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ANOKA COUNTY, MN
House washing in Anoka, MN
The green on the north side of your house is not dirt. It is organic growth, and it is alive.
Green and black growth on Anoka siding is algae, mildew and lichen, growing where shade keeps the wall damp, and homes near the Rum or the Mississippi stay damper still. Glass House kills it at the root with a soft wash, a cleaning solution that does the work so no force ever touches the siding.
The Honest Results Standard targets roughly 90% improvement on normal organic buildup, without risking the siding to chase the last few percent. Oxidation, rust and deep stains are separate treatments, and Carson Brenny, the owner, points them out at the walk-around before any work begins.
HONEST RESULTS STANDARD
Soft washing targets roughly 90% improvement on normal organic buildup, and we explain what is realistic before we start.
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Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
ANOKA SPECIFICS
What house washing means in Anoka
The local conditions that shape how Glass House approaches house washing in Anoka, and the standards it holds to on every visit.
RIVERS
Where the Rum meets the Mississippi
Anoka sits at the confluence of the Rum and Mississippi Rivers, which the city calls two of its greatest natural resources. Air near two rivers holds more moisture, so roofs, siding and decks dry slowly after rain and morning dew. Algae, mildew and moss take hold on surfaces that stay damp, usually starting on the shaded north side. Homes near water grow algae fastest, which is why we recommend a house wash at least once a year there.
TREES
41 years as Tree City USA
Anoka is in its 41st year as a Tree City USA community and issues citations citywide for diseased trees, with emerald ash borer confirmed in Anoka County. Mature trees shade roofs and north walls, so those surfaces stay damp long after rain, and damp surfaces are where algae and mildew begin. Fallen leaves settle in gutters and on roofs, where they hold moisture against the surface.
HOMES
A median home built in 1973
Anoka's housing is older than most of the north metro. The median home was built in 1973, and 11% of homes date to 1939 or earlier. Homes of that age often have older paint, wood trim, storm windows and brittle screens. Decades of sun chalk and thin old paint, and high pressure can lift it or force water behind aging trim, so these homes need a gentle, low-pressure wash. Siding that age is checked for loose panels, aged paint and old caulking, which can call for a damage waiver.
WATER
Six wells, four treatment plants
Nearly all Anoka residents are on city water from six deep wells, and all four treatment plants filter out iron and manganese. Filtering does not soften water, so the hardness remains. When that hard water dries on a house, its minerals stay behind as white spots on glass and a dull film on siding. Deposits left through several summers bond to the glass and become much harder to remove. A house wash will not lift orange iron stains, which need their own treatment because bleach sets rust.
Sources: City of Anoka, Storm Water; City of Anoka, Trees, Weeds & Landscape; City of Anoka, Diseased Tree Control; Point2Homes, Anoka demographics (U.S. Census ACS 2019-2023); Minnesota Department of Health, Waterline (2023); Know the Flow, City of Anoka.
HOW WE WASH
Chemistry does the work. Pressure never touches your siding.
A pressure washer runs 3,000 to 4,000 psi. Our soft wash system runs 50 to 300, comparable to a garden hose, so the solution does the cleaning and nothing is stripped, etched or driven behind your siding.
01
Everything is rinsed first
Before any solution goes on, plants, windows and anything not being cleaned are wet down, and they stay wet during and after the wash. Drift that lands on a pre-wet surface is diluted to the point of being harmless, which is why landscaping comes through a soft wash well.
02
A mix matched to your siding
The solution is sodium hypochlorite, similar to a diluted household bleach, and its strength depends on the surface. Vinyl, painted wood, stucco, brick, stone and composite each receive their own mix, always starting with the lightest the surface will take and reapplying rather than going stronger.
03
Dwell time, watched closely
Dwell time is how long the solution stays on the wall before rinsing: about 5 to 10 minutes on vinyl, and only 3 to 5 on paint. Carson's field rule is simple: algae that turns brown is coming down, and algae that turns black is going to come back. Green algae usually fades right away.
04
A thorough, low-pressure rinse
Everything put on the siding either stays there or comes down, and bringing it down takes a great deal of water. The system moves 11 gallons a minute, so each wall is rinsed completely, with no chemical left behind to discolor the surface.
FOR ANOKA HOMES
What to know before your visit
SPRING
Pollen and winter grime
Spring pollen is the most common reason a house washed last year looks dirty again, and winter salt spray, sand and road film come off in the same visit.
SUMMER
Worked in sections
Heat makes the cleaning solution work faster and dry faster, so on hot days walls are pre-wet and washed in sections, and the solution never dries on the siding.
SPRINKLERS
Keep the siding dry
Aim every sprinkler head at the lawn, never at the house. A drier wall grows less algae and mildew, and keeping spray off the siding stops new iron stains from forming.
HOW OFTEN
Every year or two
Most homes need a wash every year or two. Lake lots and heavily shaded homes need one at least once a year, because damp air and shade bring growth back faster.
