Pressure washing in East Haven, Connecticut.

Local conditions

Cottages that became year round houses.

East Haven's waterfront runs along the southern end of town, between Morris Cove in New Haven and Short Beach in Branford. Momauguin covers most of it, taking in Cosey Beach, Morgan Point, Silver Sands and Mansfield Grove.

The housing tells you what it needs. It is a mix of single family homes, condominiums, seasonal cottages and bungalows, much of it built for summer use and since converted to year round living. Cottage construction means smaller eaves, tighter lot spacing and painted wood, all of which hold salt film and mildew and none of which take kindly to high pressure.

Because the shoreline strip is narrow and the lots sit close together, shaded elevations dry slowly and grow mildew while the sunny side of the same house still looks presentable. That is usually what prompts the call.