This month as you drive around looking at the beautiful lights on everyone’s home, you may notice something else about that house. Are those home exteriors as shiny and beautiful as the lights adorning them, or are they a little grungy looking? Even as you hang your own lights, you may notice your home’s exterior is not as fresh looking as you thought. Now is the perfect time of the year to get the exterior of your home spic and span. We often forget that the outside of our home needs some attention too! Exposed to the elements all year, it makes sense that siding, driveways and pathways get dirty, too. If you’re tired of looking at your dirty and stained siding, it’s probably time to get your home a deep cleaning by Under Pressure.

Here in Southwest Florida your home is exposed to a lot of severe natural elements. Our subtropical humid environment leaves your home open to constant attack from tree and plant pollen, extreme UV rays, salt from the ocean breezes, wind and the torrential rains of our summers. This leaves your siding grungy with mold, mildew, dirt and grime. So it’s a good idea to have your home’s exterior washed twice a year.

What you might not realize is that the sea salt, mildew, mold, moss, dirt, and other grime that collects on your home’s outer surfaces do more than just make your home look grungy. These substances can also cause damage to the surface of your home. Mold, mildew, algae and even dirt can all infiltrate the wood in your home and cause serious structural damage. Exposure to the elements (rain, wind and sun) oxidizes over time, leaving your house vulnerable to all sorts of problems. A dirty house invites insects to intrude. If left untreated, all of these elements can cause permanent staining, and potentially even degrade your surfaces, which can cost you thousands in repairs. A good soft wash can help stave off problems and help prevent maintenance problems in the future. That’s why it’s important to catch it early on, with regular maintenance.

A couple of other things to consider, the environment is full of pollutants: acid rain; bird excrement; smoke, and more.  All of these things can settle on the surface of your home’s exterior, putting you at risk of contamination. Our soft wash helps clean away pollutants.
If anyone in your family suffers from allergies, a good cleaning can help get rid of the things causing all of that wheezing and sneezing. Anytime you can get rid of allergens on the exterior of your home; you make it less likely that they will get inside where they can wreak havoc on your family’s health.
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We at Under Pressure use a technique called soft wash to revive the original look of your home. It begins with a light spraying of your home with a gentle cleanser. We then come behind with a light spray to rinse off the exterior. We do not use any high pressure on your home to make sure we do not peel any paint or degrade the quality of the exterior of your home. A small investment on the cleaning of the exterior of your home is one of the best ways to build up the value of that home. If you’re interested in having the exterior of your home safely soft washed for long-lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

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We are finally past our rainy season here in Southwest Florida. But you may find that your roof now looks terrible after all of our summertime heat and humidity. That’s the perfect climate for mold, mildew and bacteria to leave ugly streak marks on your roof. And those streaks are more than unsightly, they are also destructive to your roofing materials. Necessity is the mother of invention, and our heat and humidity in Florida is just one reason the roof cleaning industry was started right here.

Back when it was started in the 1980’s, roof-cleaning companies used pressure washers to clean roofs, and unfortunately, many of our competitors still do. However, at Under Pressure, we never pressure wash a roof, because pressure washing is really bad for all types of roofs. For years we’ve used a soft-wash technique. We love to run ahead of the pack though, and we do that through always keeping up with cutting edge technologies and techniques. To that end we recently added a new “green” cleaning solution and application process to clean roofs in a way that kills algae, but not your plants. Our green cleaning technique not only removes those black streaks but kills the mold, mildew and algae at the root, and continues to kill new growth.

Let’s start by discussing those black streaks for a moment, because pressure washing may make it look like it’s gotten rid of them, but it will only be a few months before you start to see those ugly streaks again. That’s because the black streaks aren’t “dirt.” The main culprit of those black streaky roof stains is a bacteria called Gloeocapsa Magma. It’s a bacteria! That means it’s a living organism—it’s a plant that will put down roots. Other forms of microorganisms can be found in union with the bacteria, including mold, fungi, algae, mildew, lichen, and moss. When you pressure wash, you do not blow the roots off the roof, so the bacteria, mold and mildew grow back quickly.

