Harsh Cold Wreaking Havoc on Pressure Washing in Jacksonville

We are just in the beginnings of winter here in Jacksonville Florida and it has been devastatingly cold around here for the past couple of weeks. For two weeks straight we’ve been down below freezing (with the exception of one night in the mid 30’s). I’ve lived in North Florida all of my life and never remember a time where things were this cold for this long with a warm up in between.

This weather is making it very difficult to keep on schedule with our exterior pressure washing services. For most exterior cleaning services that we provide, it is not possible to provide service when the temperatures fall bellow 40 degrees. Not only is it not fun getting wet in 30 degree temps, but actually chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite (which is commonly used in the pressure washing and roof cleaning process) loses its effectiveness in cold temps. It appears that things are starting to warm up in the next couple of days, so hopefully we can get back out there and wash up some Jacksonville houses.

Cleaning Lichen From Roofs In Orange Park, FL

Lichen can be a particularly difficult problem to deal with when it begins to infest asphalt shingle roofs. Problems can arise when Orange Park, FL home owners or inexperienced contractors try to use abrasive methods to remove the lichen from the shingles. Often this will result in damage to the shingles. First of all, it is never recommended to use any pressure to clean roofs no matter what the circumstance, but in the scenario where lichen is being removed, it can be even worse. The reason for this is that many times as you use pressure or agitation to remove the lichen, it will actually pull up granules, or even chucks of shingle up with it.

An experienced Orange Park, Florida roof cleaning contractor will be able to kill the lichen on the roof ceasing its growth. Using low pressure roof cleaning tactics is the best approach to cleaning lichen on asphalt roofs. After the cleaning solutions have been applied, the lichen will turn a whitish color. This is the indication that the lichen has been successfully killed off. It is not recommended to try washing off this dead lichen at this point, as the roots will still be firmly attached to the roof. The best thing at this point is to allow some time to pass for the roots of the lichen to deteriorate on there own at which point the lichen will be washed away by the rain.

Rainy Days – Jacksonville Pressure Cleaning

With all the rain we’ve been having most of the professional exterior cleaning companies may be kind of slow, but with rain comes the onslaught of mold, mildew, and algae growth on many surfaces around homes and businesses. These are the times that create job security for many soft pressure washing companies in Jacksonville and surrounding areas.

It has been raining everyday for weeks around here. It can make getting work done quite difficult. Many surfaces such as roofs and concrete can only be successfully cleaned when it is not raining. The reason for this is because a dwell time for the chemical application is necessary, and if it is raining, the solution will get diluted before it has a chance to kill the algae and mold.

When cleaning Jacksonville Roofs, this is especially important. For best results in soft washing a roof, the roof needs to be as dry as possible. This allows the cleaning blend to saturate thoroughly in to the surface insuring that all the algae is exposed and killed by the solution. If the roof is still damp this process is somewhat inhibited.

I do appreciate the rain in  the Jacksonville area, but I think about ready for it to tapper off a bit so many of us pro exterior cleaning companies can back to work cleaning houses, and roofs.

What Makes A Roof Washing Company Special?

What makes a roof washing company special? I believe that the most important aspects are actually the ones that the customers wouldn’t even be able to point out. The job of a professional roof washing company is to have a very stream lined service with no hang ups or problems, therefor the customer should find the whole overall experience to be special and not be able to pick out the good aspects from the bad.

What makes the roof cleaning service special is the overall flow of customer service from the consultation all the way to the good byes after a job well done. A good roof washing service will know how to complete the service fast while leaving the rest of the property just as it was before their arrival. They should concentrate on providing very high quality results while inconveniencing the client to minimum.

When a customer calls to hire a professional service, part of what they are paying for is the convenience to maintain their lifestyle without to much interruption. If the roof cleaning process is to become bothersome to their daily activities, they will possibly wonder to themselves what they are paying for. They may think ” Well, if it’s going to be this much of a hassle maybe next time I just won’t have it cleaned, or maybe I’ll just try cleaning my roof myself”. This is not what you want your customers to be thinking after leaving the job.

 

Roof Cleaning Work in Jacksonville, Florida

I hear stories on a regular basis about people falling off of their roofs while trying to pressure wash their homes, blow the leaves off the roof, or while trying to clean out their gutters. There’s a reason why professional companies exist to do this kind of work and the reason is so home owners can stay safely on the ground. Experienced, reputable, Jacksonville exterior washing services have the skill, equipment and knowledge to do these dangerous jobs so unskilled people don’t have to.

It amazes me that so many Jacksonville, FL residents would be willing to risk their lives just to save a few hundred dollars. the fact is, not only is a persons personal safety at risk, but without the experience of knowing how to perform these services, they also risk damaging their home as well.

Working on roof tops is dangerous work. Whether it be cleaning Jacksonville roofs, cleaning out gutters, or just simply blowing of the leaves, it should always be left the professionals.

 

Pre Roof Cleaning Inspection in Jacksonville FL

When cleaning roofs in Jacksonville, it is very important to do a thorough roof inspection before beginning the cleaning. There are many things to look for, and it is crucial that the home owner or business owner be aware of any problems with their roof before the work is to take place. This will be useful information for the customer, as well as an added level of protection for the contractor. The last thing that a Jacksonville roof cleaning contractor needs is to be blamed for roof problems that existed before they commenced with the service.

