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.

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. 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. 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.

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-L1011902CPO ) right here:  http://oda.state.or.us/dbs/licenses/view.lasso?&division=pest&key=AG-L1011902CPO. 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.

I’m never certain whether it is the result of lack of experience and knowledge or an intentional plan to provide a service of limited value.

Regardless, some Portland roof cleaning contractors continue to offer to treat roofs (most commonly cedar) with treatments that should be preceded by power washing. Don’t get me wrong; we prefer to clean cedar roofs with less invasive methods such as brushing and treating and to avoid power washing.

The key, however, is using the right roof treatments. Not every treatment that preserves wood or prevents moss growth has any cleaning capabilities by themselves. Our proprietary treatments do, but most other treatments require the roof to be previously cleaned. Copper and Zinc treatments are meant to be applied to a clean cedar roof only. They possess no ability to clean the roof. This would require power washing.

Yet, when faced with a homeowner who has done some research (maybe on our site!) and who states a preference not to have their roof power washed, some contractors will just offer the treating portion of the job. This results in all the dirt, pollutants and fungus just getting sealed right into the roof. This is very inappropriate and not beneficial to your roof.

So beware – if someone offers to simply treat your cedar roof, make sure it is with a treatment that possesses actual cleaning capabilities and is designed to be applied to a dirty roof, such as our sodium silicate based CedarGuard.

After a long, wet, blustery fall and winter, you deck can look less than pristine.   The previous summer's UV rays slowly disappated some of the color pigment in the stain.   Then the constant wetness made the wood swell, even further limiting it's ability to dry out.   Slippery mildew or fungus may have started to grow, especially if it spend extended periods of time covered with leaves or needles. Then, the sun breaks through one day in March and you have the thought of sitting out on the deck for a while or maybe even bar-b-queing.   That is when you notice it.   Your deck isn't the same one you remembered from last Labor Day!

This is the time of year that All Surface starts our deck refinishing season.

Decks are too wonderful of a space to go unused or be neglected.   Once the weather starts to turn, they are a wonderful way to increase the livable footage of any dwelling. We find decks needing a wide array of services.   Some simply need what we call an "off season" washing.   This is simply a gentle wash with mild detergent for decks that have an ample amount of stain or seal remaining.  

As odd as it may sound, you can "over stain" a deck.   While thinking you are taking good care of it by re-staining or re-sealing yearly, you may actually be reducing the period of time that the finish will be functional before needing a major overhaul.   An off season washing just gets off the dirt and pollutants accumulated over the winter and actually help the stain last longer. Other decks might require a deeper washing followed by an application of a similar stain.   This is the most common process.   It is appropriate when the deck doesn't require a full service stripping yet but the previous coats of stain or seal are getting quite "tired" and have very little protection left in them.

Finally, for whenever a deck has so much old stain on it that a new coat would not be accepted or you absolutely can not stand the current color, a full service stripping is required.   This involves removing 99% of the old stain and virtually starting from scratch, as if the deck was new and unfinished.   This option provides you with more color options as you are not trying to chose a similar color to your previous stain. Whichever method is appropriate, you deck will quickly become the center of your outdoor living.   Our estimators are skilled at helping you decide just what your deck needs.  

Additionally, All Surface offers another great way for you to maximize your outdoor time in our Portland climate – we sell and install beautiful and affordable retractable awnings – www.pdxawnings.com. We are here to help you enjoy your outdoor living – please give us a call.

Sometimes it might be tempting to tell ourselves that cleaning the gutters is not really necessary.   "As long as they don't overflow right on to my head, why should I bother?" you make think.   This article outlines exactly why the unpleasant job of gutter cleaning needs to be done regularly, particularly in the Portland Oregon area. – Tom

Why Gutter Cleaning is Important By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Malisa_Holderbaum]Malisa Holderbaum

Several thoughts come to mind whenever people hear the phrase gutter cleaning.

For example, arduous, mind numbing, an all day chore, and potentially dangerous are some of the more common reactions. Like many things in life, there are no tangible rewards for doing the work involved with cleaning your gutters. However, if you do not clean your gutters at least annually and preferably semi-annually, you run the risk of not only tangible, but also expensive consequences to clogged downspouts.

The purpose of your gutter system is to handle the rain and snow run-off of a large surface area.