The filament root system of the fungi and algae are growing on, and digging in to your roof. Fungi and algae that are growing on a roof have root systems that can cause damage to shingles such as uplifting, spreading of shingles, and decomposition. The roots open up tiny cracks in the shingles, tiles or other roofing materials. Many of these organisms growing on roofing surfaces do much of the same thing. They spread the shingle like a fan. Because the shingle is attached on the back, the front ends of the shingle flare and roll. This is because the shingle is widened at the front more so than the back.

Many roofing surfaces are made with materials that can be metabolized by these microorganisms. For example, shingles contain limestone, which contains phosphates, an excellent source of nutrients for algae, mildew, and bacteria to feed on. These microorganisms will break down a roofing surface and cause decomposition. This in turn, will also aid the process of erosion caused by running water such as rainfall.
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The good news is that through a new cutting edge solution we use here at Under Pressure called BioWash, these microorganism stains can be safely removed! The new solution is completely safe for all of your landscape plantings and grass because it’s biodegradable. It’s effective on all kinds of roof tiles. The formulation of the product and the application techniques the company trained us in allows the cleaning solution to have a longer dwell or linger time, which means less run off, and increased results from just one application. The product does not damage tiles and returns them to their original color over time. One of the best things about this product, is that it continues to work over time, deeply cleaning and preventing the stains from returning, when you schedule regular preventative services with us.

Our BioWash service is an industry first, and we hope you’ll call us today to clean your roof with this environmentally and roof friendly product. If you’re interested in having the black stains on your roof removed safely and with  long-lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

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When you purchase a townhouse or home in a planned development or gated community here in Southwest Florida, you are often obligated to join that community’s homeowner’s association (HOA), pay monthly or annual fees for the upkeep of common areas, and maintain your home within the HOA'. 
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In addition to maintaining common areas, HOAs also set out certain rules that all residents must follow called convenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs). Rules may include what color front door you may have, whether you are allowed to line dry your laundry outside, whether you can have a satellite dish, the size and type of pets permitted, and so on. In a subdivision with individual homes, regulations may include what color you can paint your home, the exterior landscaping you can do, the types of vehicles you can park on the street or in your driveway (no RVs, for example), permissible type and height of fences, and restrictions on window coverings for windows facing the street. 

HOA’s will also govern how well you maintain your residence and will often enforce how well you maintain your property, which can include everything from lawn maintenance to keeping your roof clear of mildew and your driveway and lanai clean as well. While all of this can be a pain, remember the covenants are there to help maintain the quality of life for the entire community and to protect property values for all of the owners.

No one likes to get a letter saying they’ve broken the rules and may be being charged a fine by the HOA if they don’t maintain their property properly. However, the HOA is obligated to fairly and consistently enforce governing documents. If it didn’t, chaos would ensue. 

Here at Under Pressure, we call those HOA maintenance letters “nastygrams.” This is the time of year in SWFL, when many HOA’s send out their maintenance “nastygrams.” And if you’ve gotten a “nastygram” about mold and mildew on your roof, your driveway, your lanai or your sidewalk, we want you to know that we are here to help you avoid getting a fine from your HOA. Call us now and we will get that dirt and mildew handled immediately, getting you out of hot water with your association, and making your home looking fantastic

​Whew, here in Southwest Florida it is hot and wet right now! That humidity and rain we get every day in the summer really has the plants and yard growing, and pretty much anything that thrives on heat and humidity. And if you’ve lived here long enough, you know that that means mold, mildew and algae growth is kicked up everywhere. There’s a good chance you’ve noticed that your pool enclosure screens and struts have a greenish or blackish tinge to them or outright fuzzy growth on them. Not just ugly stuff, but also corrosive and detrimental to the long-term wear of your cage and screens. 

Here’s what else happens to your screens this time of year in SWFL. While screen enclosures do an excellent job of keeping bugs, wildlife and yard debris out of your outdoor living spaces, their exteriors don’t repel pollen. Over time, pollen can accumulate on the structure’s surfaces, forming a disgusting film that makes your enclosure look old or dirty. So that’s the other thing that may be making your screens look terrible.

