One of the most common questions Kolby gets from homeowners is some version of: "How often do I really need to do this?" The honest answer is that it depends on the surface, the shade exposure, and the age of the home — but for most St Johns County properties, the national averages are too conservative. Florida just builds growth faster.
Why Florida accelerates everything.
Northeast Florida's climate sits in a zone that exterior cleaning companies often call "high-growth territory." Humidity stays elevated year-round. The rainy season runs May through October and keeps surfaces damp for extended periods after each storm. Oak, pine, and palm canopy is dense in neighborhoods like Julington Creek, Fruit Cove, and older parts of Ponte Vedra — which means shade, pollen drop, and debris accumulation that never fully stops. Algae, mildew, and Gloeocapsa Magma (the bacteria behind roof black streaking) all thrive in exactly this kind of environment.
The result is that a home that might look clean for 18–24 months in a drier climate can start showing visible green or gray growth on the north and west-facing elevations within 8–12 months here. Roofs in heavily shaded areas can go from clean to visibly streaked even faster.
Surface-by-surface cleaning schedule for St Johns County.
House siding and stucco: once per year.
For most St Johns, Nocatee, and Ponte Vedra homes, annual soft washing of the siding keeps the mildew and green algae growth from establishing a foothold. Homes under heavy tree cover or with north-facing walls that stay damp may benefit from a service every 10–11 months. Annual cleaning also means the solution does not have to work as hard — growth that has had two or three years to mature is significantly harder to treat than a fresh seasonal layer.
Roof (asphalt shingle): every 2–3 years or when streaks appear.
Roof soft washing schedules depend heavily on shade. A Nocatee home with a clear, south-facing roof exposure may not need cleaning for three years. A Julington Creek home with mature oaks directly above the ridge may develop visible black streaking in 18 months. The rule of thumb: if you can see the dark streaks from the street, the algae has been there long enough to start affecting shingle granule integrity. Do not wait until the roof looks actively bad — by then the growth has had time to work on the surface below.
Driveways and concrete: every 1–2 years.
Concrete driveways in St Johns County deal with a specific combination of red clay soil transfer, pollen seasons, and mildew that settles in the surface porosity over time. The areas around vehicle tire tracks and garage approaches tend to stain fastest. Most homeowners find that an annual cleaning keeps the concrete looking consistently maintained, while others on a tighter budget do it every other year and accept some moderate staining in between.
Pavers: clean every 1–2 years, seal every 2–3 years.
Paver surfaces need to be cleaned on a similar schedule to concrete, but the sealing cycle is a separate consideration. Once pavers are sealed, the sealer itself prolongs the cleanliness between washings by making the surface easier to rinse and less hospitable to organic growth. When the sealer starts to look dull, fade, or allows visible staining to penetrate, it is time to re-clean and re-seal. In Florida's UV and rain environment, that is typically every two to three years. See the paver sealing page for more detail on what that service involves.
Screen enclosures and lanais: every 1–2 years.
Pool screen enclosures in Florida are constantly exposed to pollen, mold spores, and organic debris that builds up on the screen mesh, the frame, and the patio surface below. Most homeowners notice the buildup most obviously when it starts to block light or when the lanai floor develops green algae near the edges. An annual light cleaning maintains the appearance and prevents the aluminum frame from developing heavier oxidation buildup that is harder to address.
Signs you are already overdue.
- Green or dark streaking on the north or west wall of the house.
- Black streaks on the roof shingles — especially visible from the street or driveway.
- Driveway concrete that looks gray-green rather than white or off-white.
- Paver joints with visible weed growth or the surface has gone dull and chalky.
- Pool screen mesh that looks brown or gray from the outside in sunlight.
Bundling services saves time and money.
Most homeowners who schedule a regular annual or biannual exterior cleaning find it makes sense to bundle the house, driveway, and any paver or screen work into the same visit. Kolby is already there with the rig, chemicals are already mixed for the job, and the prep and walkthrough time does not double just because the scope is larger. If your annual cleaning is coming up and you have been putting off the driveway or the lanai, doing it all at once is almost always the most efficient path.