Pressure Washing A Residential Driveway

Tim with StarCare Powerwash shows how they can bring a driveway
back to life and effective clean the concrete surface.

Difference between Algae and Mold

Algae and mold are different but equally harmful to your property. Mold is a fungus that will eat nutrients to survive. Algae is more plant-like and eats the limestone filler in shingles and organic matter on a home’s siding. Neither is good news for your home’s exterior. Read on to learn the differences between algae and mold, and most importantly, how the two can be removed.

Algae Overview
Gloeocapsa magma is the scientific term for the algae on your roof. Algae is airborne and blows from one roof to another. As the algae feeds on the limestone in your shingles, a black residue is left behind and gravity causes it to streak down the roof. Algae can separate the granules in the shingles requiring shingle replacement if it is allowed to grow long enough.

Algae colonies also grow on your home’s siding where there is a lack of direct sunlight, which is most commonly on the north side. If you notice one side of your home much dirtier than the rest, algae is most likely the culprit.

Mold Overview
Because mold is a fungus and not a plant, it produces spores. These spores are significantly smaller than a human hair, measuring in at a size range of 3 to 4 microns; in comparison, a strand of human hair is 75-150 microns.

Damp, dark conditions are ideal for mold growth. The space behind house siding and roof shingles are perfect breeding grounds for mold. Tiny spores quickly multiply. People who have a mold allergy or asthma may have a stronger reaction to mold. For example, coughing or worsened asthma symptoms can be a result of breathing in mold spores. Other symptoms include eye or skin irritation, throat irritation, and a stuffy nose.

How to Remove Algae
There are many key advantages to hiring a professional to treat your roof and siding over taking care of it yourself. Hiring an insured professional will protect you against any harm caused to your roof or the worker. It is also possible that there are more living organisms on your roof and siding than just the algae. Gloeocapsa magma has a symbiotic relationship with certain fungi and the pairing of the two can lead to the growth of lichens. A professional will check and treat the property for algae, mold, lichens, and the beginning stages of moss growth.

How to Remove Mold
One of the most efficient ways to eliminate mold is through professional power washing. An experienced team will neutralize and remove all mold with a biodegradable cleanser that will remove it and help protect against its return.

Mold can grow underneath siding panels, leading to premature replacement if left untreated. Mold can get inside of the underlying plywood and become a severe health risk. Always consult a professional if you suspect the presence of mold and never try to remove it yourself.

How to Prevent Algae and Mold
We recommend having your house washed every year to avoid the growth of algae and mold. Our certified technicians utilize specialized detergents to ensure your home not only stays looking great but is protected against these infestations.

Article Source: https://perfectpowerwash.com/differences-between-algae-and-mold/

How Much of a Difference Can Power Washing Make?

Power washing can make a HUGE difference!! 

No, those pictures don't have different filters...
those are actual results from a StarCare Power Wash cleaning! 

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Pressure Washing: Leave it to the Pros

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Pressure Washing To Clean An Aggregate and Brick Patio

Greg with StarCare Powerwash snows how they can help 

make an older aggregate and brick patio look much better.

Should you power wash your parking lot?

Yes, because parking lots won’t stop getting dirty. It goes along with being outside and exposed to the elements and foot and vehicle traffic. Keeping your lot clean might seem futile, but with a little bit of care, your lot will not only last longer, but look better and even be safer. Here are three big reasons why you should hire professionals to pressure wash your parking lot.

YOUR LOT SEES A LOT

While foot traffic and vehicle traffic certainly wear on your lot, feet and cars generally don’t sit on your lot for extended periods of time. What does stick around are the things that come from people, cars, and the weather. Once the snow and ice thaw in a colder area, you’re left with deicing chemicals and pools of water. Dirt is an unavoidable fact of the outdoors, and where there are cars there’s going to be tire marks, grime, oil, grease, and other pollution. Where people walk, there are also going to be food spills, chewing gum, graffiti, and other sticky things. Not only are these things ugly, but they could damage your lot, which leads to costly damages, and in some cases make your customers slip and fall.

