Pressure Washing Tips

Many home owners around the country prefer to take on their own exterior cleaning projects. Some may have had a bad experience with an unethical contractor in the past or they may just enjoy the satisfaction of being a do-it-yourselfer. Whatever the case; attempting a project like cleaning your homes exterior can be a frightening task. Most accidents resulting in personal injury or property damage are caused from a lack of knowledge. You can help this situation by doing your homework and researching cleaning methods and techniques. For instance, the Vinyl Siding Institute has guidelines and suggestions for cleaning siding as do most of the major shingle manufacturers for cleaning shingle roofs. Knowing these guidelines and other pressure washing tips can make your exterior cleaning task a little easier and safer. It can also help to reduce the risk of damaging your siding, roof, deck, or other surfaces around your property.

Power Washing Your Home

Your home is probably your largest investment and you know it is well worth the time and effort to take care of it. Power washing can increase your homes curb appeal which reflects on your image. Cleaning the exterior of your home and property can also increase its value, but it can be a daunting task. Finding a professional contractor that offers power washing services can be well worth the effort and cost. A reputable contractor will have the proper knowledge, equipment, and cleaners necessary to do the job properly and in a timely fashion. The end result for you is a well maintained home, free of dirt, mold, and mildew which will cause rot and decay. Having these services done eliminates the risk of future repairs, renovations, and replacements of the building materials that make up your home. Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or looking to hire a contractor, taking care of your homes exterior helps to protect your largest investment.

Roof Algae Analysis

Can you really clean a shingle roof? The major shingle manufacturers say the answer is yes. Asphalt shingles suffering from a type of airborne algae called Gloeocapsa Magma can be cleaned to restore the roof’s appearance. This alga appears as black stains or streaks on your roof.

Roof algae normally first appears on the north facing slopes of the roof where the prevailing amount of shade and moisture are present. The algae lands on the roof and feeds on nutrients in the shingles, as it rains the algae is spread down the roof causing the black streaks.
This condition will deteriorate the roof prematurely by not letting the shingles reflect heat like they need to.

The good news is this alga can be killed and removed by using methods recommended by the shingle manufacturers without causing damage to the shingles. Having your algae covered roof cleaned, while the shingles are still in good shape, is a great way to save yourself the cost of a total roof replacement and insure you'll get the full life out of your roof.