Cleaning your enclosure is key to preserving the life of your screens, as well as the frame. However, those screens are delicate! So straight up pressure washing is not the answer. A pressure washer on full power can etch into concrete, so it will definitely blow a tear into a screen.  That’s why when it comes to your lanai and pool screen enclosure, we use a soft wash system.

Our team at Under Pressure is on the job to:

• Remove algae, mildew, pollen, and dirt
• Kill bacterial growth
• Remove leaves and other debris

At Under Pressure, we use a soft washing system to deliver the highest level of clean without negatively impacting your lanai pool enclosure. Screening is a delicate surface and should never be exposed to high pressure washing technology. Our soft wash service protects the material and enhances its appearance with a low pressure cleaning alternative.

We use cleaning products that are formulated to be tough on buildup. They kill spores, break down dirt buildup, and deliver the “deep clean impact” your screening needs to last season after season.

A soft wash incorporates special low-pressure nozzles on the end of a pressure washing gun or wand. That’s combined with a biodegradable chemical that removes the biological elements (mold, algae, pollen, dirt, moss) and other stains without damaging surfaces on your lanai or killing your plants.
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If your pool cage is looking black or green or if you just want to be sure all of it is sparkling, give us a call at give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

​It’s that time of year here in Southwest Florida when it rains just about every day. Combine that with our summertime heat and humidity and you’ve got the perfect climate for mold, mildew and bacteria to leave ugly streak marks on your roof. That’s why the roof cleaning industry started right here in the state of Florida in the late 1980s.

Originally, roof-cleaning companies used pressure washers to clean roofs, and unfortunately, many of our competitors still do. However, pressure washing is really bad for all types of roofs, so we really don’t recommend you do that, and at Under Pressure, we never pressure wash a roof. For years we’ve used a soft-wash technique. We love to run ahead of the pack though, and we do that through always keeping up with cutting edge technologies and techniques. To that end we recently added a new “green” cleaning solution and application process to clean roofs in a way that kills algae, but not your plants, and not only removes those black streaks but kills the mold, mildew and algae at the root, and continues to kill new growth.

Let’s start by discussing those black streaks for a moment, because pressure washing may make it look like its gotten rid of them, but it will only be a few months before you start to see those ugly streaks again. That’s because the black streaks aren’t “dirt.” The main culprit of those black streaky roof stains is a bacteria called Gloeocapsa Magma. It’s a bacteria! That means it’s a living organism—it’s a plant that will put down roots. Other forms of microorganisms can be found in union with the bacteria, including mold, fungi, algae, mildew, lichen, and moss. When you pressure wash, you do not blow the roots off the roof, so the bacteria, mold and mildew grow back quickly.

The filament root system of the fungi and algae are growing on, and digging in to your roof. Fungi and algae that are growing on a roof have root systems that can cause damage to shingles such as uplifting, spreading of shingles, and decomposition. The roots open up tiny cracks in the shingles, tiles or other roofing materials. Many of these organisms growing on roofing surfaces do much of the same thing. They spread the shingle like a fan. Because the shingle is attached on the back, the front ends of the shingle flare and roll. This is because the shingle is widened at the front more so than the back.

Many roofing surfaces are made with materials that can be metabolized by these microorganisms. For example, shingles contain limestone, which contains phosphates, an excellent source of nutrients for algae, mildew, and bacteria to feed on. These microorganisms will break down a roofing surface and cause decomposition. This in turn, will also aid the process of erosion caused by running water such as rainfall.

The good news is that through a new cutting edge solution we use here at Under Pressure called Earth EZ BioWash, these microorganism stains can be safely removed! The new solution is completely safe for all of your landscape plantings and grass because it’s biodegradable. It’s effective on all kinds of roof tiles. The formulation of the product and the application techniques the company trained us in allows the cleaning solution to have a longer dwell or linger time, which means less run off, and increased results from just one application. The product does not damage tiles and returns them to their original color over time. One of the best things about this product, is that it continues to work over time, deeply cleaning and preventing the stains from returning, when you schedule regular preventative services with us.

