roof starts leaking… because the moss cracked the tiles and the pressure washer pushed water into the attic.
It’s not about scaring you.
It’s about showing you how fast it can go south.
What Are Other People Doing?
The smart homeowners across Belfast, Antrim, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey, Ballymena and beyond?
They’re spotting problems early.
They’re booking soft washing and render cleaning before things get ugly.
They’re clearing gutters before the storms come.
They’re pressure washing the driveways when it needs done, not when it’s too late.
They’re keeping the house clean and the value high.
What Should You Do Next?
Simple:
✅ Take the 5-minute inspection you just read
✅ Tick off any spots that need attention
✅ Ask yourself if you’d rather fix it now… or fork out thousands later
Still not sure?
Jump over to the Wash-Off NI website.
Click the gallery. Look at the before-and-after shots of homes just like yours across Northern Ireland.
Mossy roofs. Stained render. Slippery driveways.
All brought back to life.
You’ll know within 10 seconds if your home belongs in the “before” or the “after” section.
Quick FAQ (In Case You're Still Wondering…)
Q: Is this something I can handle myself?
A: If it’s mild, maybe.
But if you’re seeing thick moss, black streaks, or slippery build-up?
Time to call a pro.
Q: Isn’t pressure washing enough?
A: Not always.
It can wreck render, strip paint, and flood your roof if used wrong.
That’s why soft washing is the go-to for most homes.
Q: What’s soft washing again?
A: A low-pressure method that gently removes algae, moss, and grime using safe, effective solutions.
It doesn’t damage your home or leave streaks behind.
Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Book Anything
Look, I’m not here to push a service on you.
I’m here to give you what no one else will, a wake-up call.
The outside of your house is the first line of defence against the elements in Northern Ireland.
You wouldn’t skip servicing your car every year for MOT.
You wouldn’t ignore your boiler when it starts acting up.
So why ignore the roof, the gutters, the driveway… the stuff that actually takes the worst hit?
Just go take a look.
It only takes 5 minutes.
And it could save you thousands!
