All Surface Cleaning Company

More and more Portland roof cleaning companies are claiming to use green and environmentally friendly roof cleaning methods and treatments each and every day!

OK, Portland roof cleaning has finally made it to the disreputable place that so many other industries have already reached – overstating their green and environmentally friendly status.

Personally, I am tired of seeing Portland roof cleaning contractors promote themselves as using “safe” and green roof treatments when I see them continuing to only use treatments such as copper napthenate, zinc napthenate, zinc chloride and Chevron roof oil mixes on Portland roofs.   I guess they’ll do anything to show up on a Google keyword search!

These companies continue to lead with the roof maintenance method of power washing the roof and then putting on a heavy metal treatment as their methods and treatments of first choice.   I fail to see the environmentally friendly roof cleaning aspect of all this.

On rare occasion, we will use a couple of these if that is what the customer insists upon.   Our goal has always been to offer a wide variety of roof cleaning practices that fit many situations instead of trying to make one method work for all situations.   However, this is rare and we generally recommend to our customers the environmentally friendlier options first.

Part of this issue stems from access.   Most roof cleaning companies are simply not able to access the products, often proprietary, that offer a gentler interaction with the surrounding environment yet still provide excellent results.

If you are looking for some gentler, greener approaches to maintaining your roof, let’s talk today!

Portland, roof moss capital of the world.   That sounds like a tongue in cheek statement but in reality, you would be hard pressed to find a metropolitan area that consistently has more of the elements necessary for an abundance of roof moss.

The often cloudy skies we have during long stretches of the year is a main contributor.   Certainly we get our share of beautiful sunny weather also, but that weather can’t counteract the ideal atmosphere created during the periods of darker skies.   Then add in the high moisture level we have.   It is not always about the volume of rain but rather the high frequency of rainy weather.   Often, our houses and yards are kept in a continually damp condition over extended periods by just relatively small amounts of frequent rain.   Add in the preponderance of large, established trees providing additional shade and acting as a source of organic matter, and you have an ideal breading ground for moss.

An example of a typical Portland roof with moss

Moss (and it’s cousin lichens) are much more than a superficial issue.   It appears on all roofing material types – asphalt or composition shingles, roll roofing, cedar shakes, tile (organic or concrete), synthetic composite and even metal roofs.  By holding excess moisture against the surface of the roof, moss accelerates the wear of the roof surface. In freezing conditions, damage is increased by frost damage to the mineral granule coating on the composition shingles and fiber damage to cedar shakes and tile by the expansion of the frozen water.   All in all, there are numerous ways moss can cause damage to your roof.

Fortunately, Portland homeowners can avail themselves of roof moss professionals who have years of experience dealing with this exact problem.

In some parts of the country, roof moss might be a rare problem so those enlisted to work on it really do not know much about the proper methods and techniques for removing it.   Here at All Surface however, we have actually identified several distinct types of moss growth patterns.   By identifying different growth patterns, we are able to match specific, careful, removal methods that are best suited for that type.   We also cross reference the growth pattern against the specific type of roofing material when determining the best solution for our customers.   This is just one example of the knowledge and commitment All Surface has toward providing the leading roof moss solutions for Portland homeowners.

If your ready to learn more about your roof’s moss problem, contact Portland’s highest rated roof moss Pro’s today!

In my opinion, no one should ever be on a roof who in not very familiar with the safety requirements of doing so.    I say that not just to get more business but because ladder and roof falls are one of the leading household accidents involving trips to the emergency room every year.

A low and mild pitched roof can be very dangerous.

The danger of one story, mild pitched roof is often much more that a steep roof with a several story drop off.   Why?   Because the seemingly “easy” roof to be upon lures many unsuspecting and improperly trained individuals, whether homeowner or handyman, to climb on up.   Not many of those same folks would ever think about accessing a roof like the one shown below.

Steep or mild, walking on a roof is best left for a pro.

