No one wants to look at the siding on their home and see small black speckles all over it. This can leave your home looking dirty and dingy. Unfortunately, there is a type of fungus that does this, and it is called artillery fungus. This fungus is found in mulch and is not something you want to see anywhere near your home. Big Moose Pressure Cleaning is here to talk about artillery fungus and what it is as well as what can be done to prevent it from happening to your home.
What is Artillery Fungus?
Artillery fungus or shotgun fungus, as some people call it, is a wood decaying fungus that can show up on your home if you have mulch in the beds around your home. It can also be found in dead trees and rotting wood. This fungus is usually found in non-composted mulch that doesn’t go through the burning process which kills this type of fungus. This fungus behaves in a strange way which often makes it stick to your home. You see, the spore masses on the fruiting bodies are dark brown. When speaking about nature, these spore masses launch out of the fruiting bodies when they sense sunlight. Sometimes, your home can be bright enough that it mistakes your home for sun and will attach itself to the siding on your home. They are dormant once they land on your home.
How to Get Rid of Artillery Fungus?
Removing artillery fungus from your home isn’t as simple and just having it pressure washed. These little spore masses are like super glue and get more and more difficult to remove the longer they are on your home. In fact, removing artillery fungus is so difficult that it often damages your siding to the point it has to be replaced. You have to use steel cloth or other abrasive tools to successfully remove it. It is always best to start with the lightest methods of removal to see if they work. If they don’t, you can get more and more aggressive with the removal process. This way, you don’t start damaging your home straight out of the gate and give yourself the best chance possible at removing it.
How to Prevent Artillery Fungus
The best way to prevent artillery fungus on your home is to avoid dark colored mulch that hasn’t gone through a baking process to neutralize the fungus. You should consider switching from darker mulches to light colored ones that don’t run the same risk of this damaging fungus.
Pressure Cleaning & More in McDonough, Barnesville, Fayetteville, Covington, Locust Grove, Griffin, Stockbridge & Social Circle, Georgia
The best way to avoid damaging substances on your home’s exterior surface is to have your house pressure washed every year by the cleaning experts at Big Moose Pressure Cleaning. We will help keep your home in great condition and remove any dirt and grime that has made its way to your home’s surface. Call us today!