Our Earth EZ BioWash service is an industry first, and we hope you’ll call us today to clean your roof with this environmentally and roof friendly product. If you’re interested in having the black stains on your roof removed safely and with  long-lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.

It’s fairly easy to be hired to pressure wash driveways, pavers, roofs, sidewalks and lanais for individual homes. But it’s not as easy to get in good with Home Owner’s Associations or property managers for large housing and apartment developments. That requires a consistency in delivering a very high quality of service. At UnderPressure, consistency of service is one of the things we really pride ourselves on. But honestly, you don’t have to take our word for it. We’d much rather let you hear it from some of the property managers for large complexes in our area. After all, their honest opinion of us is the only opinion that counts. So let’s hear what they have to say about UnderPressure.

Bob Delaney, Property and Portfolio Manager for Resort Management

Pete and UnderPressure have been providing services for a number of my properties for around four years. They’ve done a variety of different types of services for my homeowners, from cleaning and sealing driveway pavers to cleaning roofs. My first impression of Pete and his team is that they were very professional in the way they handled themselves. Whenever I have Pete come bid on a job, he shows up to look over the building on time, and he gives me a reasonable price. It may not be the cheapest price, but then when I get bids for a job, I rarely go for the cheapest bid, because quality of work is also important. 

Pete is very ethical and trustworthy. When he gives me a bid, it’s a real bid, and the price is what he says it will be. He never low-bids me and then comes back later for more money, and yes I’ve had other companies do that. What I tell the vendors who win the bid is this, “Get it done right the first time. I don’t want my phone to ring after you are done. I have a lot of work to do myself and I don’t want to spend my time answering annoyed resident’s phone calls.” Pete and his team are great about getting it done right the first time, and they are very responsive. There are a lot of non-responsive contractors out there, but Pete is great about responding really fast, to any questions or complaints or bidding opportunities I have. If I contact him, Pete will be there in a day to bid on a job, and then he gets the bid back to me quickly as well.  And he’s very flexible about things, and completes every job in a timely fashion, which is good because we are always in a rush.

Pete is extremely responsive and calls me back right away when I need anything. He also tells me right away if he can’t do something I’m asking for, and he always has suggestions for ways to improve on how we are doing things. For example, we have a number of single family homes who are all responsible for paying for their own roof cleaning and paver cleaning, and if I ask Pete to offer a discount to them for his services, he is always willing to do that and to offer me a coupon for those homeowners.

What some vendors don’t understand, and Pete does, is that the officers of the HOA’s all talk to each other all the time and compare notes about vendors their community has been using. They know when a job is well done and when it’s poorly done, even if it’s not in their own community. So if you do good by one HOA, then chances are very good, they will mention you to other HOA’s who are near by and you’ll get lots of business that way. 

It’s my reputation on the line if I hire a company for our properties. If I recommend a vendor and say they will do a great job, then they better do just that, because I’m not going to put my reputation on the line unless a company is worthwhile. And UnderPressure has always come through for me, which is why I request bids from them regularly. 

Scott Monk, former Property Manager for Castle Group Property Management

I worked with Pete many times over about a three-year span. I got his name and number from another property manager. That kind of referral goes a long way with me and with other property managers. He told me Pete was straight forward, knows what he’s talking about, and fairly priced. But the thing he said that made the biggest difference was, “Pete will meet with you at the beginning to look over the job and bid on it, and he’ll meet with you to go over the job at the end and make sure you are both on the same page and to make sure it was done right and we are happy with the work.” Not everyone will take this extra step, but Pete does every time.