One slip can result in very serious consequences.   In a weak economy, many unskilled individuals are tempted to offer roof cleaning services, even if they are not properly trained, licensed or insured for such work.  All Surface has been cleaning Portland roofs since 2003 and every employee receives safety training before ever setting foot on a roof.   Additionally, we are fully licensed, bonded and insured which is very important if an accident ever does occur.   An accident by an uninsured individual can result in a financial disaster for a homeowner.

My recommendation is to play it safe whenever ladders or roofs are involved – Let Portland’s highest rated roof cleaning Pros handle the job for you!

Improper Downspout Drains Are as Bad As Overflowing Gutters

Overflowing Gutters in Portland are a common problem.   Hopefully you are aware of the damage that they can cause.   Quick attention from a Portland gutter cleaning professional will help eliminate any potential repercussions and keep you off your ladder!

However, the potential damage caused by overflowing gutters is not always averted with just a gutter cleaning.

Gutter Downspout Extension

Where the rain water runs after the the gutters are clean and flowing again is of considerable importance.   A downspout may either be connected to an underground drainage hookup or it might just drain freely.   Sometimes, when a gutter is not connected to the underground drain it is because the old drain is no longer functional, while other times it might be a result of a downspout that was installed after the drainage system was put in place and there is simply no drain for it to connect.

Another reason is that a lot of Portland homeowners, at the encouragement of the local governments, have intentionally disconnected there downspouts to prevent the water from overburdening the storm drain systems.   Water that flows in to your yard has the opportunity to perk through the soil in a more natural fashion, putting less stress on local rivers.

Regardless of the reason, it is critical that the drain does not simply dump the gutter’s water too close to the house’s foundation.   All Surface can help with some simply solutions to get the draining water away from the house and out to an area where it will not cause any harm.

Please give us a call today to see how we might be able to help you.

503-590-9274.

It is time to Gutter Clean, Portland!

The leaves are coming down and the rain is coming down.   Let All Surface Cleaning Company make sure that is all that is coming down and KEEP YOU OFF OF YOUR LADDER!   We don’t want to hear about anyone getting hurt this fall or winter.

Don't let this be you!

But back to the main point, why do you need to gutter clean, Portland homeowners?

Because homes have gutters for a reason – they are an integral part of your roofing system.   Without gutters, water would cause damage to your home’s foundations.   Water would eventually leak or leach into either your crawl space or basement.   Mold and mildew could occur.   Erosion could start to occur, causing its own unique and potentially costly set of problems.  Plus, you would never be able to walk out your door on a rainy day without getting dumped on by a flood of roof run-off.

Gutters that have not been cleaned may start to rust.   The collected amount of debris will get exceptionally heavy and start to pull the gutters away from the house, often causing damage to the facia board or rafter tails.  It is very possible to get leaking inside of your exterior walls.    Underground clogs may occur  and start to cause other drainage problems in your yard.   Plus, full, overflowing gutters will result in the same potential damage caused by not having them it the first place!

Let us help you get those gutters clean, Portland.

Time for Portland Oregon Gutter Cleaning? Well, we know one thing, Fall is coming up soon and we all want to make sure our “portland gutter cleaning” is done so we’re ready for the annual rain.  And, the best time to get it done is now while the weather is nice and there’s less chance of an early downpour causing your property damage.  Contact us now for a free estimate.

Ready to put Portland Oregon Gutter Cleaning behind you forever?

Our brand of gutter protection, called GutterFlow, is the best system we have ever seen for keeping your gutter’s clog free.   Unlike other systems which use caps or covers over the gutter, our system installs inside of the gutter.   There is simply no place for the debris to go!   GutterFlow will keep you from having to have your gutter interiors periodically cleaned.   Your property will be protected against unexpected gutter overflows which can can cause considerable damage to the foundation and exteriors walls.

Contact us now for a free estimate.

There are numerous ways to treat a a cedar shake roof.