PRICE AND STANDARD
What house washing costs, and what backs it
YOUR HOUSE WASH, AT A GLANCE
ANOKA
Soft wash, standard siding
$450–$700
Vinyl and other standard siding
Stucco, brick or stone
$675–$1,050
A soft wash tuned for masonry, with dwell time set for the surface
Walk-around before we start
Included
The right mix for each surface, with any concerns raised first
Lake and wetland lots
Same price
Lake lots cost the same, with a yearly wash recommended
Typical 2,000–4,000 sq ft home
$450–$700
House Washing (Soft Wash) typically runs $450–$700 — $450 for a 2,000 sq ft home and $700 for a 4,000 sq ft home. That's standard siding, and bigger homes go up from there. Carson confirms the exact price after he looks at it.
House Washing (Stucco/Brick/Stone) typically runs $675–$1,050 — $675 for a 2,000 sq ft home and $1,050 for a 4,000 sq ft home. Yours depends on the home, so Carson confirms the exact price after he looks at it.
THE OWNER
Low pressure for Anoka's older paint and trim
Carson Brenny owns and runs Glass House himself, without crews, subcontractors or handoffs. He is based in Ham Lake, Anoka is a regular stop on his route, and he has worked full-time in exterior cleaning for six years. He quotes the wash, cleans the house and walks it with the homeowner before the job is done.
Anoka's median home was built in 1973, and 11% date to 1939 or earlier, so older paint and wood trim are common, and river air where the Rum meets the Mississippi keeps shaded walls damp. A pressure washer can lift that paint. Carson soft washes at 50 to 300 psi and says up front if a surface is too fragile. The goal is a clean house with nothing lifted or damaged.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
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Soft wash at 50 to 300 psi, about like a garden hose
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Walk-around first, with any concerns flagged
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Plants and windows wet down before, during and after
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What a house wash includes and leaves out
A house wash is maintenance cleaning for organic growth and everyday grime. Stains and damage are separate services, and we identify them before we start.
INCLUDED
In every house wash
• Soft wash of siding, soffits, fascia, eaves and trim
• Algae, mold, mildew, pollen, cobwebs and bug residue removed
• Plants and windows wet down before, during and after
• The lightest mix each surface will take, stronger only if needed
• Roughly 90% improvement on normal organic buildup
• Before and after photos with your receipt
NOT INCLUDED
Specialty work, quoted separately
• Oxidation, chalking and color that has faded out
• Iron, rust and manganese stains
• Artillery fungus, paint stains and failed coatings
• Tiger stripes on gutters
• Deep staining in porous surfaces
• Inspecting or repairing outdoor outlets and fixtures
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
Chemistry does the work, not pressure
The soft wash system moves 11 gallons a minute at 50 to 300 psi and reaches 85 feet from the ground, so most homes are washed without a ladder touching the siding. The mix is sodium hypochlorite, similar to a diluted household bleach, at the lightest strength each surface will take. Surfactant, an additive that makes a mix cling, is left out of most house washes because it takes far more water to rinse off; it is added only when a home is heavily landscaped.
ANOKA QUESTIONS
House Washing in Anoka: FAQ
Do homes near the water in Anoka cost more?
No. Being near the Rum or the Mississippi does not change the price, and those homes are quoted the same way as any other in Anoka. We do recommend house washing more often there, because humid air keeps surfaces damp after rain and morning dew, and damp surfaces are where algae and mildew grow back fastest.
Do you serve all of Anoka?
Yes, every neighborhood in Anoka. Glass House is based in Ham Lake, and Anoka is part of its regular north metro service area, so there is no trip fee. Carson quotes, cleans and walks every job himself, wherever in Anoka your home is.
Will soft washing hurt my plants or lawn?
No. Everything we are not cleaning is rinsed before, during and after the wash, so any drift lands on a wet surface and is diluted to the point of being harmless. If you have prized plants or a koi pond, tell us when you book and we will take extra care around them.
Is soft washing the same as pressure washing?
No. Pressure washing cleans with force, at around 3,000 to 4,000 psi. Soft washing cleans with chemistry and rinses at 50 to 300 psi, comparable to a garden hose. Force is what strips paint, etches siding and drives water behind it, and it does not kill growth at the root, so the growth returns.
Do you need my water?
Yes. We connect to your outside spigot, so it needs to be turned on and easy to reach, not shut off at the inside valve or behind a locked gate. This matters most in spring and fall, when a winterized spigot can be opened only from inside the house. Where there is no outside water, a water tank can be brought to the site.
My siding looks chalky. Will washing fix it?
Washing removes the loose chalk, but faded vinyl does not regain its color, because the color has faded out of the material itself. To check, hose the wall down: if the color comes back rich while it is wet, oxidation removal can recover it. We confirm this at the walk-around, before any work starts.