The first thing to look for is the overall condition of the shingles. How tight are the granules, how much granule loss, if the house has gutters, are they full of roof granules?.

Secondly, look for any missing, cracked, or sliding shingles on the roof and any loose nails or nail pops sticking through the shingles. Also, as you walk around the roof top, look for soft spots where the wood under the roof may be damaged by water intrusion. Next, inspect the rubber seals around the pipe vents. Look for cracks in the rubbers or missing chunks of rubber.

These are the main things that should be inspected before a Jacksonville roof washing service should commence with the job. Make sure any issues that may have been discovered are relayed to the customer, and noted in writing.

 

Jacksonville Roof Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts

Beware of roof cleaning companies that use improper cleaning methods. This post is dedicated to outlining some of the does and don’t s of roof washing.

 Roof cleaning has become a popular service in recent years in the Jacksonville FL area. Some have taken the time to learn the proper safe methods to clean roofs in Jacksonville, while others, frankly haven’t got a clue as how to preform the service correctly. If you here the words pressure wash and roof in the same sentence, pay attention closely to what the prospective contractor is planing to do. Roofs should NEVER be cleaned using a pressure washer, period.

This is a sure indication that they do not know how to perform the service correctly. A professional Jacksonville roof cleaning company will never use high pressure, or even moderate pressure to clean roofs. It’s just not safe, nor is it necessary. No, the experienced, roof cleaning professional will follow the guidelines of the ARMA to achieve excellent results using the proper cleaning solutions all applied using non pressure methods. These methods allow for gentle application, and are less invasive to the integrity of the shingles.

Using the right balance of cleaning solutions is also very important. The mix should contain a chlorinated surfactant mixture just strong enough to eradicate the algae, and help emulsify other pollutants. Sodium Hydroxide based roof cleaning chemicals should always be avoided when cleaning asphalt roofs in Jacksonville. the reason for this is because sodium hydroxide is a degreasing soap and using a degreaser to clean a product essentially held together with grease (asphalt shingles) is a bad idea. It will emulsify the asphalt and degrade the shingles.

 

 

Pressure Washing Jacksonville Exteriors

The Jacksonville pressure washing season is up and running as we head into the summer months. Many Florida residents choose to have their properties cleaned earlier in the spring months, but many try to put off their need for pressure washing services as long as possible before they begin spending many hours soaking in some rays out in the yard, or out by the pool.

 Any time of year is a good time to spruce up your Jacksonville home or business’s exteriors with a good soft pressure washing. Just make sure that you are getting good value with the Jacksonville pressure washing company that you decide to go with, as they are not all created equal. Many have vast knowledge and experience in all aspects of exterior cleaning, but some have very little experience, and frankly shouldn’t be offering pressure washing services at all.

 Understanding how to distinguish between the good companies and the ones that you will want to stay away form can be pretty cut and dry. Challenge their knowledge of how to soft pressure wash houses in Jacksonville using the right methods. They should understand how to use the proper cleaning agents to achieve excellent results while cleaning with low pressure.

Soft Washing Houses in Jacksonville FL

Having your Jacksonville home professionally pressure washed can actually increase its value. This can be the case as it relates to putting your house on the market, or just the fact that a cleaner, more well kept home adds appeal and value to the home as well as the houses that surround it.

It is quite common that people will overlook the importance of having their Jacksonville house exteriors washed before putting their home up for sale. I guess they figure what difference can it it really make. Well I’m here to tell you that it can make all the difference in the world. First off, just the added curb appeal will attract more potential buyers to want to take a peak inside and you can sell the house if you can’t get them through the front door.

Secondly, it is likely that having your home pressure washed by a Jacksonville pro will sell your home faster, and for more money than without having it cleaned. The small investment of hiring the pressure washing service can easily be recouped 10 fold after the sale of the home.

 In this today’s economic times it is very important to give yourself every advantage possible when preparing your home to be put on the market, and the value you can potentially gain by spending several hundred dollars on a Jacksonville house washing service will more than likely be the best money you will spend during the pre-sale preparations.

Pressure Washing Companies in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida

 Hiring the right Ponte Vedra Beach, FL pressure washing company can be challenging to say the least. You know you want the best, but who should you choose, and where do you find them? Most reputable pressure washing contractors will have a well put together website. Their web presence should outline their services offered, with detail information about their company, cleaning methods, etc.

The reason I always suggest taking this route when looking for a reputable pressure washing company in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida is because this avenue will allow you the opportunity to get a wealth of knowledge about the different companies. When going to the Caveman pages, I mean yellow pages, all you get in the way of information about the pressure washing companies is a name, phone number, and maybe a list of few of the services they offer. You might as well just close your eyes and pick a spot on the page because you are really rolling the dice qualifying a reputable company in this manner.

Yes, the wave of the future is the Internet, and most of the more legitimate exterior pressure cleaning and roof cleaning companies in the Ponte Vedra Beach FL area will be well placed in this avenue of exposure. Do a search on Google or another popular search engine using the key words relating to the services that you are looking for, and start reading. You will find the right pressure washing service before you know it.