Staining is just one method of treatment and not a very good one.   The objectives of maintaining a cedar roof are threefold:   Clean the roof, Preserve the wood, and Prevent moss.    No where can it found found that changing the color is a necessary goal.

One of the main reasons roofs started getting stained was simply to hide another, less attractive color – green.   Copper Napthanate was commonly and still is used as a roof preservative.   Aside from it’s nasty smell and harshness on the enviroment, it is a good wood preservative.   Unfortunately, it is green.   Since very few people want a green cedar roof, the habit was started of adding pigment (stain) to the solution to hide the green.   While this is the lesser of two evils, is still had its shortcomings.

Even when treatments that are clear became available, many contractors and homeowners became accustomed to see a “stained” roof and used it as a milestone of determining that the roof was treated.   Of course, some unscrupulous roofing contractors then realized that they could cut down on the “good stuff” and as long as the roof had a nice tint of orange or putty brown (the two most common options available), homeowners would consider their roof maintained.    Take a look at the attached photo of such a roof – what a disaster.

Why not to stain a roof

It is just a terrible checkerboard.   Now every roof that has shakes replaced is going to temporarily look checkered until the new ones evolve toward the older ones, but a roof like this is evolving away from uniformity.   Also, you can see that the end shakes appear not to have any coloration at all.   Why?   Because they likely never had any to start with because the application did not want to get orange overspray on the light colored gutters and siding and have to clean it off.

Here is a simple guideline we give our customers:   Roofs are not decks – they are not meant to be stained. Roof treatment, however, is a critical component to maximizing the most out of your expensive investment.

If you are a Portland area homeowner who would like to learn more about proper roof maintenance, whether cedar, composition or tile, please feel welcome to contact us.

When vinyl siding was gaining serious traction in popularity during the 1970s and 1980s, one of the main claims and attractions was that “it never had to be painted.”   Just think, say goodbye to your painting tools.

Unfortunately, too many homeowners made the assumption, maybe with the assistance of unscrupulous salespeople, that not needing to be painted equated to “Maintenance Free.”   Tens and hundreds of thousands of homeowners slowly realized within 2 – 10 years of installation that mildew and fungus readily attach and grow on vinyl siding and unless greenish brown was their color of choice, their siding needed periodic cleaning.   The need for maintenance, however, does not make it a bad product – it just wasn’t as maintenance free as they thought.

History seems to be repeating itself, this time with composite decking.   While these materials are flaunted as “never needing staining,” they most definitely need maintenance.

First, like all new innovations, some of the first models available are lacking the full potential of the innovation.   Such it was with composite decking.   Early brands were subject to modestly rapid deterioration.   I have personally viewed installations that were failing so badly, I could gouge out an 1/8″ to 1/4″ with just my finger nails.    Fortunately, the brands have evolved and are much more rugged now.

However, even the newest and best composite decks are still subject to accumulating mildew, fungus, and sludge, especially through the wet winters we have in the Portland Oregon area.   Additionally, as they are still generally porous materials, they are subject to embedded stains occurring on them.   Both stains from “natural sources”, such as mildew, or stains from introduced sources, such barbecue grease can leave a lasting negative impression on a very expensive part of your home.

All Surface maintains quite a few composite decks.   Some just require being gentle washed.   Others get washed then treated with a stain repellent, much as you might have done to your carpet.   Some stain manufacturers have even developed lines of deck stains uniquely developed for composite decks.   Why?   Because unlike wood, with a composite deck, once you chose your color you have to stick with it.   Obviously, most homeowners like to make changes from time to time, especially with the exterior color of their homes (unless they have vinyl siding.)   Thus the need to be able to change deck color.

So if you are considering building or rebuilding a deck, composites are a good, legitimate choice.   Just don’t go into one thinking your maintenance days are over.   And one final tip – try to avoid mixing of materials, such as a wood floor and a composite railing.   That is a sure fire way to increase either the time or cost of maintenance.

