Time to Clean Your Roof Shingles? Here’s How to Know (and What to Do!)
Black Streaks on Your Roof Living in a humid area with lakes and trees? You might soon notice black streaks on your roof shingles. These streaks are most likely caused by algae. While unsightly, algae itself doesn’t necessarily damage your roof. However, if left untreated, it can create a hospitable environment for moss and lichen to grow, which can cause significant problems. Investing in Your Roof: Why Cleaning Matters Cleaning your roof is an investment that can extend the lifespan of your shingles, saving you money on repairs or replacements down the road. In recent years here in Tallahassee, FL, we’ve seen a rise in homeowner inquiries about roof cleaning, after being required by their insurance company to have their shingles professionally cleaned due to the dark algae stains. Don’t Let Algae Take Over: Clean Your Roof Now Before cleaning your roof, always refer to your shingle…
Will having my home soft washed clean the windows?
Yes, having your home soft washed will clean the windows. However, minor spotting can occur as the water dries, depending on the amount of minerals in your local water. If you want to avoid this, you can hire a professional window cleaning service to clean the windows after your house has been soft washed. A professional window cleaning service will use a window scrubber/mop with soap followed by a squeegee to clean the glass. This will ensure that the glass is spot free because the squeegee will dry the glass before the water evaporates and leaves the minerals behind. Some professional window cleaning companies also use a filtration system that filters out all the minerals from the water, then the purified water is pumped through a water fed pole and on to the glass. The glass is brushed and rinsed with purified water and dries spot free. In the…
Why Are There Small Black Dots On Your Siding?
The small black fungus spores on your siding are most likely from artillery fungus. Artillery fungus is a type of fungus that grows in wood chip mulch and decaying wood. It is most common in areas with wet weather. The fungus produces black, spore-filled spheres that can be shot out of the mulch on to your home’s siding, windows, and doors causing permanent damage. In most cases pressure washing or soft washing will have little effect on removing the small black tar like spores, and a more aggressive method like scraping each spore off one by one will be required. However, this can cause damage to the material underneath so painting might be required. If you find artillery fungus in your mulch, remove it immediately. Do not compost it, as the spores can survive the composting process and spread to other areas. There are a few things you can do…
Soft Washing vs. Pressure Washing: Which Is Right for Your Home?
Soft washing and pressure washing are both effective methods of cleaning residential properties. Soft washing uses low-pressure to spray a cleaning solution followed by a low-pressure freshwater rinse. Pressure washing uses a high-pressure water stream to clean. Soft Washing for Residential Properties Soft washing is the best option for cleaning surfaces that are covered in algae, mildew and other organics that accumulate on the outside of your house, including siding, windows, screen porch, etc. By utilizing a mild algaecide in our soft wash soap, we can safely kill all organic growth on the exterior of the home. Followed by a low-pressure rinse, keeping the pressure under 200psi. If the cleaning is performed correctly, the dying algae, mildew and other organics will rinse away without causing damage the home. This cleaning method will leave a sparkling clean exterior. Soft washing is also a great method for cleaning pavers and bricks with…