The dark streaks on the roof that weren’t there when you moved in. The driveway that’s gone gray and rough near the street. Neither one means the house is done.
Mount Vernon is a mid-century town. 55% of homes here were built between 1950 and 1979, and only 5% since 2000, the smallest share of newer homes among the six towns we serve. The median home was built in 1968 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024). The house may date to the 1960s, but the roof, the siding and the driveway each run on their own clock. We look at what’s actually there today.
The westernmost city in Indiana
Mount Vernon is the westernmost city in the state, and the Posey County seat. It was first settled in 1806 as McFaden’s Bluff and platted as Mount Vernon in 1816. Down the river, the John T. Myers Locks and Dam sits 13 miles southwest of town.
The Posey County Courthouse Square at 300 Main St. is on the National Register. So is the Mount Vernon Downtown Historic District, roughly bounded by the Ohio River, 6th and Walnut streets, and College Avenue. The Welborn Historic District, the William Gonnerman House, the I.O.O.F. and Barker Buildings, and the Pitcher House are listed as well (National Register listings for Posey County).
Roof cleaning without the pressure washer
Those dark streaks are usually algae, not dirt or moss. They show up first on the slopes that dry slowest after rain, and they keep spreading where the shingles stay damp.
Our roof cleaning is a low-pressure soft wash. We never put a pressure washer, a brush or a broom on the roof. The granules on a shingle shade the asphalt, and InterNACHI says their bond to the asphalt weakens as the shingle ages (InterNACHI). On an older roof, that’s reason enough to go easy.
We also look at the roof before we recommend cleaning at all. And we’ll be straight with you. Algae can grow back over time. That’s why some owners add protection after a wash.
Concrete protection for mid-century driveways
Scaling is the flaking and peeling you see on older concrete. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association ties it to freeze-thaw cycles and says deicers make it worse. So what you spread in winter matters. If you’re not sure what’s in the bag in your garage, read the label.
NRMCA calls rock salt and calcium chloride acceptable for concrete. It says never to use ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate or magnesium-based salts as a deicer, and to use clean sand for traction on newly placed concrete (NRMCA).
Concrete protection helps your driveway, walks and steps shed water and salt. It won’t stop cracks. NexaNano says its concrete treatment protects “without changing the appearance” of the surface.
Storms in Posey County
The recent tornadoes in Posey County touched down in the county’s far east end, not in town. On April 2, 2024, an EF-2 tornado started just northwest of St. Wendel and went on to cross Vanderburgh County. On April 2, 2025, another EF-2 tornado started just north of St. Philip, and a brief EF-1 touched down in Blairsville (NWS Paducah via the Storm Prediction Center).
If your roof ever takes storm damage, that’s a call for a roofer. We don’t do storm repairs, but we’ll tell you what we see.
What happens next
Mount Vernon is about 17.9 miles and 22 minutes from our base. Schedule a free exterior evaluation and we’ll look at the roof, the walls and the concrete, then give you a plain answer. Call or text Terrance at (812) 664-6222. Heading back toward the city? See our Evansville page.