If you have a composite deck and want it to look better, please do not hesitate to give All Surface Cleaning Co. a call today.

Here is a typical Portland deck exhibiting varying levels of stain remnant.

Deck in need of refinishing

This deck is is great example of what we commonly encounter.   Parts of the deck are bare, leading the homeowner to think that simply cleaning and refinishing will suffice to provide a nice looking new finish.   However, the sections of the deck with substantial stain remaining are the problem.

On some decks, the majority (it is never all) of the stain will lift off with cleaning.   Coupled with the homeowner’s understanding and acceptance that some of the remnant stain will still show through the new coat, only cleaning the deck prior to refinishing might be a viable, lower cost alternative.

On other decks, however, very little of the stain will lift off with just cleaning.   If a homeowner has expectations of a “new” looking deck, the are setting themselves up for much dissappointment.   There will be significant and obvious variation after the new coat is applied.   Some spots will look great while others will look horrible, with a modled look of the old stain randomly showing through.

The rub is that to the inexperienced eye, it is very hard to tell which of these two scenarios your deck will end up in.   That is where it experience and knowledge of a professional can really make the difference between being satisfied and disappointed.   We consider the penetrability of the deck – how well it will accept a new coat.   If the existing coat is glossed over to any degree, there will be little chance of the new coat blending in well.

The other area we work with our customers on is understanding expectations and explaining likely outcomes.   Sometimes, if you know that your deck will look much nicer but will still have many noticable  imperfections, you are better equipped to make the determination whether or not you want to make the additional investment into stripping the deck down to “bare” wood (even stripping a deck may leave 1-3% of the old finish remaining, usually in nooks and crannys.)   Other times, it will benefit the homeowner to hear the hard facts – their deck will look disatrous without stripping.

We are here to help you evaluate such tough decisions.   Please give us a call for a free evaluation and estimate.

Moss just becoming visible on roof

First off, I apologize for the slightly blurry photo.   It’s not your eyes or monitor – it is our photo.   I still chose to post it because it is a good example of a young moss infestation.   This roof is a prime example of a roof that only requires a treatment to solve it’s moss problem.

The vast majority of roof cleaning and treating jobs we handle in the Portland area are for infestations much heavier and mature than what is show in this photo.   The moss has grown into clumps and has spread across the majority of the roof’s surface.  These roofs require eradication of the majority of the moss, cleaning the fallen moss out of the gutters and surrounding areas, and then treating.   The treatments, of which there may be a couple of options, serve to kill the remainder of the smaller moss left intact and then as a preventative to slow the return of new moss.

We recommend that when you see the first shimmer of green on your roof (such as the one in the photo,) before you see any clumps of moss, that you address the problem.   A young infestation can often be addressed by simply treating the roof.   This is the most gentle and affordable method of roof cleaning.

However, beware.   Some inexperience or irreputable contractors  will try to sell you on a treatment only option even when the moss is of a larger size.   In such instances, a “treatment only” process is insufficient.   If the moss is too large, the treatment usually will not penetrate the moss completely and the kill will be incomplete.   Additionally, the moss, even if dead, is too large and established to eventually crumble and roll off.   Thus, the importance of sticking with the above mentioned methods of removing the larger moss prior to the treatment to make sure that the job is done in a comprehensive and adequate method.

Also, bear in mind, that ANYONE who puts ANYTHING on your roof with the intent to kill moss, must be licensed with the Oregon Department of Agriculture as a Commercial Pesticide Operator.   You may check our license (AG-L0178910CPO ) right here:  http://oda.state.or.us/dbs/licenses/view.lasso?&division=pest&key=AG-L0178910CPO.

If you are a Portland area homeowner and unsure about where your roof stands in terms of which cleaning process is appropriate, please feel welcome to give us All Surface Cleaning Company a call.    We will gladly evaluate it for you at no cost.