This large surface area is also known as your roof. A healthy gutter will channel water away from your house forcing the water to drain into a nearby sewer or into the ground several feet away from your house. The entire system keeps the interior of your house dry while keeping your siding, windows, and foundation relatively dry. So what can happen if your gutter does not function as designed? Water travels with the force of gravity until it meets a barrier that halts that travel. At this point, the water pools together until it is high enough to flow over whatever barrier stopped it in the first place. Initially, water flows down the roof and into your gutter. Next, it flows down the gutter until it reaches the downspout or a wall of debris of leaves and twigs. In the case of an obstruction, water will fill up your gutter until it begins to flow over the sides of the gutter. Now all the water coming off your roof is traveling down the side of your house. Water is tenacious and unrelenting. It will enter any gap in your siding or crack in your foundation that it comes across. If water enters your house through a gap in your siding it can cause mold growth or structural damage to drywall or wooden studs. The biggest danger in this situation is that you might not even be aware of the problem until it becomes very expensive to fix. If flowing water enters any cracks in your foundation, it will often flow in and subsequently flow out of the crack taking minuscule pieces of your foundation with it. These cracks can grow over the course of months and years to the point where water enters your basement. Instead of facing the trouble of cleaning your gutters, you now have a leaking foundation which is a problem several magnitudes larger than your original chores. For the two reasons mentioned above along with a host of other reasons, it is a good investment of time and energy to take care of small chore today before it becomes a huge problem down the road. Malisa Holderbaum enjoys writing about [http://breakfastnookset.com]breakfast nook sets as well as giving people great [http://guttercleaningtips.com/]gutter cleaning tips Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Malisa_Holderbaum http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Gutter-Cleaning-is-Important&id=2067602

One last item that the article does not mention but is of particular importance to those of us in Portland and the surrounding areas, is the degradation and erosion of the surround soil and the chance of landslides. – Tom

I found this article and think it will be very helpful to a Portland homeowner faced with the decision of roof replacement.   One important item I would like to add about All Surface is that we NEVER use subcontractors for roofing projects.   Everyone who works for us is an employee and an experienced roofer. – Tom

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carl_M_Baker]Carl M Baker

What is a roofing contractor?

Well a roofing contractor is somebody who agrees to complete a undertaking such as a residential or commercial flat roof. In exchange for completing the undertaking, the contractor would receive compensation. This is where the term contractor was coined, somebody completing a contract in substitute for money. At times if the roofing contractor cannot finish the assignment, he can hire subcontractors to help with completing the assignment. This is more common with sizable sites such as churches, shopping centres, warehouses and other really big buildings. Subcontractors may likewise be used when work is completed on residential homes. Examples would include chimney mending, debris disposal and all-metal flashing. The ideal roofing contractor is someone who exercises hardly a couple subcontractors. By utilising less subcontractors, it is more promising that the roofing company is much more knowledgeable and may complete an array of roofing related repairs and installation. Some other great bonus of utilizing less subcontractors is that the undertaking would presumably cost less. These savings are normally passed along on to the client.

Roofing is a really specialized skill.

Few general contractors get engaged with roofing because it necessitates a squad of roofers who are comfy working on a roof and are able to function in the all-powerful sun. This is why roofs are normally completed autonomous from the remainder of the house. A roof is an integral part of whatever building structure, be it a theater, bungalow, warehouse or office tower. This makes it more crucial for a property owner or property managing director to obtain the copesetic contractor. Keeping up and mending roofs are important to keeping up a sound roof structure. The roof is unclothed to the elements all the time, rich summertime sunshine on one extreme and frozen winter snow on the other extreme. This variability in temperature and atmospheric condition can wreak mayhem on a roof and is thence paramount to make sure the roof is adequately upheld. If a modest blemish or worn down condition is perceived by a property owner, then a roofing contractor should be called out to make sure that the roof can be renovated so that the whole roof does not have to be replaced in the near future. When choosing a roofing contractor, one has to be very deliberate in arriving at the selection. The greatest way to acquire a roofing contractor is to employ one for a insignificant repair or for roof maintenance. By engaging a contractor for a small job you can see how good that contractor really is.  If you like the work the contractor did, then by all means higher that contractor in the future when you have a massive repair or a complete re-roofing of your roof. Another frequent option is to get an estimation from a contractor. Estimates are ordinarily free or cost a small fee. After obtaining an estimate you can then get an idea on how practised, professional and experienced a particular roofing contractor is. Obviously, you can ask friends or neighbours who have recently had work finished on the roof and find out if they would recommend that roofing company. At times these recommendations are not always the advisable direction to select a roofing contractor because your friend or neighbor may not really realize how well or inadequate of a condition their original roof was in. They may have not asked the fitting questions and hence could have had what they comprehended to be a upright job but cost them a little more. Another great place to check for roofing contractor's qualifications is the [http://www.nrca.net/]National Roofing Contractors Association.  Did you know that roofs today also come with [http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roof_prods.pr_roof_products]Energy Star Information. One fundamental factor that I must stress is to find out if a likely contractor utilizes subcontractors. Again by employing subcontractors, this make  the undertaking much more expensive than it really requires it to be. I trust that this informative essay has aided you in readying an informed conclusion when taking a roofing contractor. If you are in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Then visit [http://www.atlantisroofing.com]AtlantisRoofing.com for your Commercial Flat Roof and Residential Roofing Needs.  Here is another link to an article about [http://www.atlantisroofing.com/resources/roofing-contractors]roofing contractors. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_M_Baker http://EzineArticles.com/?Roofing-Contractors—Understanding-What-a-Roofing-Contractor-Does-and-Tips-on-Selecting-One&id=2025062

Thanks, Carl, for writing such a through and important article.   I really agree with most everything he covered. – Tom