Caring for the Exterior of your Home
Owning a property requires maintenance. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are 5 simple steps which we follow at Krystal Klean to care for the exterior of a home.
Step 1: Roof Washing
Let’s start at the top of your home or business. Many people tend to neglect their roofs. The general conception is that a roof is just a roof and there’s really not you should or need to do to it. Actually it’s one of the more important surfaces to care for.
For starters you’ll want to make sure there are no branches or foliage touching your roof. In fact we suggest having that routinely cut back to keep your building dry and with nothing rubbing up against it. Now take a look at the roof. Are there black streaks, leaves, mold or any kind of growth? Are there areas where organic matter is collecting?
These all need to be kept clean. Most people do not realize that organisms like mold and black algae are actually feeding on the asphalt in a roof. Over time it can eat through it and certainly shortens the lifespan.
But roofs also require a certain kind of care. If you were to take a pressure washer and try to blast the matter off it could damage the shingles. In addition you don’t want bleach or other chemicals running down from the roof into your vegetation.
We’ve adapted a special Soft Roof Washing system which gently cleans and protects your roof and also collects all of the run-off and then neutralizes the pH in your soil so that that plants are not harmed.
Step 2: Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is a staple of any exterior project. Decks, walkways driveways and exterior sidings should be pressure washed at least 1x per year and more in areas like Jacksonville. Not only does pressure washing improve the appearance of your building, it helps remove mold, dirt, insect nests and other materials that can cause health and safety issues as well as make your home appear unkempt.
Krystal Klean offers a range of pressure washing services and we have special hi-temp pressure washing trailers that use less chemicals and more hot water to clean and remove organics. Pressure washing should be completed after roof washing but before waterproofing or painting.
Step 3: Waterproofing
Caulking and sealing is very important. Not only does it prevent water, insects and debris from entering your building via cracks it also can impact heating and cooling. It’s important to make sure the right type of caulking is used for your specific application and finish.
Step 4: Painting
Most people don’t realize that Krystal Klean started as a painting company. We do a large amount of interior and exterior painting in the greater Jacksonville area. Paint is a great way to clean up the look of your building but it also has a significant impact on the overall structural integrity of your siding and wood elements. Particularly in areas near Jacksonville’s Beaches it’s important to keep the exterior of homes freshly painted.
Step 5: Screen Repair
We’ve washed a lot of windows. With more than 10,000 customers in Northeast Florida we’ve seen every type of window. Along the way we’ve gotten really good at repairing screens. Screens are an important aspect of the window because they keep insects and dust out. But dirty screens can also block sunlight and airflow. Ripped screens are easy to replace and start at $35 per screen simply ask your Krystal Klean team member.
We’re here to help
There’s obviously a lot more than this that goes into caring for a home or office building. But we hope these 5 steps will help you better understand the areas we strive to help our customers with and what we think is important.
Call 904.220.3337 for a free estimate!