Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Roof Cleaning

A house is the biggest investment that most people will ever make. The roof is responsible for protecting the entire house. Did you know that proper maintenance is the only way to ensure that the roof lasts as long as it's warranted?

Keep it Clean
The first step to roof maintenance is to keep it clean. Removing any debris, and most importantly algae and moss, is vital to prolonging the life of asphalt roofs. Following the initial cleaning a yearly cleaning is recommended.


Roof Killers
Algae
There are three things that will feed on a shingle roof, robbing it of its vital components.  Roof algae is the first to appear. It is dark grey to black in color and has a streaking pattern down the slop of the roof. Roof algae grows best in the north face due to lack of sunlight. It feeds on the pollen that lands on the surface and on the components of the shingle itself. The algae is mainly an aesthetic problem but is a sign that enough moisture is present for more damaging things to grow such as lichen and moss. Lichen is a fungus that exists symbiotically with internal algae. It receives food from the algae through photosynthesis, and provides protection for the algae. Together they form a lichen. They put out tenticle-like roots deep into composite roofing, breaking down the asphalt granules and creating deep stains. http://a1builders.ws. If left untreated moss will begin to grow. Like lichen and algae it puts roots into roofing materials and the areas between shingles. Additionally it retains moisture and keeps the roof damp, promoting further growth, as well as hastening the degradation of roofing materials.


How to Clean

http://www.asphaltroofing.org/ recommends A 50/50 mix of household chlorine bleach and water. This can be applied with a pump up sprayer. For the diy home owner, this can be an extremely dangerous task. Be sure to tie off properly and wear PPE. ProClean Power & Soft Wash takes it a few steps further with our soft wash roof cleaning solution. Bleach and water is not enough to thoroughly and effectively kill roof algae. We use a commercial grade detergent that is specifically formulated to hold the bleach to roofs and other steep surfaces, allowing adequate dwell time. Never pressure wash shingles. Blasting at them will not kill the algae and blows off the granules. ProClean uses a 100 psi roof pump and can treat most roofs from the gutter line. The detergents are left and will safely rinse off with the first rain, taking dead moss and lichen with it. The black algae streaks will dissapear just minutes after being treated. Be sure to protect vegetation on the ground by either covering or rinsing before, during and after the treatment.


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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

ProClean Concrete Cleaning

             (865) 385-7503 

If you've ever attempted power washing a driveway with a consumer grade pressure washer, then you know how time consuming it is. ProClean uses commercial grade power washing equipment with surface cleaning power. The surface cleaner provides a deeper and more uniform clean without the hideous zebra strips. Rotating nozzles beneath a "20 or larger disc allows us to clean large areas in a fraction of the time, so you can get on with your day.


                                                         Hot Water / Detergents

There are many things that can be preventing your concrete from looking its best. Such as mold, moss, oil, red clay and rust. ProClean has the experience in removing these stains and bringing the surface back to life. Each stain needs to be treated with a detergent that is formulated for its specific composition. Pressure washing concrete with hot water and the right cleaning solution, will give far better results than the traditional method. 

Our Service

ProClean Power & Soft Wash comes prepared. We come to your home or business with the full arsenal of cleaning equipment and detergents. Our service providers are uniformed and professional. We treat every customer with the up most respect. Always happy to answer any questions with a smile. Walkway, driveway and patio cleaning.




Licensed and insured.                                                                                                                                                           







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Monday, October 19, 2015

What is Soft Washing?


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The term "soft washing" simply means exterior cleaning with low pressure. It's a lot like cleaning the interior of your house. A pressure washer is not needed to safely and successfully clean your tub or floors. You first put down detergents and chemicals then scrub or rinse away. Soft washing uses that same method but on a grander scale.

There are three chemical options with soft washing. The most widely used is sodium hypochlorite. This is the main ingredient in house hold bleach but used at industrial strengths. The second most common is sodium hydroxide. Also known as lye. This chemical is used to make soaps and is also used to clean drain clogs. Last but not least, there's sodium percarbonate. This is the most eco-friendly out of the three. It is used as an alternative to bleach in laundry detergents such as OxiClean. All of the chemicals are biodegradable and safe if handled properly. They are also found in everyday household cleaning products.

The two methods of pressure washing and soft washing are very different. With soft washing it's all about the chemicals and detergents. A mixture of the chosen chemical and a high surfactant detergent is applied with a very low pressure diaphragm pump. The mixture is left to dwell and do all of the work. Once the algae is dead and the debris has been released from the surface, a high water volume low pressure rinse removes all that was left. Both methods are very effective if they are used on the proper surfaces. Soft washing is for delicate surfaces such as roofs, vinyl, and painted surfaces. Even hard substrates such as block or brick benefits greatly from soft washing. A pressure washer is great on concrete but would do more damage than a hail storm on a composite (shingle) roof. It can also damage any building surface by striping or blasting away the surface itself. Water can be pushed under vinyl and into window seals causing dangerous mold problems that can't be seen.


The only exterior cleaning method that kills algae down to the root is soft washing. This is why ProClean washes all houses and roofs with our professional soft wash system. Our experience is a key way in how we excel in the cleaning industry. Our ability to find the right solution for every job ensures that it will be safely and effectively cleaned. No matter if the job calls for soft washing, pressure washing or both, we always come prepared. See the difference with ProClean Power & Soft wash.


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Pressure vs Chemical


What is soft washing?

Soft Washing has been a somewhat new thing in the cleaning industry. Most people have no clue what it is. Well, it's simply chemical cleaning without high pressure. It is the preferred cleaning method for both the asphalt roof and vinyl siding manufacturing companies.


Which works best?

Think of pressure washing and soft washing like tools in a handyman's belt. Each tool has it's purpose. The hammer and the screw driver are both tools that are used to fasten one object to another. But in very different ways. The handyman wouldn't pull out the hammer to tighten a door knob. Soft washing is like the screw driver. Some surfaces need the soft finesse rather than the pounding of high pressure. Don't dismiss the pressure washer. There's a major place for it also. Certain stains on hard surfaces like concrete can't be removed with the soft wash detergents alone. 

It takes an experienced company with well trained staff to know how to utilize all of the tools at the right time. Both methods of exterior cleaning can be dangerous. They both can cause damage to the surface if not used properly. When hiring a company make sure to ask the right questions. If they are not insured chances are they have no idea what they're doing. Ask what methods they use for each type of job needed. If hired, take notice of what type of equipment they show up with. If it's just a pressure washer for a multiple surface job, you may want to reconsider.




Always here to help. We are happy to provide Fast, Free estimates or to just answer any questions.
proclean865.com
(865) 385-7503