TAKE CARE OF IT NOW, AVOID HASSLE LATER

Procrastination doesn’t pay off in the long run when it comes to your lot. The longer you let dirt build up, the harder it’s going to be to remove it. Harder cleanup jobs will be more expensive, because they’re difficult to do well, require more time, and might even require specialized equipment. Regular cleanings are cheaper, easier, and therefore ideal. However, even if you haven’t been maintaining your lot, it’s not too late to start: cleaning up now can help restart your maintenance schedule, and one good cleaning now, even if it’s expensive, can save you from an even bigger job in the future. The idea of paying to power-wash caked-on pollutants and debris doesn’t seem so bad when you think about the possibility of the problem getting worse or even causing other problems, like slip and fall lawsuits or potholes that need to be repaired.

PEACE OF MIND

Why not handle parking lot pressure washing in-house? Because, for many reasons, it’s better to let someone else handle that job. While you could sweep your lot on a daily basis in order to take care of larger debris, some of what gets in the concrete of your parking lot doesn’t come up so easily.

Technology is a factor in this: in addition to the pressure washing equipment itself, pressure washing services are more likely to have the equipment and training necessary to capture the toxic runoff that inevitably happens when you deep-clean concrete, and it’s important to keep those chemicals from getting into the water. With professional service comes liability insurance coverage, which will help take care of the repair costs for damage that happens on their watch. It’s a time-saver that allows specialized professionals to move at their own pace and leave you free to focus on your business. Not only will you save money by saving time and effort, but if you hire someone else, you won’t have to take on equipment acquisition and maintenance costs. Finally, it just feels better to know that a job as important as this one will be done right.

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Top Reasons Why You Need A Professional Power Washing Service

To Clean Mold And Mildew From Your Home’s Exterior

As a homeowner, there will usually come a time when you find that it is nearly impossible to get rid of some of the dirt, mildew, grime and other stains that can build up around your property by only using your traditional garden hose. This is where a power washer is going to be imperative to help you get the best clean possible on your fencing, deck, driveway siding, walkway or your patio. 

Safety of a professional is worth piece of mind

A professional will ensure that there won't be any mishaps that are going to cause any damage to your home, or injury to you or others around you. With the high pressure of a power washer, there is always a chance of injury as debris can fly at high velocity. A professional company knows how to deal with debris and they work to remain as safe as possible.  

Did you know that power washing can help to preserve the paint job on your home, fence, outdoor furnishings and more? The professionals can carefully get rid of all of the dirt, mold and grease that could have been building up and keep everything looking like new for a long time.  

A professional company is trained to take all of the necessary precautions on the job when power washing. Not only are they skilled to work the equipment, but they will also know how to climb the ladder, move heavy items, and they understand how to eliminate risks for everyone in the vicinity.

Professionals use professional equipment

When you hire a professional, you never have to guess if you are using the right equipment or if you are maneuvering correctly. The pros are going to have state of the art equipment including the power washer, all of the attachments, protective clothing and gear, ladders. Plus they will know exactly what type of detergent is needed to remove the mildew and alga and mold. If you were to rent all of these items separately, it would really start to add up. Also, you may not be able to find any commercial grade tools and equipment that will be readily available for the general consumer.

Hire a professional and save your time

If you were to do this yourself it would be a long process and you need a lot of patience and precision. Hiring a professional will speed up the time that it takes to finish the job and save you some money in the long run. 

Improves Health 

Depending on where you live, mold spores can build up quickly, especially in areas with excessive rain and humidity. Cleaning your exterior or outdoor furnishings will help to reduce the potential for a mold issue that can be dangerous to your health. Once you are ready to get your home or anything else on the exterior cleaned, you will see that a professional power washing service will certainly be well worth hiring.

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What's the Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting? StarCare Power Wash Knows!

According to the CDC Website there is a big difference between Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting. StarCare understands the difference and provides professional Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting!

CLEANING: this process removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.

SANITIZING: This lowers the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level as judged by public health standards.

DISINFECTING: kills germs on surfaces. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kills germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces, but by killing germs it can lower the risk of spreading infection.

Call us today to schedule your appointment! 707-580-3665

Independence Day!

 

StarCare Power Wash, Inc.
4849 Robinson Rd
Vacaville CA 95688

707-580-3665