How to Help Sell Your Home Faster

How To Improve Your Curb Appeal and Sell Your House Faster
Bob Keenan - Aiken Soft Wash Power Washing & Window Cleaning
www.AikenSoftWash.com

In the down real estate market we have seen over the past few years, it has been a much more difficult process to sell a house.

You may already know the "old standbys" when it comes to getting a house ready to pristine condition for a showing; de-clutter rooms and closets, paint walls neutral colors, clean, dust, bake cookies etc.... But what if you can't even get buyers past the front door because of the way the exterior of the home looks?  Ugly mildew on the siding, filthy concrete driveways and walkways, unsightly black stains on the roof?

If buyers are seeing this kind of image on the MLS listing or as they drive by, they are likely thinking the INSIDE is probably as bad as the outside - as they keep on driving.

Give yourself a better chance of attracting those potential buyers by giving the exterior a much needed boost of curb appeal.  Pressure washing the driveway and sidewalk concrete and brick steps can instantly brighten things up.  If you have vinyl siding and it is covered in green and black mildew, power washing or softwashing with low-pressure systems - DONT blast away at vinyl siding with damaging HIGH PRESSURE!!! Even if you ignore that advice, how are you going to get all the way up to second story siding and gable trim to blast away anyway?

Likewise, if you have a high, steep roof, how to get up there to clean the unsightly black mildew stains?

You may not want to run the risk of potentially damaging your siding or roof by trying to accomplish the cleaning yourself with a pressure washer.  Utilizing a professional, local licensed contractor will be well worth the cost to safely and efficiently clean your exterior.  Call the experts at Aiken Soft Wash in Aiken, SC for all your exterior and window cleaning needs. 803-439-1867

www.AikenSoftWash.com

How To Clean Unsightly Roof Stains

Does Your Roof Look Like This? 

Article Copyright© 2009-2012 Bob Keenan • Aiken Soft Wash, LLC • www.AikenSoftwash.com

If it does, do you know why it looks that way?  Even if your roof does not have these unsightly streaks, you certainly may have noticed others that do have them.  (If you’ve not noticed, I bet after reading this you will start to notice them all over Aiken!)  Whether you have them or not, or noticed them or not, Aiken is filled with homes that have stained asphalt shingles just like the ones above. 

What causes shingles to stain and streak like this?  Well, it’s not some sort of droppings from pine trees, nor acid rain, nor dirt or soot.  You may not want to hear it, but the answer is ALGAE.  Specifically, an airborne, single-cell Cyanobacteria organism called Gloecapsa Magma.  This airborne spore gets deposited on the shingles and is usually most prevalent on the north-facing sides of roofs due to more shade time on northern exposures.  It’s the heat and humidity that allow the proliferation of these spores, which actually feed on the crushed limestone additive fillers in asphalt shingles. 

The accumulation of dead colonies of these Cyanobacteria causes the visually dark streaks and stains on the shingles.  Left untreated, this algae growth can build up on the roof, which causes the shingle to hold moisture.  A darker, moisture-holding shingle can cause premature aging of the roof due to rotting, or granule loss.

The Good News?  YOU DON’T NEED A NEW ROOF!  The stains are remedied using professional roof cleaning methods recommended by the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer’s Association.  As recommended by the ARMA (www.asphaltroofing.org), a zero-pressure “softwash” process utilizing high-quality, safe, detergents and surfactants is used to restore the roof.   (Never let anyone clean your shingle roof with a pressure washer!  Pressure washing will remove the algae -- along with most of the shingle granules, permanently damaging the shingles and voiding the warranty!)

Once the stains are softwashed, killing and rinsing the algae, a dramatic difference will be noticed as the original color of the shingle is restored. You will see an instant improvement in curb appeal of the property – along with an improvement in the health and longevity of the roof.  The average homeowner may not be able to accomplish roof work safely. Consider using a professional, licensed contractor, with the knowledge, experience and proper softwashing equipment to safely and efficiently restore your roof – SAFELY, per the roof shingle manufacturers specifications - for less than 1/10^th of the price of replacing it.

Bob Keenan is a SC licensed General Contractor, and the owner of Aiken Soft Wash, LLC, as well as a resident of Woodside Plantation.

Visit www.AikenSoftWash.com