Pete is also really flexible. We ask for bids from several vendors for each job. Sometimes there’s things that need to be pressure washed that are not part of the original job. For example, if I get the club house pressure washed, I also want the little bus stop in front of it to be cleaned. Nine times out of ten Pete will throw that in without going out there with a measuring tape and nickel and diming me to death.
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I’ve never had a problem with any of the jobs I’ve trusted to Pete and Under Pressure. He has a high level of integrity and is honest about what he can and cannot do. Often pressure washing guys will come in and just yes you to death. For example the area they are cleaning might have an oil stain. And I’ll ask if they can get rid of it and they just tell me yes, they can disappear it. Pete will tell me the truth, that oil stains never completely disappear when pressure washed, though he will do the best he can. He doesn’t try to sell you lies just to get the job.
My experience with Pete has been fantastic. We have to get our properties washed at least two times a year, and it can get pricey. We have to bid out those jobs every time we do it. Pete is always on the money when it comes to price, and that just means that his pricing is really very fair. 

​Roof cleaning is fairly new and only became an industry in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. It was primarily started up in the Southern United States, with the state of Florida being one of the main areas of growth for the industry. And no wonder, because down here in Southwest Florida (and the rest of the state), we have the primary ingredients that make bacteria, mold, and mildew grow. . . namely heat and humidity.

Initially, roof cleaning companies used pressure washers to clean the ugly black streaks from people’s roofs. However, if you read our last month’s blog post, you learned how bad pressure washing is for all roofing materials. Any type of pressure washing on shingles literally sprays 10-15 years off the life of your roof. The high pressure removes most of the granules of the shingle, and usually voids the roof's warranty. Pressure washing on tile roofs is just as damaging. The high pressure actually shifts the tiles out of place or cracks them.

Plus, pressure washing does not really take care of the root of the problem, and it will only be a few months before you start to see those ugly streaks again. That’s because the black streaks aren’t “dirt.” The main culprit of those black streaky roof stains is a bacteria called Gloeocapsa Magma. It’s a bacteria! That means it’s a living organism—it’s a plant that will put down roots. Other forms of microorganisms can be found in union with the bacteria, including mold, fungi, algae, mildew, lichen, and moss. When you pressure wash, you do not blow the roots off the roof, so the bacteria, mold and mildew grow back quickly.

The filament root system of the fungi and algae are growing on, and digging in to your roof. Fungi and algae that are growing on a roof have root systems that can cause damage to shingles such as uplifting, spreading of shingles, and decomposition. The roots open up tiny cracks in the shingles, tiles or other roofing materials. Many of these organisms growing on roofing surfaces do much of the same thing. They spread the shingle like a fan. Because the shingle is attached on the back, the front ends of the shingle flare and roll. This is because the shingle is widened at the front more so than the back.

Many roofing surfaces are made with materials that can be metabolized by these microorganisms. For example, shingles contain limestone, which contains phosphates, an excellent source of nutrients for algae, mildew, and bacteria to feed on. These microorganisms will break down a roofing surface and cause decomposition. This in turn, will also aid the process of erosion caused by running water such as rainfall.

The good news is that through a technique we use here at Under Pressure called soft washing, these microorganism stains can be safely removed! We at Under Pressure strictly use only Roof Cleaning Institute of America approved techniques to clean roofs. Those black streaks are an organic pest that are better addressed with algaecides such as you would address a fungal infection in your garden. Soft washing simply uses a cleaning solution to clean your roof. Our Under Pressure technicians simply spray the solution on your roof at around the pressure of a garden hose, and let the chemicals do the work. The solution sprays around forty feet so there is minimal walking and movement on your roof. Most importantly, the cleaning solution actually kills the algae growing on your roof all the way down to the spores. Because of this “non-pressure” technique, your roof will stay clean for years and you won’t need to worry about any damage to your roof.

As you can see, at Under Pressure, our roof cleaning products do the work for us. They even continue to work after we drive away. Every time it rains your roof will get cleaner and release a protective barrier from the algae that actually stains your roof. These methods have been tested and used for several years, and thousands of roofs and has been proven the best and most effective.

Another thing that’s important, at Under Pressure we demand that our policies and techniques follow the safest routes to protecting Mother Nature. When chemicals are used to enhance and speed up the cleaning process in roof cleaning, pressure washing and power washing, we go the extra mile to ensure that we use ONLY biodegradable materials that are environmentally friendly.
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If you’re interested in having the black stains on your roof removed safely and with a long lasting results, give us a call at Under Pressure at 866-579-6942.